Tag Archives: appliance repair professional

Tricks to A Perfectly Functioning Dishwasher

A dishwasher isn’t a necessity, but it really comes in handy. After all, who wants to deal with a massive mound of dishes after preparing and eating a meal? Unfortunately, you can’t enjoy your unit if it functions incorrectly.

Thankfully, you can do several things to ensure that the unit is always in top working condition. These things include:

Keep the filters clean at all times.

You should clean your dishwasher’s filter after each usage. That may seem like a lot of labor, but it’s worth it.

After removing the filter from the machine, just rinse it under running water to loosen any trapped particles, allow it to dry, and then replace it. If you can’t remember to do it after each usage, try once a week.

The beauty of cleaning the filters is that you don’t need to hire a dishwasher repair professional to help you. You can easily do it by yourself.

Always scrape food from the dishes.

To avoid clogging the filter, scrape your plates and remove as much food residue from pans and dishes as possible before adding them to the washing machine. Foods like Weetabix and porridge adhere to dishes if they sit in the dishwasher for an extended period before being run.

Put these plates in the sink to catch the water when you run the faucet. This will assist in soaking up the worst of the breakfast leftovers. Then, just before the cycle begins, place them in the dishwasher.

Some people have the notion that they should pre-wash the dishes before placing them in the dishwasher, but you don’t have to. In fact, you usually end up causing more havoc when you pre-wash the dishes.

This is because when you pre-wash the dishes, you remove the adhering surfaces for the soap. As a result, the soap doesn’t clean the dishes as well as it should. The consequence is leaving you with dirty dishes even after running them in the dishwasher.

The right way to do it is to scrape the food from the dishes, and you are good to go. This will remove the food particles that can clog the unit and, at the same time, leave binding spaces for the soap so that it effectively cleans the dishes.

Keep the dishwasher salt topped up at all times.

Experts report that using salt is the key to a long-lasting dishwasher. Salt serves two functions in your machine: first, it softens the water and prevents the buildup of hard water deposits, and second, it helps keep the dishwasher clean by preventing bacteria buildup.

Some dishwashers allow you to tell how hard the water is where you live, but if yours doesn’t, you can find out the exact level by calling your local water board.

If your dishwasher has this feature, it will use the least amount of salt necessary to keep hard water deposits at bay.

A common misconception is that you don’t need to add salt if you live in a soft water area or have a water softener. This is not the case.

You must always add salt to the machine to keep it bacteria-free. If germs are allowed to multiply, your dishwasher’s water flow and wash performance will suffer.

Inhibiting the water flow over time may dramatically diminish the life of your dishwasher. And you don’t want this, do you?

Regularly check spray arms for blockages.

You should also clean the spray arms regularly with a mix of washing up liquid and water (how often depends on how frequently you use your dishwasher).

While you’re at it, look for debris in the jets, such as fruit pips and small food particles. A clever approach is to send water into the intake of each arm – if it flows freely, it is not clogged. If it is, clear it with a toothpick or something similar.

Besides unclogging the spray arms, check them to confirm they aren’t bent. If they are, straighten them. In some cases, you might find them too bent or damaged. In such a case, simply straighten them.

Deep clean the dishwasher

Dishwashers are one of the appliances that many people clean the least. This is because many people have the impression that they are always clean, but this isn’t the case.

According to survey, consumers clean their dishwashers three times per year on average. This is not enough. The best way out is to thoroughly clean your dishwasher every two months by running it empty on the hottest setting.

You should soak a cleaning cloth in hot, soapy water and wipe off the surface of dishwashers with plastic exteriors. Wipe it dry with a clean, dry cloth or a paper towel.

After this, fill a spray bottle with a homemade solution of one part vinegar to three parts water if your dishwasher is stainless steel. Spray it on the exterior of the dishwasher and wipe it clean with a cleaning cloth.

A screen in your dishwasher collects food and other particles. The screen becomes clogged with time, resulting in badly cleaned dishes and increased wear and tear on your dishwasher.

You should remove the filter from the bottom and spray it with hot water from the kitchen sink.

Soak the filter for 10 minutes in warm, soapy water before rinsing with hot water. Use a scrub brush to remove any leftover food particles or residue.

Rinse your filter, then before putting it back in the dishwasher, check the drain for buildup and clean it with a sponge.

