6 common appliance problems and solutions
When it comes to appliance problems, we’ve seen just about everything. With over 50 years as a home appliance servicer in Alabama, our S & S Appliance service technicians have addressed the following common appliance problems thousands of times. Based on our experience as a local home appliance servicer here in Alabama, we’ve outlined six of the most common appliance problems and simple solutions you can try at home.
6 Common Appliance Problems and Solutions
1. My dishwasher isn’t cleaning dishes properly.
Problem: Your dishwasher isn’t getting enough hot water. Without hot water, your dishwasher will have a hard time cleaning the grease and food particles off of dishes. Another related potential cause of the problem is that food has blocked your filter.
Solution: If food is clogging your dishwasher’s filter, water will not easily flow to the spray arms. Cleaning the screen of the filter will help to remove food and allow access to water. Remove the lower rack of the dishwasher, remove the filter cover, and use a wet vacuum to clean off the screen.
2. My clothes aren’t fully drying in the dryer.
Problem: There are a couple of reasons this could be happening, but most revolve around lint buildup in or behind your dryer. A clogged lint filter or the outside dryer vent may have buildup may be the causes of heat not working correctly.
Solution: First things first, check your settings and make sure that you set your dryer to a heat setting. While this may seem like common sense, it’s a common reason that heat doesn’t “work” for the dryer. Clean the filter of your dryer after every use. Beyond just removing lint, you can often wash your screen with a brush, soap, and water. Also, pull the cover off of the outside dryer vent to clean any exterior clogs.
3. My bathroom outlet has no power.
Problem: Tripped circuit breaker or outlet. When your breaker gets overloaded, it shuts off to prevent the circuit from receiving any additional electrical flow that could cause damage or fire.
Solution: In the kitchen or bathroom, your outlets are typically equipped with GFCI switches to protect against harm in wet environments. When a GFCI outlet isn’t providing power, press the red “reset” button to see if that restores power to the outlet. If that doesn’t work, or if you’re using a standard outlet, you’ll need to check the main electrical panel for a tripped circuit breaker. In the case that a breaker has been tripped, flip the switch off and on again.
4. My food isn’t getting cold in the refrigerator.
Problem: Your fridge is being overworked. Overworked refrigerators use an abundance of energy, which in turn will shorten its lifespan.
Solution: Check the condenser coils of your refrigerator. The coils are the black tube-and-wire grid that cools the fluid in the compressor. You can usually find them down below the fridge. If dust, debris, or hair is covering the coils, it’s time to clean them. Push a coil cleaning brush into the coils, and vacuum what the brush collects.
5. My washing machine has a weird smell.
Problem: If your washing machine has a smell, mold and mildew are probably the cause of the scent. It’s common for the seal around the door of a front-loader washing machine to remain damp and eventually allow mold to grow.
Solution: Run the washing machine without any clothes inside on a clean or hot water cycle. You can use a store-bought tablet cleaner or two cups of white vinegar and a half-cup of baking soda to help clean your washing machine. Then, when you use your washing machine in the future, either leave the door open in between washes and wipe away moisture with a towel.
6. My A/C unit is running but isn’t cooling properly.
Problem: There are many potential causes for this problem, but one main one is that your air conditioner has a lack of adequate airflow.
Solution: If the air filter is dirty or clogged, there may be little or no airflow over the evaporator coils. This blockage causes the coils to become cold, with frost formed restricting the airflow even more. For your air conditioning unit, inspect the area around the air conditioner to make sure that it is clear of any debris, plants, or disturbances. Clean or replace your air filter and clean the evaporator coils to open up pathways for air to travel and cool properly.
Broken down appliances? Contact S & S Appliance for quality appliance service and repairs
As much as our home appliances make daily tasks more convenient, when they experience problems, it can leave homeowners frustrated and disrupted. Simple maintenance, such as routine cleaning, helps keep your home appliances running properly and extends their lifespan.
Applying these simple solutions to your home appliances can be beneficial for you and your home. However, if you have performed these tasks and a problem continues, it’s time to call your trusted home appliance servicer.
Call us at 1-205-426-5468. You can also schedule an appointment online.
