A method of monitoring drainage of a washing appliance such as a dishwasher or washing machine having a pump for draining a washing chamber is disclosed. The method includes receiving a time series of power consumption data relating to the operation of the washing appliance over a monitored period of operation including pumped draining of the washing chamber. A measure of the duration of a portion of the monitored period comprising said pumped draining is derived from the time series of power consumption data. The measure of duration is then compared to a reference value and an indicator of a drainage condition is determined based on the comparison. The method may be used to detect scaling or blockages in drainage flow paths.

The present specification relates to a clothing treatment apparatus and a control method therefor, the clothing treatment apparatus comprising: a plurality of inverters for controlling the motors of a drum, a compressor, and a blowing fan; a converter for converting input power input from an external source and outputting the converted power to the inverters; and a control unit for controlling the plurality of inverters and the converter.

A hydraulic system for a household appliance which includes a pump that is driven by an electric motor, an outlet conduit in fluid communication with an outlet of the pump, a magnetic check valve having a flap and a control unit. The control unit is configured to control the speed of the electric motor in a closed loop and to determine whether the flap of the check valve is in an open position or in a closed position based on the torque of the electric motor estimated from the current consumption of the electric motor and/or the voltage in the terminals of the electric motor.