Parting shot

These are some things you need to do to ensure that your dishwasher is always in top working condition. Besides these things, also use your dishwasher correctly. As a rule of thumb, never run it when it’s too full, as it will fail to function optimally and reduce lifespan.

For peace of mind that your unit is in good working shape, contact appliance repair Fairfax professionals at least once a year to look at it and fix any issues it might be having.

5 Dishwasher Problems You Should Never Ignore

According to appliance repair professionals, every appliance, including a dishwasher, develops problems in its life. Some of the problems are minor, and you can continue using the dishwasher without fixing it, but others are too elaborate, and you should never ignore them. Which are these problems? Here they are:

Bad odor coming from your appliance

Your dishwasher should be smelling fresh and clean, so if yours produces a bad odor, it means that there is something wrong, and you should look at it. In most cases, the primary culprit is the drain filter.

Most appliances have a drain filter to prevent food particles from clogging the drain, so if it’s dirty, it’s bound to produce bad smells that can be off-putting.

To get rid of the smells, you should remove the drain filters from the floor of your dishwasher and clean them in your kitchen sink with hot water and soap. It will even be better if you can use a bottlebrush in the cleaning so that you can reach all the interior surfaces.

You should clean the filter, ensuring it’s free of food debris and gunk.

Loud, abnormal noises

While dishwashers aren’t the quietest appliances, they aren’t supposed to be too loud that you are uncomfortable using them. As a rule of thumb, anything outside the typical low-pitched whirring means something is wrong.

The problem might be due to a minor issue such as a large pot getting in the way of spray arms, and all you need to do is rearrange the dishes so they can get clean.

The problem could also be due to a more complicated problem such as a drain pump, wash pump, or motor malfunctioning. If the abnormal noises are due to more complicated problems, have the appliance inspected by an experienced professional.

Rust

Rust is often not a reason to raise the alarm, especially if it’s just minor rust on the exterior, but if you see plenty of rust on the interior, there is a reason to worry. Rust is often a clear indication of an ongoing water leak, showing that your appliance is at the later stages of its life.

You can’t reverse or fix rust problems, so if there is a lot of rust on your appliance, so if your appliance has a lot of rust on it, it’s time to get a new unit. Of course, buy a new modern appliance and the ideal fit for your lifestyle.

Grime on the interior

It’s normal for grime to accumulate on the interior walls of your appliance, especially if you have been using it for a long time. The grime is usually black, gray, or even orange, and it’s brought about by food, mildew, bacteria, or mold buildup.

The grime is harmless to your appliance, but you risk getting sick from consuming the bacteria and mold when it gets to your dishes. It’s also common for the gunk to get to the dishwasher parts, leading to a malfunction.

Whenever you notice grime on your appliance, regardless of its size, move with haste and remove it. Begin with removing upper and lower racks, then run them under hot water in the kitchen sink. You should then scrub the insides of the dishwasher with a rag or sponge dampened with hot water, ensuring that you wipe down the door gasket, which can collect mold and mildew.

Water leaking on the outside

Most people will notice their appliances surrounded by a pool of water after running them, then ignore them. This is wrong as when the appliance keeps leaking water, the water can rot the floor, which, as you can guess, isn’t cheap to fix.

When you notice your appliance leaking, you shouldn’t ignore it—you should move with haste and fix the problem immediately.

The leaking problem can be brought about by several reasons, such as a clogged drain filter or parts having rust or calcium/lime buildup.

If you don’t know what you are doing, don’t try troubleshooting the appliance yourself—let a professional handle it.

Conclusion

These are some of the dishwasher problems you shouldn’t ignore. While they appear minor, they often lead to complex problems, so try to fix them as soon as possible. To avoid ruining your appliance, don’t try to fix the problems yourself—let a commercial appliance repair Springfield professional do it.

What Should You Never Put In The Refrigerator?

If you visit many homes, you will find their refrigerators filled with all sorts of foods. While there is nothing wrong with preserving as much food as possible, did you know there are some food items that should never see the insides of a fridge?

Here are some of these items as given by appliance repair professionals

Uncut melons

Putting a whole watermelon in your fridge, whether a honeydew or cantaloupe, is unwise. Besides the melon taking up too much fridge space, it keeps it from ripening, which means it doesn’t get as tasty as when you would have left it at room temperature.

