Bob's Helpful Appliance Tips From Palmdale, CA
Written by Bob Meadows of B&D Appliance Repair Service in the Antelope Valley
Money Saving Appliance Tips for the Antelope Valley, CA
Here Are A Few Appliance Tips That May Help You Solve Your Problem And Save You Some Money including
"How to Prevent Dryer Fires"
-Bob
Refrigerator: "Not Cooling Well" Take off the bottom kick-plate and see if your condenser is dirty. A dirty condenser can cause the compressor to over-heat which will give you a cooling problem. Check your condenser 3 times a year and clean if needed. (on some models you will have to pull the refrigerator out and take off the back cover to access the condenser) Also make sure that both controls are set to the middle positions.
Washer: "Slow Filling with Water" Take the fill hoses off the back of the machine. Carefully remove the hot and cold water screens from the inlet valve. Clean and re-install or replace the screens. Do not leave the screens out or you can damage the valve. It's also a good idea to check the rubber washers in the fill hoses at this time and replace if necessary.
(More Washing Machine Tips further down on this page...)
Dryer: "Taking Too Long to Dry" Pull the dryer away from the wall and disconnect the vent hose from the back of the dryer. Keep the dryer pulled out and dry a load of clothes with the vent hose off. If the dryer works fine now then your vent is restricted in some way. Either a crushed vent hose, vent line full of lint or outside vent flap stuck shut. Once you clear the line, reconnect the vent hose and push the dryer back into place. Sometimes it may require a professional with the proper equipment to come out to clean your line. It's also a good idea to clean your lint screen before every load. Check out my article below titled "How To Prevent Dryer Fires"
Dishwasher: "Not Cleaning Well" Click on Dishwasher Tips for 7 simple Tips to help you have sparkling clean dishes!!
Oven: "Dirty....Should I Use The Self-Clean Feature?" The answer is "NO". You should never use the self-clean feature on your oven. This is just my opinion of course but here is why I feel that way. When you use self-clean, the oven gets extremely hot and omits toxic fumes that are bad for your health. Also, the extreme heat can & does cause expensive components to fail on your oven. Bad for your health and bad for your pocket book. Just keep the spills wiped up as they happen and you won't need to use self-clean.
Range/Cook-Top: "Top Burner Igniters Keep Clicking in the "Off" Position" When this happens, it's possible that your igniter switches got wet somehow. Either by spilling or while cleaning. A wet igniter switch will cause the igniters to keep clicking. Unplug the appliance for a few days and see if the problem stops when you plug it back in. If the problem does not go away after 7 days then you may have 1 or more faulty igniter switches.
Disposer: "Just Hums-Wont Turn" Most disposers have an opening on the bottom in the center that you can put an Allen wrench into to unjam it. Make sure the disposer is unplugged or turned off at the electric panel first. After you insert the Allen wrench into the slot, move it both clockwise and counterclockwise to see if you can unjam it. Pull out whatever was jamming it from the top before testing it out. If you are unable to unjam it then the disposer may need to be replaced. If the disposer doesn't even hum, be sure the reset button on the bottom is pushed in.
Washer: "Slow Filling with Water" Take the fill hoses off the back of the machine. Carefully remove the hot and cold water screens from the inlet valve. Clean and re-install or replace the screens. Do not leave the screens out or you can damage the valve. It's also a good idea to check the rubber washers in the fill hoses at this time and replace if necessary.
(More Washing Machine Tips further down on this page...)
Dryer: "Taking Too Long to Dry" Pull the dryer away from the wall and disconnect the vent hose from the back of the dryer. Keep the dryer pulled out and dry a load of clothes with the vent hose off. If the dryer works fine now then your vent is restricted in some way. Either a crushed vent hose, vent line full of lint or outside vent flap stuck shut. Once you clear the line, reconnect the vent hose and push the dryer back into place. Sometimes it may require a professional with the proper equipment to come out to clean your line. It's also a good idea to clean your lint screen before every load. Check out my article below titled "How To Prevent Dryer Fires"
Dishwasher: "Not Cleaning Well" Click on Dishwasher Tips for 7 simple Tips to help you have sparkling clean dishes!!
