11 Appliance Repairs You May Not Need to Call a Professional Tech For – Part 2

Before calling a professional appliance technician service, there are a number of steps that you can take to save money and time. At Puget Sound Appliance Tech, we put together a few easy, common repairs that you can do yourself to avoid the added expense and issues that come with today’s home appliances. So before picking up the phone, check out this list of easy steps – you won’t regret it!

Refrigerator

One of the most common maintenance issues we come across in refrigerators are clogged coils. First ask yourself – When is the last time you cleaned the coils on the rear or grill at the bottom of your refrigerator? If you have a cat or dog, and your fridge stops running on a hot day, fur/dust clogged coils could be your problem. To properly clean your refrigerator coils, follow these steps:

– Locate the coils. On most refrigerators, you’ll find them by opening the grille on the bottom of the fridge. On other fridge models, they are located in the back. If you don’t know where to locate them, dust off your owner’s manual or Google your unit’s brand and model number to pull up an online manual.

– If the coils are located behind the grille at the bottom of the refrigerator, gently open the grill and push a coil cleaning brush (sold at places like Home Depot) into the coils, pull it back, then vacuum the dust, fur or other clinging residue.

– If the coils are located on the back, pull/roll out your fridge and brush them off with a coil cleaning brush. Also make sure to vacuum up any additional residue.

– Reset the overload switch. If it does not turn on, it may need more time to cool. Try again in a couple hours. If it still doesn’t run, call us before your food spoils.

Caring for your refrigerator’s coils not only saves you costly repairs later, it also decreases your utility bill!

Washer

If your washer is rocking and noisy, it’s time to level up!

– In order to assess whether or not your washer is level, place a carpenter’s level or find an app on your phone that mimics this tool. Place the level on the top front, back, and sides of the machine and check to see if the bubble centers itself. If not, you need to make some necessary adjustments.

– The washing machine’s two front legs screw up and down. Before adjusting the front legs, you’ll need to loosen the lock nut on each leg.

– Adjust the front legs to keep the appliance as low as possible, as the washer will be less prone to rock if it sits near to the ground. Start by screwing one leg all the way in and fine-tune the other until the washing machine sits level, according to your carpenter’s level or phone app.

– Luckily the rear legs of most washers are self-leveling. Once you finish step 3, recruit a friend or family member to assist you in tipping the washer forward so the rear legs lift off the floor by three or four inches. When you set the washing machine back down, the legs should adjust automatically so the machine sits level from front to back. (If the rear legs on your washing machine have the same type of adjustable legs as in the front, repeat step 3 for the back legs until the washer is level.)

– After you’ve determined that your front and rear legs are fully level, tighten up the lock nuts to keep the legs from rotating over time.

– Next test whether your washer is level by running it through the spin cycle. Stick around and listen for undue rocking or tremors. If the washing machine is aggressively vibrating, double check that the lock nuts are tight, and that the screws on the stacking units and storage bases remain secure. If they are, check for leaks on the laundry floor. If the floor is rotten or uneven, you’ll need to fix it.

– If you still notice rocking, reevaluate the washer’s level. If you have a top loader, assess whether the clothes are distributed evenly, as they can cause shaking during the spin cycle. If you have a front loading unit, check the equilibrium every few months, as these appliances use considerably faster spin speeds than their top-loading counterparts.

Dryer

Before calling in an appliance technician, follow these steps:

– Make sure that you check the settings on your dryer. If it is set to a non-heating setting like “fluff air”, that is likely to be your issue.

– Another common problem is a clogged lint filter. Although it may appear to be clean, over time dryer sheets can leave behind an invisible film that prevents the filter from operating properly, as it reduces airflow. You can assess this issue by running the filter under the kitchen or utility sink faucet. If the water fails to penetrate the filter, scrub it clean with a sprinkling of laundry detergent under hot water.

– Check the outside dryer vent for built up lint. The louver door style vent covers are infamous for lint buildup, which traps heat and turns the heat off in the dryer. Remove the cover to access and flush out these clogs.

Air conditioner

The most common issue with air conditioning units are the fuses. If you turn the unit quickly off and on, you’re likely to blow an electric fuse or shut off the circuit breaker. This is caused by the compressor in the outdoor condensing unit. The unit may have shut off in high compression mode, making it difficult to switch back on until the compression releases. Older condensing units may switch the compressor on, which causes the circuit to overload and blow a fuse. In contrast, newer AC units have a function that delays the on function in order to avoid this common error, so it’s easy to mistake this delay with a faulty air conditioner. Be patient and give the air conditioner about five minutes to come back on.

Another cause is that you’ve signed up for a cost saving discount with your electric company in exchange for limited air conditioning during high-demand periods. If you’re in an “off” period, your unit won’t turn on. If you can’t recall signing up, call your electric company to find out.