The low fridge temperatures also reduce the healthy antioxidants in the fruit, which means that it doesn’t become as healthy as you would want it.

The right thing to do is leave the watermelon on the countertop until it’s ripe enough to eat. If you eat it and there are some leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for a maximum of three days.

Honey

At first look, honey looks like an excellent candidate for the refrigerator, but it isn’t. Due to its high sugar content, honey is a natural preservative—it doesn’t need any refrigeration. In fact, putting it in the fridge increases the chances of damaging it.

When you refrigerate honey, it hardens and sometimes crystallizes, losing its original state.

The best way to treat honey is to leave it on the shelf in your pantry. If you have already made the mistake of refrigerating it, don’t be quick to toss it out. Instead, place the bottle in a hot (not boiling) water pan until it returns to its liquid state.

Raw potatoes

You shouldn’t put your raw potatoes in the fridge as the low temperatures will alter the starchy complex carbohydrates in the potatoes, and you end up with extremely sweet and gritty potatoes.

For the best flavor and texture, store your potatoes in a well-ventilated basket or drawer, away from direct sunlight.

Tomatoes

Like honey, tomatoes look like they belong in the fridge, but they don’t. This is because when you refrigerate them, they often end up having an awful taste.

Even after harvesting, tomatoes continue ripening and developing flavor.

The big chill stops the ripening process and dulls the flavor when you place them in the fridge.

Snip off just a bit of the vine when harvesting if you grow your tomatoes. The attached vine has been shown to help keep the tomatoes fresh longer and give them a better flavor.

Onions

The fridge’s low temperatures and high humidity often damage the onions, breaking down their fibrous structure, leaving them mushy and prone to mold growth.

Store your onions in well-ventilated, dark, and cool (not cold) areas for the best flavor and texture. One of the best places to store the onions is in an open weave basket in the pantry.

Green avocados

Green avocados are often unripe, and for them to fully ripen, they need to be at room temperature. The only time to keep your avocados in the fridge is if they are fully ripe but you aren’t ready to eat them.

You should note that even when you put the avocados in the fridge, you shouldn’t leave them there for more than two days as they will go bad.

Bread

You should never put bread in the fridge. While refrigeration slows down mold growth, it makes the bread tough, chewy, and stale tasting.

The best way to go about it is to store the bread in a breadbox or a cabinet shelf.

If you won’t eat the entire bread, wrap the excess in freezer paper and store it in the freezer. Here the bread can stay for up to a month.

Chocolate

Most people eat their chocolates in one sitting, and for those unable to eat all of it in one go, the last thing they want is to let it go to waste. Unfortunately, keeping the chocolate in the fridge isn’t the right thing to do.

While keeping the chocolate in the fridge won’t make the chocolate inedible, it absorbs odors and changes its consistency.

Refrigerator repair Alexandria recommend you leave the chocolate on the counter or in the pantry to maintain maximum deliciousness.

How To Organize A Fridge, The Right Way

appliance repiar

How you organize your fridge goes a long way toward keeping your fridge looking clean and determining how efficiently the appliance functions and lasts. Are you wondering how to organize your fridge? Here is how to go about it the right way as given by refrigerator repair professionals:

Sort the shelves

If you are like other homeowners, you are fond of squeezing food in any available space in your appliance. This is wrong, and it’s time to change.

You should properly organize the shelves, which comes in handy in helping reduce waste as you know where everything is. There is no right or wrong way to organize your shelves—work with what works for you. If you aren’t sure about where to start, here is a guide:

Top shelf: This is the first shelf you see when you open the fridge door and is one of the warmer shelves in your appliance. You should avoid keeping any fresh meat here. Instead, designate it for leftovers, takeout, and any other stuff that you need to eat soon.

Middle shelf: Temperatures are most consistent in the middle of the refrigerator, making it the perfect place to store foods that you need to keep cold but have a lower risk of spoiling. Some of the excellent foods to keep here are: deli meats, eggs, sour cream, and soft cheese.

Bottom shelf: This is the coldest place in the refrigerator, so you should store items that spoil easily here. The best candidates are fish and meat.

It’s tempting to keep milk on the top shelf for easy access, but you shouldn’t as milk spoils easily. The best place to store it is near the bottom and back of the refrigerator.