Oven: "Dirty....Should I Use The Self-Clean Feature?" The answer is "NO". You should never use the self-clean feature on your oven. This is just my opinion of course but here is why I feel that way. When you use self-clean, the oven gets extremely hot and omits toxic fumes that are bad for your health. Also, the extreme heat can & does cause expensive components to fail on your oven. Bad for your health and bad for your pocket book. Just keep the spills wiped up as they happen and you won't need to use self-clean.
Range/Cook-Top: "Top Burner Igniters Keep Clicking in the "Off" Position" When this happens, it's possible that your igniter switches got wet somehow. Either by spilling or while cleaning. A wet igniter switch will cause the igniters to keep clicking. Unplug the appliance for a few days and see if the problem stops when you plug it back in. If the problem does not go away after 7 days then you may have 1 or more faulty igniter switches.
Disposer: "Just Hums-Wont Turn" Most disposers have an opening on the bottom in the center that you can put an Allen wrench into to unjam it. Make sure the disposer is unplugged or turned off at the electric panel first. After you insert the Allen wrench into the slot, move it both clockwise and counterclockwise to see if you can unjam it. Pull out whatever was jamming it from the top before testing it out. If you are unable to unjam it then the disposer may need to be replaced. If the disposer doesn't even hum, be sure the reset button on the bottom is pushed in.
How To Prevent Dryer Fires !!
Don't let this happen to YOU!
It is very common for a clothes dryer to build up lint inside and eventually catch fire. Most of the time the lint burns out and you're left with a burning smell in your laundry room and sometimes damage to your dryer. There's always a chance that the flames will spread and catch your house on fire! It happens. I've seen the results. When I'm called out to repair or service a dryer, I always clean out the lint from inside. I carry a shop vac on my truck. Most people think that if they clean their lint screen faithfully, they should be ok. Not True! Lint always gets passed the lint screen and builds up inside the dryer. Most dryers today are not easily accessible for the homeowner to clean out.
My suggestion to you is: Whenever you have an appliance technician out for a repair, ask him to clean out whatever lint there is while he's there. If he's already there on another job, it shouldn't cost that much more to clean out your dryer lint. If he's working on your dryer for any reason, he should always clean out the lint. A few extra minutes of work could save your house, your belongings, and maybe your life. Clogged vent lines will make the lint in your dryer build up even faster. Make sure your vent lines are clear and your vent hose (the one connected to the back of the dryer) is in good shape, not too long, and not kinked or crushed. If you have the old white vinyl or plastic vent hose, Replace It Now!! It's a fire hazard and has been out-lawed. If your vent line(from the wall to the outside flap) is too long for you to clean out, you might need a professional to do it. For our area, I recommend "American Chimney Sweep" at (661) 947-6477. And remember, if it's been a few years since anyone has opened your dryer, you might want to call and have it serviced and insist that the technician brings a shop vac to clean out the lint.
My suggestion to you is: Whenever you have an appliance technician out for a repair, ask him to clean out whatever lint there is while he's there. If he's already there on another job, it shouldn't cost that much more to clean out your dryer lint. If he's working on your dryer for any reason, he should always clean out the lint. A few extra minutes of work could save your house, your belongings, and maybe your life. Clogged vent lines will make the lint in your dryer build up even faster. Make sure your vent lines are clear and your vent hose (the one connected to the back of the dryer) is in good shape, not too long, and not kinked or crushed. If you have the old white vinyl or plastic vent hose, Replace It Now!! It's a fire hazard and has been out-lawed. If your vent line(from the wall to the outside flap) is too long for you to clean out, you might need a professional to do it. For our area, I recommend "American Chimney Sweep" at (661) 947-6477. And remember, if it's been a few years since anyone has opened your dryer, you might want to call and have it serviced and insist that the technician brings a shop vac to clean out the lint.
Watch this video entitled "Dryer Fires Can Be Deadly"
I have opened up many dryers in the Antelope Valley, California, to find that the lint did indeed catch fire but fortunately didn't spread to the walls. But what if it had? As you have seen in this video, IT COULD! And IT Does!! When was the last time anyone cleaned out YOUR DRYER?
