Your Go-to Experts for Appliance Troubleshooting & Maintenance in Peterborough

Problem

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Not cold. Not running. Light on.

Make sure dial-in fridge and freezer are at the middle setting at least and did not get bumped to off.

Not cold. Not running. Light off.

Unplug the fridge and plug in a lamp or radio to make sure the outlet works.

Temperature not cold enough, or too cold.

Check the dial in the fridge and freezer. Make sure the dial is set properly and increase or decrease the setting as desired. If the fridge is too cold, turn the dial to a warmer setting. If the fridge is too warm turn the dial to a colder setting.

Control board not working.

Unplug for one minute then plug back in, may reset the board.

Problem

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Not cleaning properly, or leaving residue on dishes.

Pour white vinegar in the bottom and let sit for one hour to one day, and then run. Use a cup of white vinegar in each load. Change your soap. Use liquid.

Control board not working.

Reset; push normal wash button, then heat dry, then normal wash, then heat dry. Or unplug/turn the breaker off for one minute, then plugin/turn on.

No power.

Check plug or electrical panel (breaker or fuses).

Leaking water.

Clean along the bottom of the door.

Noisy.

If you use detergent pods, change to liquid soap. The cases may not be dissolving fast enough and getting stuck in the pump. If this is the case and you change to liquid soap, the cases will eventually go through, and the noise will stop.

Problem

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No heat.

If you have fuses in your house electrical panel, replace both dryer fuses with 30 amps. Don’t just check them because sometimes you cannot tell. Yes, even though there is power, it can still be a fuse because one fuse is for power and one fuse is for heat.

Not drying or taking too long to dry.

Check the vent from the rear of the dryer to the outside of the house. Any restriction, let alone blockage, will stop the hot wet air from getting out and the clothes from drying. Go outside and make sure there is plenty of airflows, and there is no lint coming out of the vent. Remove lint from back of dryer for one load only. If it dries better, you know there is a vent problem. For too long, too many elbows, lint build-up, check the lint trap, and clean it out.

Control board not working.

Unplug for one minute then plug back in, may reset the board.

Problem        

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Not filling.

Make sure water tap is on and someone did not turn it off.

Leaking.         

1. Front-load washer: wipe down inside of door and rubber gasket. Hair and dirt build-up there and cause leaking.

2. Check fill hoses are on tight and not leaking at the back of the washer and tap.

3. Check the drain hose to make sure it is on tight at the bottom back of, washer, and is leading securely into the drain.

4. Check drain is not plugged.

Control board not working.

Check that the washer is plugged in. If it is, unplug it and plug it in a lamp or radio to make sure the outlet is working.

Control board not working.

Unplug for 1 minute then plug back in, may reset the board.

Month

Maintenance

January

Humidifier:

1. Replace / clean filter, wick, or pad. Effectiveness is reduced by half when clogged.

2. Inspect/clean float assembly on reservoir types of humidifiers. Check drain on flow-through types of humidifiers.

Microwave:

1. Clean inside. Food particles absorb microwave energy and may cause burns and damage to the unit.

2. We recommend that microwaves be plugged into a surge protector.

February

Washer:

1. Check any fill hoses for cracks, blisters, corroded fittings, and leaks. This will prevent a hose bursting or the fittings from being, stuck on the taps or washer. If you turn the water off to do this, make sure you turn the water back on.

2. Check, that the washer is level and is sitting on a well-supported floor. Unlevelled washers cause unit failure, and it bangs around on unbalanced loads.

3. Check that no water is dripping into the washer when it is turned off. A sign of a faulty inlet valve.

4. Clean inside of door and gasket on front load washers to prevent leaks.

5. Run white vinegar through the soap and fabric softener dispenser on front load washers.

6. Clean out the filter on front load washers with this option.

March

Freezer: Good time to defrost the freezer. Still cold enough outside to put food in a bin on the porch while you unplug the freezer to let the frost, melt and clean up the water. Do not use any tools to scrape frost. You can puncture a line, and the freezer will no longer freeze.

April

Dryer:

1. Clean lint out of a vent that leads outside. Lint buildup causes dryer failures, fires, and a great increase in drying time, which reduces energy efficiency.

2. The vent should be aluminum, not white. White vents do not meet building codes and are flammable.

3. Clean lint traps out after every load.

May

Air Conditioner:

1. Remove cover. Watch out for bees inside the unit.

2. Clan coils by blowing compressed air or by using a soft bristle brush.

3. Clean dirt or lint buildup in the bottom.

4. Oil the motor if it has oil ports on the sides.

5. Clean or replace the air filter. Depending on air quality, this may need to be done monthly while in use.

6. Make sure window units are tilted outward, so water drips out and does not stay in the bottom of the unit.

Fridge:

1. Clean pan underneath that collects the water.

2. Make sure there is no frost buildup in the back of the freezer. If there is a frost, the defrost cycle is not operating properly. Call a service tech before your fridge stops cooling.705-743-7121.