If you are fond of forgetting items that you have tucked into the back of the fridge, stack them on a rotating organizer so that you can easily grab them and check their expiration dates.

Keep the drawers organized.

Drawers help you keep your fridge organized and hold specific humidity levels that come in handy at keeping the various foods properly preserved.

There are two main types of drawers: high and low humidity drawers.

The vegetables store best in high humidity drawers, and most fridges will have a vegetable drawer, often at the bottom. If the drawer isn’t labeled, look for one without a vent or close the vent yourself.

Some of the items you should store here are spinach, green onion, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, and leafy greens.

The low humidity drawer is often labeled “crisper” and has air vents, and is the best place to store the fruits that break down easily. Some of the best fruits to store here are: pears, oranges, strawberries, kiwi, grapes, and raspberries.

If your drawer doesn’t have a humidity control or air vent, keep the drawer a little cracked to create more airflow.

Make use of the door.

The door is the refrigerator’s warmest zone, and you should store items that don’t easily get spoilt. They include: mustard, sesame oil, ketchup, salad dressing, mayo, and hot sauce.

The door is also an excellent place to store wine, juice, and beer beverages.

Valuable tips when storing items in the fridge

To have a great time with the items, you store in the fridge, you need to consider several tips. These tips include:

Use clear containers: To stick to a system and keep everything in its place, you should use a few shallow clear containers. To avoid confusion, label the containers depending on the food you have stored inside and its expiration date.

Keep the fridge clean: You want to ensure that your fridge is clean. Besides dusting it daily, you should make it a habit to remove everything at the end of the week and give it a good scrub. If possible, remove the shelves and drawers and let them soak in hot soapy water.

You should then wipe the entire interior taking care not to use abrasive cleaning products that can harm the plastic.

Once you are done, appliance repair Springfield recommend you replace the shelves and drawers, then store a box of baking soda in them to help fight the fridge odors.

How Do You Fix An Unbalanced Washing Machine?

An unbalanced washing machine not only fails to clean the clothes properly, but it also makes a lot of noise that makes the washing experience unpleasant. In some cases, the unbalanced load damages the machine.

Have you noticed that your washing machine is unbalanced and are wondering how do you fix an unstable washing machine? There are plenty of ways to go about it, and the beauty is you don’t need to hire a washer repair professional to help you out.

Level the feet

When the washing machine feet are unbalanced, they cause a lot of vibration that is off-putting, so if your appliance is vibrating too much during a cycle, the first place to check is the appliance’s feet.

If some of the feet are too short, turn them to “loosen,” and they will come downward and contact the floor. The vibration should stop when all four feet come into contact with the ground.

Remove the shipping materials.

If you recently installed the washing machine and it’s already vibrating, the chances are high that it’s due to the shipping materials still in place.

In top loading washers, there is usually a shipping bolt at the bottom center of the machine that you are supposed to remove, and if you don’t remove it, the washer tends to vibrate when running a cycle.

Top-loading washers also have three shipping bolts, metal clamps, and spacers at the back of the washer. Some models even have other materials that you need to remove before you run a cycle.

You should refer to the installation instruction for your appliance and ensure that you remove all the shipping materials before using the machine.

Check for overloading

If your appliance doesn’t vibrate and the vibration just started after placing a new load, chances are this is due to overloading. Remove the clothes and run the cycle with a smaller load.

To avoid this problem from coming about in the future, never load the dishwasher more than it’s designed to carry. You also should avoid stocking large items that get spun on one side, causing loud knocking and shaking of the machine.

Leave these items out and hand wash or dry clean them instead.

Watch out for damaged components.

If your appliance is old, chances are the unbalance is due to damaged parts. Some of the damaged parts that will cause vibrations include:

Suspension springs: Both top and front-loading machines have springs that hold the tub to the base or suspend it from the top. Ensure that these springs are connected, and none is distended. To maintain balance, don’t replace only one of the shocks—replace all.

Snubber ring: The snubber ring is made from plastic or felt, and it provides a cushion for the tub of the top-loading unit. When it wears out, the tub contacts the metal base.

Telltale signs that your snubber ring is worn out are dust on the plastic snubber or clumps. If you have the skills, you can replace the ring but if you have never done it before, let the work be done by a professional.

