Tag Archives: appliance contractor

Walk In Cooler Repair: Common Water Cooler Problems And How To Fix Them

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A water cooler has become a must have in homes and offices. Although, the units work with very few problems and without requiring plumbing modifications, they sometimes develop problems that need to be addressed. Here are some of the most common water cooler problems:

Failure of water to get cold

The sole purpose of buying a water cooler is to cool water; therefore, if the water isn’t getting cold there must be a problem. This problem comes about when the unit isn’t plugged into a wall socket. The problem will also present itself when the mains power switch isn’t turned on.

Before you call a water cooler technician Arlington you should first check whether you have turned on the power to the cooler. You should also check whether the cooler switch is on and illuminated.

No water is coming out

This happens when the sprout is blocked by debris or minerals. To fix the problem you should clean the water cooler dispenser. If you clean the dispenser and the water won’t come out you should ask a commercial appliance contractor to take a look at the cooler.

Water cooler is leaking

Water leaks are common with water coolers. The leakages present themselves in different ways. For example, the water may leak from the unit and form a puddle on the floor. When this happens, the leaks are as a result of a leaking water bottle and not from the cooler itself.

In most of the cases, the bottle may have been cracked thus altering the pressure within the cooler. The pressure change draws water into the tank causing an overflow.

To correct the problem you should remove the bottle from the cooler and test the cooler with a different bottle. If the leaking continues you should call a walk-in cooler repair professional to take a look at it.

Sometimes the leakages result from the tap. When this happens, it’s usually an issue with the tightness of the faucets. Sometimes the issue is related to the parts inside the taps.

Conclusion

Water coolers develop problems every now and then. The cool thing is that most of the problems are minor and you can repair them on your own. If you have tried fixing the issues and still the problems won’t go away, you should hire an appliance contractor to take a look at your unit

Why Is My Fridge Consuming Too Much Electricity?

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The refrigerator is meant to keep the food cold and fresh, and this task is accomplished with the help of fans, an evaporator, a condenser, thermostats, and timers. While this is the case, the unit shouldn’t consume too much electricity that you spend more than you should.

If you have noticed that your fridge is consuming a lot of energy, you might be wondering why this is the case, right? According to refrigerator repair professionals, this can be brought about by several factors. Here are these factors and what you can do to solve them and prevent a similar issue from resulting in the future:

You have faulty gaskets

The gaskets between the door and housing wear out over time, and the adhesive holding them in place sometimes wears out too. The gasket rubber also sometimes loses its elasticity.

As the door gaskets fail, the fridge loses cool air, and the refrigerator has to work harder to maintain cool air inside. As you can guess, this means the appliance consumes more electricity than it should.

To prevent the appliance from doing this, make it a habit to inspect the gaskets as you are doing the cleaning. If you notice them worn out, replace them.

You have a faulty thermostat.

The thermostat is a switch that is usually open. The switch closes when the temperature gets too high, causing the fan to force cooler air into the freezer and fridge.

Sometimes, the thermostat fails and sticks in the closed position. This means that the fan forcing the cold air into the freezer and fridge works continuously, which triggers the refrigerator to draw more energy than usual.

Like with the gaskets, regularly inspect the thermostats (especially if you have an older refrigerator) and fix them if faulty.

You place hot food in the fridge.

You might argue that when you put hot food in the fridge, the food cools down faster. While this might be true, you should know that doing it increases the temperature inside, forcing the refrigerator to work hard to maintain low temperatures.

When you place hot food directly from the stove into the fridge, experts observe that it takes up to 2 hours for the refrigerator to bring the temperatures to normal levels. This means your fridge will be in working mode for two hours, consuming power nonstop for this long.

To save energy, don’t put food directly into the fridge. Let it cool first, then only put it there once it has fully cooled down. This way, you don’t increase the temperature in the fridge hence the unit doesn’t overwork to maintain the low temperatures.

You have compressor problems.

The compressor creates cold air for the fridge and connects to the heat-exchanging pipe coils outside the refrigerator.

An expansion valve at the end of the pipe system allows the refrigerant to exit as fine mist. Another set of heat-exchanging pipes winds through the inner walls of the fridge.

In the event the coils or expansion valve get blocked, the compressor keeps running, which triggers it to use excessive energy, even if there is no cool air reaching the fridge.

To prevent this from happening, regularly inspect your fridge and replace it if the compressor is faulty or too old.

If you have had your fridge for over a decade and it’s constantly bringing problems, you will save money and have peace of mind by buying a new unit.

Your fridge is too close to the wall.

Like any other heat-producing appliance, when you place your fridge too close to the wall, heat gets trapped between the wall and the refrigerator, leading to the appliance overworking and consuming a lot of energy.

Ensure a 30 cm gap between the wall and your appliance to stay on the safe side.

If you have a large house, appliance repair Fairfax professionals recommend that you avoid keeping your fridge in the kitchen, as the room temperatures are high here.

