DIY Appliance Repair Tips

Wait! Before you call an appliance repair in Reston for help, you should be able to keep your household appliances running properly with some of the tips below.

1. Smelly Washing Machine

The presence of a foul odor in your washer can defeat the entire purpose of the appliance! If you are trying to wash your clothes so they are fresh and clean, but your appliance will not cooperate, run an cycle without clothes/laundry in hot water and pour in 2 cups of white vinegar and 1/2 cup of baking soda to remove the unpleasant smell. This problem commonly happens in front-loading washers. To prevent future smells, leave the door open between cycles so it can dry out.

2. Inefficient Refrigerant

A lukewarm refrigerator is not a welcome sign. A warm refrigerator will not keep drinks cool, and the food inside of it might also be in danger of going rotten! In several cases, your refrigerator will not require repair; instead interior could just need a cleaning. Or the coils on the back of the appliance are in need of cleaning.

Unplug it and drag it out from the wall prior to vacuuming the coils. If you can’t see cooling improvement, it’s time to hire an appliance repair service.

3. Clicking Igniter on Stove

If the igniter on a gas stove continues to click and the burner will not light, look to be certain your burner top is in place and properly aligned. You might notice this if you have had a recent boil over or liquid spill on the top of the stove.

Otherwise, the cause is probably a dirty igniter. To clean the igniter on a gas stove, first take off the burner lid and dust off any loose dirt. You can use a metal pin to scrape dirt from the grooves of the igniter. If that does not repair the problem, it is safest not to disassemble a lighter without the proper training; in this case hire a professional appliance repair company to determine the issue.

4. Broken Garbage Disposal

A garbage disposal has self-protection with its own overload trip. If it is clogged, overheats, runs for too much time, or has another issue, the garbage disposal might just have to be reset instead of fixed. Be sure the switch is OFF. Then, locate the button on the disposal unit beneath the kitchen sink and then press the button. If the button won’t stay in, just wait ten minutes and then try again. Turn on the water from the faucet and then turn the switch on.

If the disposal in the kitchen sink is filled up with waste and you hear nothing but a humming noise and not the grinding of food, you may need to unwind the disposal blades with a hex key tool to clear the clog. Now, press the reset button to get the disposal grinding again. If these tips do not get the disposal working like normal, please don’t allow the temptation to shove your hands down in the disposal to troubleshoot. Be smart and schedule service with a professional appliance company in Reston.

5. No Power from Outlet

In a home’s kitchen or bathroom, your electrical outlets need to be equipped with GFCI capabilities to protect people against harm in wet areas. If a GFCI outlet isn’t generating power, press the red reset button to see if it restores juice.

If it doesn’t, or if you are trying a basic electrical outlet, be certain that a breaker has not been tripped in your breaker box. If you’re not sure if a circuit breaker has been tripped, switch it so it is in the OFF position and back to the ON position. Remember, safety by electricity is critical. Should you have any concerns, call a professional.

6. Wobbling Washing Machine

A shaking washing machine will produce quite a loud racket and is not a great process to get wash clothes. If your washing machine starts banging around, the washer may be broken down. In order to repair this problem, rotate the legs of the washing machine to lift or lower each of the corners until it is level. One other likely situation is the washing machine is off balance. Crack open the top and arrange the shirts and pants so they are more dispersed inside of the drum of the washing machine.

Trying this should help your washer not have to work quite as hard. If you try to move around the laundry a couple of times to no avail, don’t ignore the problem. You may have a loose motor or drum mount to deal with, which can be easy enough for a professional to repair. But continuing to run your washer when it has this issue might destroy other parts and cause a worse repair in the future.

Call for Help

If these suggestions can solve your broken appliance, you can schedule service from Power Appliance Repair!

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Appliance Repair Cost
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Repair or Replace Appliances
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