Driver bearings: Some front-loading washing machines have ball bearings between the motor shaft and tub spindle. If the casting wears out and one or more of the bearings get dislodged, the tub vibrates.

Fixing the driver bearings requires high skill levels, so if you have never handled a similar problem before, let an expert do the work. If your unit is old, disassembling it might be too costly, making it logical to replace it.

Check for laundry caught below the tub.

Sometimes the laundry can be caught below the tub or between the agitator and the inner tub, causing the washer to operate off balance with every load you run. According to appliance repair Northern VA professionals, this problem can be brought about by plenty of factors such as a penny, a button that fell off a shirt, a sock, or any other article of clothing.

If you can’t find the source of the problem, you may have to remove the front or top panel and sometimes even the agitator.

To get rid of the problem, remove the offending item and clean out any debris. You should then replace the agitator and panel before rerunning the machine.

Are Dishwashers Worth It?

Are you on the fence about buying a dishwasher and wondering, are dishwashers worth it? Dishwasher repair experts recommend every homeowner own a dishwasher. And no, this isn’t because the repair technicians want more homeowners to service machines for. It’s because dishwashers come with plenty of benefits. Some of these benefits include:

You save time

Studies show that homeowners spend an average of 60 minutes every day washing up after meals. If you are like me, this is a pretty long time that you would spend doing other things. And the good news is you can get back this time by using a dishwasher in your cleaning.

Loading a dishwasher takes approximately 9 minutes meaning that you have a whopping 51 minutes to spare and do the activities you have always been yearning to do.

Some dishwashers even come with timed programs that range from 30 minutes to 120 minutes, so you can set the dishwasher and let it run while you engage in other activities.

You save water

If you are saving money cleaning the dishes with your hands, a recent study showed that using a dishwasher reduces the amount of water used by up to 74%. Some of the modern appliances even consume less water, so you spend less and less.

It’s easier

This is a no-brainer. To clean the dishes with a dishwasher, you simply need to put the dishes in the unit and wait for it to do the work. The dishwasher does all the work without your involvement. Like when working with any other machine, it’s much easier to work with the dishwasher as you aren’t directly involved with it.

It’s safer

If you have fragile grasses and other crockery, it’s much safer to clean them using the dishwasher as you won’t be risking your hands in the event they break. You also won’t put them at the risk of dropping when handling them with soapy hands.

You have cleaner dishes.

Cleaning the dishes using a dishwasher not only takes less time and saves your energy, but it also gives you cleaner results. Most dishwashers have a steam gloss feature that makes your dishes appear cleaner, brighter, and shinier.

You get rid of germs.

To eliminate germs from your dishes, the water needs to be above 60 degrees centigrade. When you are cleaning the dishes by hand, this is a temperature you can’t achieve, as water above 27.5 degrees centigrade is too hot to touch. And as you can guess, this isn’t high enough to kill the germs.

The water inside a dishwasher is heated up to 75 degrees, so your dishes not only get out clean and spotless, but also germ-free.

It’s kinder to your hands.

To clean dishes with your hands, you have to deal with soaps, chemicals, and scrubbing the stubborn dishes. As you can imagine, this isn’t being kind to your hands, is it?

With a dishwasher, you simply need to put the dishes in the machine, and it does all the work while you are preparing the meals or having a chat.

What should you consider when buying a dishwasher?

As you can see, dishwashers come with plenty of benefits, and there is no reason you shouldn’t buy one. While this is the case, you shouldn’t buy the first machine you come across—you should take your time and ensure you buy the right one. Some of the factors to pay attention to when making the purchase include:

Washing cycles

How many washing cycles does the machine have? The most important cycles are a regular wash, light wash, heavy wash, and economy settings. To have a great time with your machine, ensure the dishwasher has all the necessary cycles.

Performance features

The number of washing levels influences the performance of the machine. This is how and where the water jets are distributed. Go for a machine with a three-tire system or more as it will provide a better experience.

Are dishwashers really worth it?

As we have seen, dishwashers are worth it, and you should go for them. You should note that buying the unit isn’t enough—you also need to clean and maintain it. At least once a year, let an appliance repair Fairfax professional go through it and fix any issues it might be having.