-Bob Meadows
B&D Appliance Service
Palmdale, CA
Lancaster, CA
-Bob Meadows
B&D Appliance Service
Palmdale, CA
Lancaster, CA
Check out 2 articles written by Bob Meadows of B&D Appliance Repair Service
Published on Angie's List
"How To Avoid Appliance Repairs" Published 3/14/13
AND
"How to remove Mildew Odor from your Front Load Washer" Published 9/3/13
Published on Angie's List
"How To Avoid Appliance Repairs" Published 3/14/13
AND
"How to remove Mildew Odor from your Front Load Washer" Published 9/3/13
Five Very Important Washing Machine Tips!
By Bob Meadows
Never Overload Your Washing Machine!!
1. Always empty everything out of your clothes pockets!
Before loading your washing machine, it is very important to check all the clothes pockets. Leaving items like coins, nails, screws, pens, etc., in your pockets, can damage your clothes and your machine. It is not uncommon for drain pumps to fail prematurely because of a foreign object getting stuck in the impeller. A forgotten fountain pen can destroy your favorite shirt.
2. Never overload your washing machine!
This is the best piece of advice I can give you concerning your washing machine. Just because your brand new washer has a large tub doesn't mean you should fill it to the rim with clothes! Heavy loads put a strain on all the moving parts of your machine and will cause it to break down sooner than if you were to do medium size loads. Most people try to get their laundry done as soon as possible but if you want your machine to last, with fewer appliance repairs, follow this important tip!
3. Make sure your load is well balanced!
When loading your machine, make sure the load is evenly distributed around the tub. An off-balance load will make the tub bang against the sides and cause unnecessary damage. Sometimes, through no fault of your own, a load can become off-balance during the agitation cycle. If this happens, you'll hear the loud banging sound your machine will make during the spin cycle. As soon as you hear this, shut your machine off, or lift the lid, and re-balance your load!
4. Make sure your machine is sitting level and flat to the ground!
Sometimes, especially after an off-balance load, your machine may become un-level and not flat to the ground. If you leave it that way, it will shake and walk like an egyptian. The best way to check this is grab the left-rear and right-front of the machine and see if you can rock it back and forth. If you can, then you need to adjust either the left-rear leg or the right-front leg so that it is flat to the ground again. Do the same procedure using the right-rear and left-front. Adjust whichever leg leaves the machine the most level.
5. Never start your machine and leave the house or go to bed!
It is very convenient to start a load of laundry before leaving the house or going to bed but what if the machine never stopped filling? Believe it or not, this happens more than you would think! A faulty inlet valve or water level switch can cause a washing machine to keep filling until someone notices the water leak on the floor and turns it off. If no one is around to notice, the damage to your house can be overwhelming!
Did I mention "Never Overload Your Washing Machine" ???
I think every washer sold should have a giant sign on it that reads:
If you want this washer to last you a long time, with fewer repairs, then make sure that every member of your family knows to:
Never Overload Your Washing Machine!!
Do you know why they don't put that sign on it? Because they want you to buy more washers more often.
As you can see, the washer above was overloaded by Mrs. Jones of Lancaster, CA. Mr. Jones is not going to like it when he hears how much it will cost him to have the rear bearings replaced.
Just because you can fit that many clothes in the tub, doesn't mean that you should Mrs. Jones.
I think every washer sold should have a giant sign on it that reads:
If you want this washer to last you a long time, with fewer repairs, then make sure that every member of your family knows to:
Never Overload Your Washing Machine!!
Do you know why they don't put that sign on it? Because they want you to buy more washers more often.
As you can see, the washer above was overloaded by Mrs. Jones of Lancaster, CA. Mr. Jones is not going to like it when he hears how much it will cost him to have the rear bearings replaced.
Just because you can fit that many clothes in the tub, doesn't mean that you should Mrs. Jones.
Don't feel bad if you've been putting too many clothes in the tub. Most people do. I have to remind my kids over & over not to do this. They say: "Why not Dad?, .....You can fix it!"
Should You Repair or Replace Your Appliances?
When one or more of your major household appliances has stopped working correctly, you have an important decision to make. Appliance Repair or Appliance Replace? Many people think it's wiser to just buy new but before you rush your decision, I have some valuable information to share with you in an article I wrote. The appliance industry is not what it used to be. Before you make a mistake you may regret, read my article titled Appliance Repair or Appliance Replace? The appliance you're thinking about throwing out may be much more dependable than the new appliance you're thinking of buying.
More Appliance Tips For The Antelope Valley, CA Coming Soon