You also should avoid keeping the heater, microwave oven, or any other heat-producing appliance close to your fridge.

How Do I Get The Best Results From My Dishwasher?

Are you wondering how do I get the best results from my dishwasher? There are plenty of ways on how to go about it as given by dishwasher repair professionals. Some of these ways include:

Scrape the dishes

Dish detergents work with the food residues to activate the enzymes that get the dishes clean but at the same time, they make it hard for the dishwasher that the dishwasher doesn’t get the dishes clean on the first try.

To get over this, you should scrape the dishes and get rid of most of the food residues.

Some homeowners pre-rinse the dishes which isn’t wise. While it might seem like the right thing to do, pre-rinsing the dishes wastes a lot of water than you would have spent had you run the dishwasher twice.

As you can tell, this isn’t running the dishwasher in the most effective way, is it?

Before you put the dishes in the dishwasher, scrape off the food debris into the sink or trashcan to relieve the dishwasher from too much work cleaning the dishes.

If your dishes have a lot of grease or burnt-on food on them, select the sanitize feature on your washer. The higher temperatures in the machine will help create a more thorough rinse cycle, which gives the washing machine more cleaning power.

Load the dishwasher properly

Although, all you want is for the dishwasher to clean the dishes, you need to load it properly for it to clean the dishes properly. For the best results, here are tips on how to properly load the dishwasher:

Load the utensils so that the soiled end faces up

Place the large and bulky items on the bottom rack, taking care not to block the spray arms

For the small cups, items and plastics, place them on the top rack

Avoid overfilling the dishwasher as like the refrigerator, it won’t work effectively when too full.

If necessary, place the speciality items in the appropriate dishwasher accessory. For example, for the wine glasses and chopsticks, place them in the right cleaning areas.

Regularly do a double-check and ensure that the items you are cleaning are dishwasher safe and the spray arms are free from obstruction.

Use the right detergent

As much as you only need to get the dishes clean, the detergent you use has a significant impact on the results you get.

Many homeowners have the impression that using a lot of soap with plenty of bubbles gives the best results, but this isn’t the case. In fact, when you use a lot of soap you leave a pile of foamy bubbles that can erupt from the machine and get into your kitchen floor damaging it.

The excessive detergent can also create a buildup of moisture that can take a long time to air out, which can end up damaging the washing machine.

When it comes to your detergent of choice, you should use powder as it cleans better and it doesn’t get gummy around the parts so your dishwasher is less likely to break down.

Use hot water

Hot water always cleans better so before you start cleaning the dishes, ensure that your dishwasher is receiving enough hot water. You can check the temperature of the hot water at the kitchen faucet using a meat or candy thermometer.

For the best cleaning experience, ensure that the water is at least 120 degrees.

If the temperature isn’t high enough, adjust it accordingly.

You can also ensure you have enough hot water in your dishwasher by running hot water in the kitchen sink before you start the dishwasher.

Select the right cycle

You can be using the right detergent and the right temperature but if you choose the wrong cycle, there is no way you are going to properly clean the dishes. To get the most from your dishwasher, choose the right cleaning cycle.

Most dishwashers have three cycles: regular cycle for normal cleaning, the heavy-duty cycle for deep cleaning heavy-duty materials such as pans and pots and the light cycle for cleaning china and fragile items.

Keep the dishwasher clean

The same way you should clean your car is the same way you should clean your dishwasher to remove stuck-on food particles, mineral buildup and residual detergent. You can do the cleaning by yourself or hire a professional appliance repair Alexandria professional to help out.

Washer Repair: How To Use A Washing Machine

According to washer repair professionals, the primary reason homeowners damage their washing machines is due to improper use. Have you been having issues with your appliance? Here are washing machine dos and don’ts:

Do read the tags

It’s no secret washing machines have come a long way, but despite all the technological advancements, they can’t read tags and tell the right settings. It’s up to you to do it.

You should note that failure to read the tags results in color bleeding, fabric shrinking, and even damage to your priced attire.

 Don’t use extra detergent.

You might have the impression using extra laundry detergent will get the clothes cleaner, but this isn’t the case. You are better off washing your load twice in a row with a normal amount of detergent than use extra detergent.

If your clothes are too dirty, use the prewash setting that you can use to remove the extra dirt. The reason you shouldn’t use extra detergent is because extra soap won’t rinse away properly, so you will have your clothes still with soap by the time you are removing them from the washing machine.

Extra detergent also means water will remain in your clothes and wind up deposited on the interior of your washing machine, where it risks gunking up the appliance components.

Do balance the machine.

An unbalanced washing machine is not only noisy, but it also works harder, so you end up with a huge electricity bill at the end of the month. The overworking appliance also tends to have a shorter lifespan.

To solve this, balance your washing machine. Thankfully, the process is simple as it involves adjusting the machine on the bottom corners, which takes a few minutes, and you don’t need to involve a professional.

Don’t leave wet clothes inside.

