Basic Appliance Check
1. Make sure appliance is plugged in and power turned on.
2. Check fuses and circuit breakers.
3. Make sure water supply is turned on for appliances that require water.
4. Make sure doors and lids are opening and closing properly.
5. Make sure you are following the operating procedures in accordance to your owner’s
manual.
* Follow the proper loading procedure and machine operation.
* Never overload the machine.
If the machine is a front loader or a high efficiency model you should probably be using HE
detergent to maximize the washer’s effectiveness. Read the owner’s manual to determine the
type of detergent that is recommended for your machine.
Laundry detergents are designed for specific purposes. Liquid is better at removing household
stains like grease and powders are better at removing dirt stains. As a general rule farmers and
gardeners should use powder and domestic engineers should use liquid!
1. Washer doesn’t start.
- Make sure the lid is closing properly.
- Make sure the timer and all the controls are set properly.
- Make sure both water faucets are turned on.
2. You are on a well system or have high sediment content in your water.
- Insert screened hose washers in the end of both washing machine fill hoses where they attach to the external supply faucets. These screens will prevent the washing machine fill valve from collecting the debris in its screens and clogging up causing slow fill times. You may have to replace these screens periodically. It is not recommended to try and clean the screens.
Make sure your external venting material is compliant with your owner’s manual requirements.
If you have the improper venting have it replaced as soon as possible to avoid any potential fire
hazard from lint build up. If you are unsure, call or e-mail our office and we will help you
determine if you are compliant or not. Many “Use and Care” manual’s show pictures of the
acceptable and unacceptable types of venting
* Follow the proper loading procedure and machine operation.
* Never overload the dryer.
* Make sure your clean the dryer lint filter after every load.
1. Clothes aren’t getting dry.
- Make sure the dryer has not pushed back against the rear exhaust duct causing an air flow restriction.
- Make sure the clothes are coming out of the washer spun damp dry – if the washer is not spinning the clothes damp dry, the dryer will not dry the clothes in a normal amount of time.
1. Always use microwave safe dishes. Do not microwave your food using Styrofoam or any
freshness wrap products.
2. Do not use aluminum foil or anything with metal on it (unless your microwave
specifically allows it. Check your owner’s manual).
3. Wipe the seal off with a wet rag and dry it thoroughly as often as needed.
4. Don’t twist, bend, or slam the door in any way.
5. Your microwave begins flashing numbers, won’t take commands, or shows all 8’s.
- Unplug the unit and leave it off for several (15-20) seconds and plug it back in. Sometime this simple trick can reset the microprocessor and the unit will begin to work again!
1. Your coil top burners are not heating.
- Make sure your burners are sitting straight and in their proper position.
2. Oven isn’t heating.
- Make sure the clock is set on the manual cycle and not the automatic time bake cycle.
Gas Ranges
1. Keep top surface area clean and free of grease build up.
2. Burners are not lighting.
- Wipe off the burner head with a hot, damp rag and the dry completely.
3. Oven is not heating.
- Make sure the clock is set on the manual and not automatic cycle.
Today’s high efficiency refrigerators will run a lot more than older units. People typically think
that because the new unit is running 90% of the time that it is costing them more money to
operate. New refrigerators use a modulating compressor. Even though the refrigerator is still
running it is doing so at a much lower power level than at start up. The compressor speed is
regulated according to internal temperatures, which is based on the amount of times the door is
opened, the room temperature, the amount of food stored inside, and other factors. New
refrigerators cost roughly 25% of what a similar size box that is over 20yrs older costs to
operate!
1. If your refrigerator is not running or isn’t cold enough
- Turn the thermostat up to the next highest setting. If it comes on, let it run for
24 hours and check temperatures to confirm it is working ok.
- Clear/remove anything blocking the air flow around the outside of the refrigerator (on top, underneath, behind, beside, in front of, etc.). Allow 3″ of clearance all the way around.
- If there are condenser coils on the rear of the box, make sure the box is several inches from the wall and nothing is on the top at the rear, blocking the heat from coming off the coils.
- If the condenser coils are underneath the refrigerator, clean the coils with a vacuum cleaner thoroughly at least 2 times a year.
2. Door is ticking and not closing properly.
- Wipe off the face of the gasket with a wet rag and make sure the interior shelves, drawers and food are not preventing the door from closing from inside.
3. Removing stale or foul odor from your refrigerator.
- Thoroughly clean out the inside of the refrigerator and freezer sections, you can also try wadding up newspapers and stick them in the empty but running refrigerator for a 24 hour period. Another method is to sit an open container of baking soda (numerous other types of order removing products) in both sections, without any food in either compartment.
* Follow the proper loading procedure and machine operation.
* Never overload the machine.
If the machine is a front loader or a high efficiency model you should probably be using HE
detergent to maximize the washer’s effectiveness. Read the owner’s manual to determine the
type of detergent that is recommended for your machine.
Laundry detergents are designed for specific purposes. Liquid is better at removing household
stains like grease and powders are better at removing dirt stains. As a general rule farmers and
gardeners should use powder and domestic engineers should use liquid!
1. Washer doesn’t start.
- Make sure the lid is closing properly.
- Make sure the timer and all the controls are set properly.
- Make sure both water faucets are turned on.
2. You are on a well system or have high sediment content in your water.
- Insert screened hose washers in the end of both washing machine fill hoses where they attach to the external supply faucets. These screens will prevent the washing machine fill valve from collecting the debris in its screens and clogging up causing slow fill times. You may have to replace these screens periodically. It is not recommended to try and clean the screens.