DIY Appliance Repair Tips

Wait! Before you call an appliance repair CITY for assistance, you can keep your appliances running correctly with some of the tips below.

1. Smelly Washing Machine

The presence of a gross smell in your washing machine defeats the point of owning the appliance! If you are in the process of trying to get your clothing items so that they’re fresh and clean, but the washing machine will not cooperate, run an cycle with no clothes/laundry in warm water and pour in 2 cups of white vinegar and half of a cup of baking soda to eliminate the unpleasant odor. This problem often occurs in front-loading machines. To prevent future odors, crack the door open in between cycles so it will dry out.

2. Inefficient Refrigerant

A lukewarm fridge is not a good sign. A warm refrigerator definitely will not keep beverages cold, and the food on the inside could also be on the verge of going rotten! In some cases, your refrigerator won’t require professional repair; it could just need a cleaning. Or the coils on the back of the appliance need cleaning.

Unplug the refrigerator and drag it out from the wall before wiping down the refrigerator coils. If you don’t notice cooling improvement, it’s time to reach out to a professional appliance repair technician in CITY for troubleshooting.

3. Clicking Igniter on Stove

If the igniter on a gas-powered stove clicks nonstop and the burner will not light, look to be sure your burner top is tightened and properly aligned. You could also notice this problem if you have had a recent boil over or liquid spill on the top of your stove.

If that is not the case, the source is likely to be a clogged igniter. To clean the igniter on a gas-powered stove, first take off the burner top and dust off any particles. You can use a pin to scrape debris from the grooves of the igniter. If that does not repair the problem, it is best not to take a lighter apart for anyone without the right training; in this case hire a professional appliance repair company to diagnose the problem.

4. Broken Garbage Disposal

A kitchen sink’s garbage disposal has self-protection with its own overload trip. If it gets clogged, overheats, grinds for too long, or has another problem, the garbage disposal might just have to be reset rather than replaced. You should be sure the power switch is OFF. Then, find the reset button on the disposal under the kitchen sink and then press the button. If the button does not stay pushed in, wait a few minutes and press it again. Turn on the water and then turn the button on.

If the disposal in the kitchen sink is clogged with debris and you the only noise you hear is a humming sound rather than the grinding of food, you may need to twist the disposal blades using a hex key tool to remove the clog. Now, push in the reset switch to get the garbage disposal working again. If these tips are unable to get it working like it is supposed to, please don’t allow the temptation to shove one of your hands down in the blades to troubleshoot. Be smart and arrange service with a professional appliance repairman in CITY.

5. No Power from Outlet

In a kitchen or bathroom, your electrical outlets must be installed with GFCI capabilities to protect people from harm in wet areas. If a GFCI outlet is not generating power, push in the red “reset” button to see if that will restore juice.

If it doesn’t, or if you’re trying a typical outlet, make sure that a breaker has not tripped in the breaker panel. If you are unsure if a breaker has been tripped, flip it to the OFF position and then flip it back into the ON position. Just remember, safety by wiring is critical. If you have doubts, call a professional.

6. Wobbling Washing Machine

A shaking washing machine will often create quite a startling banging and isn’t a good way to get wash clothes. If your washer starts banging, the washing machine might be broken down. In order to fix this issue, turn the legs on the washing machine to lower or lift all corners until it is level. Another likely case is that the washer is not balanced. Crack open the top and rearrange the clothing items so they are evenly dispersed inside of the drum of the washing machine.

Doing this should help the washing machine to not have to work quite as hard. If you do try to arrange the clothing once or twice without success, don’t ignore the problem. You could have a loosened motor or drum mount on your hands, which should be easy enough for a professional repairman to repair. But continuing to run the washing machine when it has this issue could damage some of the other components and lead to a more significant repair in the future.

Call for Help

If none of these tips are able to solve your issues, you will want to schedule service from Cross Appliance Repair!

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