Do I Need A Dishwasher? Dishwasher Repair Experts Answer

Many homeowners term dishwashers as the most expendable kitchen appliances as the act of cleaning dishes is a mere convenience. After all, you can clean the dishes with your hands, right?

According to dishwasher repair professionals, owning a dishwasher isn’t all about convenience—it comes with plenty of other benefits. If you are asking, do I need a dishwasher? Here are some of the reasons you should get one:

Dishwashers save time

The time you spend to load the dishes in the dishwasher and hit the start button is minuscule compared to washing and rinsing every bowl, plate, knife, or fork by hand.

Since you have more time in your hands when you clean the dishes with your dishwasher, you can spend the extra time engaging in other activities such as spending time with friends and family, reading, knitting, or tackling other house chores.

Dishwashers are more hygienic.

When cleaning the dishes by hand, you use old sponges that are usually hotbeds for Salmonella and E.coli known to cause food poisoning. Washing the dishes with a dishwasher is an entire ballgame. Since the appliances use hot water, they kill all the germs, which leave your dishes clean and sterilized.

Modern appliances even have the HygienePlus function that ensures maximum hygiene by killing 99.9% of germs. They achieve this by rinsing the dishes at temperatures of up to 70 degrees Celcius.

You can’t do this when cleaning dishes by hand, can you?

Dishwashers save you money.

You might think we are mad when we say dishwashers save money, but this is the case. According to the EPA, most faucets use 2.2 gallons of water per minute.

Dishwashers, on the other hand, use 3 gallons of water per normal wash cycle. So unless you have superpowers and you can clean all the dishes in under two minutes, the dishwasher has got you beat already.

You might argue that dishwashing machines use energy, so you save on your power bill, but a recent study showed that just 10 hand-washing sessions use more energy than needed to build a dishwasher.

Dishwashers save your skin.

The constant act of hand washing your dishes leaves your hands rough and dry, or even cracked and bleeding if you have a commercial kitchen. When using the dishwasher, the work is done by the machine—not you.

This is relieving, especially if you have a large kitchen or suffer from arthritis or carpal tunnel syndrome.

When cleaning the dishes, you are at more risk of dropping your dish or knife, which not only increases the chances of breaking your precious and expensive dishes, it also increases your chances of getting hurt.

Dishwashers are stress reducers.

Many people hate doing dishes. I remember growing up and doing the dishes was the prominent bone of contention between my brother and I. We used to pile the plates up, and I know this is the case with most homeowners.

A recent study showed a direct link between the amount of clutter in the house and stress levels. As the mess piles up, the more stressed someone gets. So when you procrastinate on cleaning the dishes, and you let them pile up, you increase your stress levels.

With a dishwasher, you are less likely to put off cleaning the dishes as you only need to put the dishes in the dishwasher and press the start button.

Dishwasher tips

While dishwashers bring plenty of benefits to the table, you need to use them properly to get the most from them. Some of the tips to consider include:

Keep your dishwasher clean: A dirty dishwasher means dirty dishes, so work at keeping your dishwasher as clean as possible. Every few days, remove the screen and filter then clean your appliance.

Load the dishwasher properly: You need to load your appliance properly for it to clean the dishes properly. The cups should go in the top rack, plates, and bowls on the bottom rack, pots, pans, and baking dishes angled properly for water to reach the inside, and stagger the dishes, so they don’t nest together.

Always aim for a full load: When cleaning the dishes, always aim to run the dishwasher when you have a full load. According to appliance repair Fairfax professionals, this ensures you get the most of the water, energy, and detergent.

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.

Ways A Commercial Appliance Repair Professional Can Help You

As a business owner, you need to be able to easily source commercial appliance repair professionals when you need them. Unlike with appliances in your home where you can delay a day or two before you fix them, you need to fix the appliances in your commercial business as soon as possible to keep your customers happy and reduce losses.

How commercial repair professionals help your business

Depending on your business, repair professionals can help your business in different ways. Some of these ways include:

Bars and pubs

To serve your customers properly, you need glasses, and when you don’t have clean glasses for the customers to use, you have no business. You also need fridges, ice coolers, and freezers working at all times for you to serve refreshing beverages.

If you have a problem with any of the appliances, you should contact a repair professional as soon as possible to fix the problem.