3. Vacuum coils, around the compressor, and under kick plate.

4. Replace the water filter.

June

Microwave:

1. Clean inside. Food particles absorb microwave energy and may cause burns and damage to the unit.

2. We recommend that microwaves be plugged into a surge protector.

Dishwasher:

1. Clean if the inside is stained by running an empty load with Glisten.

2. Clean out filter near the bottom under lower spray arm. Replace damaged filters to protect the pump and motor.

3. Clean spray arms. Make sure holes are not clogged.

4. Repair broken and rusted dishwasher racks. If plastic wears off racks, it will rust. The rust particles will cause problems in pump and motor. Use sandpaper on rust areas and rack repair kit.

5. If dishes are not coming clean, clean the filter. Try different liquid soap and use one cup of white vinegar during rinse cycles. If these ideas do not work, there could be a problem with the inlet valve and not enough water coming in. Call a technician: 705-743-7121.

July

Dehumidifier:

1. Check that the thermostat is set correctly.

2. Clean water container.

3. Clean or replace the filter.

Air Conditioner:

1. Clean coils by blowing compressed air or using a soft bristle brush.

2. Clean dirt or lint buildup in the bottom.

3. Oil the motor if it has oil ports on the sides.

4. Clean or replace the air filter. Depending on air quality, this may need to be done monthly while in use.

5. Make sure window units are tilted outward, so water drips out and does not stay in the bottom of the unit.

August

Washer:

1. Check fill hoses for cracks, blisters, corroded fittings, and leaks. This will prevent a hose from bursting or the fittings from being stuck on the taps or washer. If you turn the water off to do this, make sure you turn the water back on.

2. Check that the washer is level and sitting on a well-supported floor. Unlevelled washers cause unit failure, and it bangs around on unbalanced loads.

3. Check that no water is dripping into the washer when it is turned off. A sign of a faulty inlet valve.

4. Clean inside of door and gasket on the front load of washers to prevent leaks.

5. Run white vinegar through soap and fabric softener dispenser on front load washers.

6. Clean out the filter on front load washers with this option.

September

Humidifier:

1. Replace/clean filter, wick, or pad. Effectiveness is reduced by half when clogged.

2. Inspect/clean float assembly on reservoir types of humidifiers. Check drain on flow-through types of humidifiers.

Air Conditioner:

Make sure units that are taken out of storage are kept upright. This will keep oil in the compressor and not in the lines which will prevent the unit from cooling again.

October

Stove:

1. Clean control panel and knobs with non-abrasive or glass cleaner to preserve stenciling on the knobs.

2. To make your range look new again, replace any broken or illegible knobs, replace centre caps of coil burners, clean or replace drip bowls, and touch up marks with porcelain paint.

3. Check that the oven light is working.

4. Clean smooth cooking surfaces with a non-abrasive cleaner, glass cleaner, or oven cleaner. A flat razor blade can be used to scrape off any stuck-on food. The sooner you clean it, the less likely it will stain.

5. Never use aluminum on drip pans. Aluminum can short out the electrical components and reduce required venting.

Dryer:

1. Clean lint out of a vent that leads outside. Lint buildup causes dryer failures, fires, and a great increase in drying time, which reduces energy efficiency.

2. The vent should be aluminum, not white. White vents do not meet building codes and are flammable.

3. Clean lint traps out after every load.

November

Fridge:

1. Clean pan underneath that collects water.

2. Make sure there is no frost buildup in the back of the freezer. If there is a frost, the defrost cycle is not operating properly. Call a service technician before your fridge stops cooling. 705-743-7121.

3. Vacuum coils, around the compressor, and under the kick plate.

4. Replace the water filter.

December

Dishwasher:

1. Clean if the inside is stained, by running an empty load with Glisten.

2. Clean out filter near the bottom under lower spray arm. Replace damaged filters to protect the pump and motor.

3.  Clean spray arms. Make sure holes are not clogged.

4. Repair broken and rusted dishwasher racks. If plastic wears off racks, it will rust. The rust particles will cause problems in the pump and motor. Use sandpaper on rust areas and rack repair kit.

5. If dishes are not coming clean, clean the filter. Try different liquid soap. Use one cup of white vinegar during rinse cycles. If these ideas do not work, there could be a problem with the inlet valve and not enough water coming in. Call a technician 705-743-7121.