Hi,everyone. Please tell me if there is anything wrong with this sentence which I have just used at the end of my letter to a foreign friend: Is there a company reponsible for providing hot water for your use of washing machines and other appliances in this cold weather? Although I know my friend will not miss the meaning of the sentence, I am not sure of the structure of the underlined part. Can I say "provide hot water for your use of ..."? How do native speakers of English express this idea? Thanks. Richard
Your phrase seems correct to me as native speaker, although it is quite formal for friendly correspondence. You could perhaps use this alternate construction to make it less formal: Is there a company reponsible for providing hot water for (your) washing machines and other appliances during this period of cold weather? Or this one to retain the formality but express it slightly differently: Is there a company reponsible for providing hot water for (your) washing-machine use (usage) during this period of cold weather? You'll notice I took the liberty of providing the alternate, and possible better depending on context, phrase 'during this period of', which helps to define to which cold weather you are referring.
As neither my Longman dictionary nor Oxford dictionary lists "provide something for something else", I am doubtful about "providing hot water for your use of washing machine and other appliances". And the reason I asked the question is because when I was going to end the letter, I suddenly thought of a sentence I read in an old book on English writing, which goes,"And there are many Japanese who say that a caricature of an up-to-date wife is one who sits beside a washing machine in a house that has no hot running water." This sentence aroused my interest in this topic when I read it for the first time. It seems to tell us that in most Western countries homes are directly provided with hot water by water companies. If so, it would be so convenient for house wives.To my knowledge, it is best to wash clothes with warm water. But as washing clothes requires a large amount of water, in my opinion, it is impractical and costs too much to heat such an amount of water. So, in winter, my wife (sometimes I do the job) hand-washes the clothes first to make sure that they are surely cleaned, and then rinses and spins them in the washing machine. Thanks for answering my question. Richard
Sorry--why on earth don't you just use the cold program on the washing machine? And 'provide' can be used to mean 'provide a service'; so 'hot water is provided by the water company/the water company provides hot water' would be correct. The central heating system in our apartment block heats the water as well, and is run on natural gas. We pay a monthly service charge--this is fairly common all over the world.
In the north of China, where the temperature can be bitter cold in winter, every city home has a heating radiator and the heating is provided by a company subsidized by the city government. But it is not the case in the south of China. In my city no home has a heating radiator and no hot water is provided. I meant to say that if clothing is washed in cold water in winter, the result of the washing would not be that good. On the control panel of my washing machine I don't see the COLD PROGRAM button.
If you look on the dial, or buttons, you should see programes like 'delicate' 'nets', 'pre-wash', etc. These indicate the temperature of the water (net curtains are washed in cold water to stop them creasing). Or maybe it just has the temperatures written, e.g. 60, 40, 30... (30 is almost a cold wash). I don't know how old or basic your machine is, or what make it is, but even the most basic machines have about 3 programs. You could also try looking at the handbook that should have come with your machine when you bought it.
...it's correct, but a bit overworded... simpler would be: Is there a company reponsible for providing hot water for washing machines and other appliances in this cold weather? ...what other appliances would need to be hooked up to hot water?...
Thanks,mammamaia. I haven't used the dishwasher, but I guess it needs hot water when in use;otherwise, the grease on dishes will not be removed as detergent does not work very well in cold water. As I always hand-wash dishes, woks and plates, I know it and in such cold weather I need first heat the water and then add in the detergent before starting the washing work.
This is such an interesting topic and a wonderful example of how cultural differences can give different peoples very different points of view. In the US, homes are not directly provided with hot water. There is a water heater of one kind or another which heats the water in a large tank inside of the house or building. I have lived in many countries and I can tell you that the method for heating water used by Americans is one of the most inefficient methods around. The constant heating of these tanks can comprise a significant portion of all the money spent on energy in a home. Where I live as well (Puerto Rico) hot water is not something that is available in every home. Maia's example sounds the most natural to me as a native speaker.
Regarding the cold water program on a washing machine, what brand of washer are you talking about? Most US made washing machines offer temperature choices but a washing machine made in China (or some other country) may not offer such choices. As Wreybies commented, the U.S. (myself included) has a history of being very wasteful with energy. All houses, and most apartments in larger buildings, have their own hot water heaters that keep a supply of hot water instantly available. Consequently, washing machines built in this country usually offer temperature settings. For example, my washer at home offers the following cycles for washing/rinsing: Hot/Warm, Hot/Cold, Warm/Warm, Warm/Cold, Cold/Cold...my wife prefers Hot/Cold, which means she washes in hot water and rinses with cold water. That said, here in the U.S., we are becoming energy conscious and some of the detergent manufacturers have developed clothes washing soaps that work just fine in cold water. Colors come out bright and even the toughest stains and dirt are removed. Perhaps you can find such detergents in your country and then your friend may not need the hot water at all. ps - I just called my wife and she says she uses "Tide for cold water - with bleach". (Tide is a brand name.) I wear white shirts and a tie every day for work and they are always very white so the cold water doesn't seem to be a problem.
Do any companies provide you with hot water for washing machines and such in the winter? Do any companies provide you with hot water for washing machines amid such during the cold seasons? This is how I would probably ask the question.
richard... hot water isn't supplied by an outside source anywhere i've ever heard of, or been [and i've been in many places, all over the world]... it's heated in the home [or the building, if apartments] by some sort of 'hot water heater'... all the outside company provides is the electricity or fuel that the appliance uses to heat the water... some water heaters constantly keep the water hot in a tank and others [such as the french use] heat it only when you turn on the hot water tap... and i stupidly forgot about dishwashers, having lived without one for many years now! hugs, maia
Thanks for replying to my post. I also use Tide, produced by a joint venture P&G has established in China. You mean the Tide detergent works as well in cold water as in hot water. What I use is the Tide washing powder, not the liquid detergent. It seems that I shouldn't have worried about the effectiveness of this kind of detergent. Thanks.
I have central heating and hot running water in every sink, but my washing machine and dishwasher are only connected to the cold water pipe, since they heat the water themselves.
something else i'd forgotten, since i haven't used one for years! yes, most dishwashers do heat their own water... but some of the simpler ones--like the kind you have to connect to your sink faucet--do not...
Wow, you have advanced things. Your washing machines and dishwashers heat the water themselves. This is what we do not have in China. Perhaps we always have the simplified version of everything!But I should admit that if in China we also had those built-in heaters in our appliances, our electricity bills would plunge already-poor ordinary Chinese people into an unfathomable abyss of debt.