Restaurants

As a business owner in the food industry, you are reliant on your appliances running in top condition at all times. If your fridge or freezer has broken down, you have wasted stock. If the dishwasher is not working, the staff are forced to clean the dishes manually, which can stretch them too far, and when the ovens aren’t working, they can decimate your menu.

A commercial repair professional will visit your establishment, inspect your appliance, and fix the prevailing problems.

Dry cleaners

When your washing machines and tumble dryers are malfunctioning, no work can be done, and when you decide to work with them, you risk tearing at your customer’s clothing. The repair professionals will help you diagnose the washing machines, tumble dryers and washer dryers and fix the problems they are having.

What should you consider when hiring the repair professional?

You know the repair technician is vital for your business, but what should you consider when hiring for you to hire the right one?

Certifications and licenses

You don’t want a quack to work on your appliances, do you? To ensure you are working with a professional who abides by the federal and state laws, ensure you hire a certified professional.

You should note that some contractors will try to fake the certifications, so take your time to ascertain the certifications are genuine. You also should ensure the contractor is licensed to work in your local area. Avoid working with an unlicensed technician as they might not be qualified to provide the services.

Customer service

How do the contractors treat you? Do they make you feel special? When you call them, do they respond to your calls fast? And when you leave a voice message, how soon do they reach back? These are some of the things you should look out for to determine whether you will have a smooth ride with the technician.

If you are like other business owners, you hate hiring a new contractor for every problem that crops up—you want to use the same technician for all appliance problems so that you will be working with them for a long time.

Due to this, you want to work with a technician with a likable personality.

Professionalism

Some contractors have the impression they are tradesmen, so they don’t put a lot of effort into maintaining professionalism when they are dealing with their clients. So when you contact them and ask them when they will come to repair your appliance, they give a vague answer such as, they will arrive anywhere between 10 A.M and 4 P.M.

Others will show up much later than agreed and don’t even come with the proper tools, so they waste time trying to complete the work with the wrong tools. You don’t want this.

You want to work with a professional company that treats its customers with respect. You can tell this from the conversations you have with the company before you begin working with them. You want a technician who talks professionally and gives clear timeframes of when and how they will accomplish the work.

Repair cost

Before you decide to work with a given company, get quotations from different companies. While at it, avoid extremely cheap companies as they will provide you with a cheap service. At the same time, avoid an appliance repair Alexandria company charging you exorbitant prices as it will most likely be ripping you off. Take time to find a company that gives you an excellent service at an affordable price.

Commercial Refrigerators Repairs: Valuable Refrigerator Tips

commercial refrigerators repairs

The refrigerator is one of the most important appliances in your place of work as a restaurant owner. To avoid hiring commercial refrigerators repairs professionals now and then you need to take good care of your unit.

Tips on how to maintain your refrigerator

There are many ways in which you can keep your unit in top shape. some of these ways include:

Place it in a cool place: Where you place the refrigerator not only affects how easily you can access it, it also determines how long the fridge lasts. For it to last for a long time, place it away from the heating appliances to protect it from the fire.

Avoid opening the door regularly: Door problems are one of the most common problems with refrigerators. The door issues come about due to the constant opening and closing. To avoid the issues, you should avoid opening the doors unnecessarily.

For example, if you have a modern refrigerator, you don’t have to open the door to drink water from the water dispenser as the fridge has a feature that allows you to get the water without opening the door.

If your refrigerator is old, you might not have this feature. To give your fridge some break, you should invest in a separate water dispenser. By doing this, you won’t have to keep on opening the fridge door.

Avoid storing hot food: Due to the shortage of time or the delusion that the food is cold enough to be stored in the refrigerator, some people store food items that are too hot. In addition to this causing the food to get spoilt after only a short while, it also sets your refrigerator up for problems.

To be on the safe side, commercial appliances repair professionals recommend that you should only store cold food in the refrigerator.

Tips when repairing your refrigerator

Even with the best care, it’s common to have issues with your fridge. When this happens, you should hire a reputable repair professional to inspect the unit and fix the problematic areas.

For the repair to be done appropriately ensure that the contractor uses the right repair tools. The contractor should have the modern tools that are known to be not only effective, but also cause no damage to the sensitive interiors of the appliances.

You also should ensure that the commercial kitchen appliance repairs Arlington is experienced and certified to work in your local area.