When you are multitasking, it’s normal to forget you have clothes in your appliance, and they sit there for a long time. This is wrong as the clothes tend to grow mildew and smell, which is bad for you, your washing machine, and your clothes.

To avoid this, set a timer on your phone to know when the cleaning cycle is complete. Don’t let the clothes sit here for long. Switch them immediately to avoid a smelly, damaged load.

Do clean the washing machine.

Since you use the washing machine to clean the clothes, it remains clean, so you don’t need to clean it, right? Wrong. Like any other appliance, you should clean your washing machine regularly.

Set the machine to a hot cycle and add a cup of vinegar to it. This will sanitize it and remove the off-putting smells. You don’t need to involve a technician but if you aren’t handy, let them help you out.

Don’t overload the machine.

Cramming the entire load in one go won’t save water or energy. You also won’t complete your work fast. Clothes crammed in the washing machine don’t move around enough to get a proper clean, so you are forced to rewash them.

For best results, put just enough clothes in the washing machine.

In the same way, you shouldn’t overload the machine, you shouldn’t wash small loads using a large load cycle as the machine will consume a lot of water and energy. Use the right cycle for your load size.

Do empty your pockets.

Before you put the clothes in the washing machine, check whether there are tissues, coins, keys, or any other item in your pockets. Remember, even a small item such as a coin or metallic button can damage the washing machine. Items such as tissues can cover the entire load in white fluff, forcing you to repeat the cleaning.

Do let expert professionals handle complex faults.

Even with the best care, it’s common for the washing machine to develop problems. For example, the water pipe can get blocked. When such issues come about, unless you have the skills, let a certified and experienced commercial appliance repair Alexandria technician handle them.

You don’t want to attempt fixing the appliance and cause more problems than were initially there, do you? When hiring the repair technician, ensure they are experienced enough. They also should be insured so you are safe in the event of an accident.

Appliance Repair: Tips On How To Keep Your Stove In Top Shape

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Just like any other appliance you might be having in your kitchen, you need to take good care of the stove. Here are some of the tips on how to take care of the unit as given by appliance repair professionals:

Simplify stove care

For you to have an easy time maintaining the unit you should simplify the care. One of the ways of doing this is starting the process early. Start taking good care of the appliance the moment you buy it. While still new, regularly clean it as soon as there are spills on it.

You also should be consistent in your care. Some people clean their appliances one day and ignore it the other days. This is wrong. Make a habit of giving care to the appliance all of the time.

Understanding the owner’s manual will help you in not only understanding the machine better, it also will help you in taking good care of the unit. For example, from the manual, you will learn about the best cleaning materials you should use in your work.

Observe safety tips when using the stove

Safe use of the stove not only keeps your family safe, it also protects the stove from damage. For you to use the stove safely you need to follow these rules:

Install an anti-tip bracket: This is a cheap unit that is often very simple to install. When you install it, you prevent the stove from tipping forward when using it. The piece also prevents serious injuries to you and your children.

Be cautious of the pot handles: When cooking, be cautious of the direction of the pot handles. As rule of thumb, keep the handles turned to the side or back of the stove. By doing this you prevent the handles from getting accidentally caught up in loose clothing. You also prevent curious children from grabbing it.

Have a fire exit plan: When you are in the kitchen, there is always the risk of fire. You should have a fire plan in the event fire starts in the kitchen. For example, you should have a fire extinguisher in place. If you can’t afford the extinguisher, have baking soda within reach.

Observe proper stove cleaning tips

One of the most effective ways of keeping your stove in good shape is cleaning it. Unfortunately, many people clean it the wrong way. To help you out, here are some of the stove cleaning tips you should observe:

Use the right cleaning solution: Everything starts here. If you choose the wrong cleaning solution, you will be in for trouble. You should note that glass top stoves are easily damaged by cleaning solutions made from abrasive materials. If you have a stainless steel stovetop, you should go ahead and clean it with a strong degreaser.

Do you want to prevent damage to your unit at all costs? Use a natural cleaner. You make the cleaner by combining one tablespoon of baking soda and water. You should then use a soft piece of cloth to apply the paste to the foods and messes on the unit.

Watch how you use water: You need water to clean your stove, but you should be cautious about how you use it. Of major importance, watch how you use it around knobs and dials. You should note that when the water works its way through the openings, it could cause the switches to shot leading to damage to the interior spark ignition system.

Instead of spraying water on these areas, use a damp piece of cloth.

Clean both the interior and exterior of the oven: Many people only clean the outside of their units, ignoring the insides. Which is wrong. Remember, food materials that might be on the inside of the unit might heat up damaging the surfaces.

To prevent this, clean both the insides and outsides of the unit using the right cleaning products.

Repair the unit when it develops problems

Even with the best care, it’s common for the appliance to develop problems. When this happens, you should hire a commercial appliance repair Fairfax professional to help you in fixing it. If the problem is minor such as a faulty light bulb, simply replace it by yourself.