DIY Appliance Repair Tips

Wait! Before you pick up the phone to call an appliance repair in Fort Lauderdale for help, you might be able to keep your appliances running correctly with the help of some of the troubleshooting tips in this post.

1. Smelly Washing Machine

The presence of a foul smell in a washing machine can defeat the entire purpose of the appliance! If you are in the process of trying to get your clothes so that they are clean and fresh, but the appliance isn’t cooperating, run an empty cycle in hot water and pour in two cups of white vinegar and half of a cup of baking soda to get rid of the smell. This problem frequently happens in front-loading washing machines. To eliminate smells in the future, prop the door open after cycles to let it dry out.

2. Inefficient Refrigerant

A room-temperature refrigerator is not a welcome sign. A warm refrigerator definitely won’t keep beverages cool or refreshing, and the food inside could also be in danger of spoiling! In some cases, your refrigerator will not need professional repair; instead the inside might just need to be cleaned. Or the coils on the back panel of the appliance require cleaning.

Unplug the refrigerator and move it far from the kitchen wall before cleaning the coils. If you do not see immediate cooling improvement, it’s a good idea to call a professional appliance repair technician in Fort Lauderdale for troubleshooting.

3. Clicking Igniter on Stove

If the igniter on a gas-powered oven clicks nonstop and the burner does not light, look to be sure the burner lid is tightened and properly aligned. You could also experience this problem if you’ve had a recent boil over or spill on the top of your stove.

Otherwise, the source is most likely to be a dirty igniter. To clean the igniter on a gas stove, first remove the burner lid and clear off any loose debris. You can use a clothes pin to pick debris from the grooves of the igniter. If that doesn’t fix the problem, it’s best to not take a lighter apart without training; hire a professional appliance repairman to investigate the problem.

4. Broken Garbage Disposal

A sink’s garbage disposal comes with self-protection with its own overload trip. If it is filled up, overheats, runs for too long, or has a different issue, the disposal may just have to be reset instead of replaced. You should be sure the switch is turned OFF. Then, locate the reset button on the disposal under the sink and then press the switch. If the button does not stay in, just wait a few minutes and then attempt it again. Turn on the water and turn the button on.

If the disposal in the sink is filled up with food and you hear nothing but a humming noise rather than the grinding of waste, you might need to twist the disposal blades using a hex key to remove the clog. Then, press the reset switch to get the garbage disposal running again. If these tips don’t get the garbage disposal working like it is supposed to, do not allow the temptation to push your hands down in the blades to troubleshoot. Be smart and arrange an appointment with a professional appliance service in Fort Lauderdale.

5. No Power from Outlet

In a home’s bathroom or kitchen, the outlets should be equipped with GFCI capabilities in order to protect homeowners against harm in wet rooms. If a GFCI outlet is not generating power, push the red button to see if that restores juice.

If it doesn’t, or if you’re trying on a basic electrical outlet, be sure that a breaker has not been tripped in the circuit breaker box. If you are not sure if a circuit breaker is tripped, flip it so it is in the OFF position and then flip it back onto the ON position. But remember, safety by electricity is critical. If you have any doubts, call a professional.

6. Wobbling Washing Machine

A shaking washer will often produce a startling racket and isn’t a great process to clean clothing. If yours starts shaking around, the appliance may be in trouble. To repair this issue, rotate the legs of the appliance to lower or lift each corner until it is balanced. One other likely scenario is the appliance is off balance. Lift open the lid and move around the shirts and pants so that they’re more dispersed inside of the drum of the washing machine.

Doing this can help your washer to not need to work quite as hard. If you do try to rearrange the laundry once or twice without luck, don’t ignore the problem. You might have a loosened motor or drum mount to fix, which should be easy for a professional repairman to repair. But continuing to run the washer when it has this issue could break some of the other pieces and cause a bigger repair in the future.

Call for Help

If these suggestions fix your issues, you can schedule service from C&L Fort Lauderdale Appliance Repair!

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