ApplianceJournal.com

  No matter if you are the serviceman or the company he works for or a customer, you know that the cost of a service call is high.  You may have to wait and you may have to deal with the cost of labor and parts.  Overall, most of the calls made to service repairman are necessary.  But, sometimes, you may make the mistake of calling on a service provider when you could have handled the problem yourself.  So, before you call on a service provider to get help for your appliance, consider these tips.

Tips That Will Save You Money
If your appliance isn’t working or isn’t working correctly, consider these things before you call for service.
Dishwasher
If the dishwasher won’t run, there could be a couple of issues.  Is the door locked?  Are the selector keys set correctly?  IS there power getting to the machine?  If all these things are in place, you may need to replace the door switch.  Or, there may be some wires that are loose that need adjusting.  Your timer may be damaged, but make sure to check all terminals on the time and motor first.
Is the tub not filling with water?  Then, you may have a problem with the water inlet valve or the solenoid, check these first.  Your water filter could be clogged.  Or, your overflow switch isn’t working in which case you should check it.  If it freezes in the full position, the dishwasher won’t be able to fill with water.
Refrigerator
One of the most common problems is the refrigerator not cooling well or you notice that it is running all of the time.  In these cases, make sure to check your thermostat first.  If the setting is wrong, it can cause this.  Or, you may need to clean the coils on the condenser.  If the gaskets on the doors are not aligned or are dirty, this could cause an escape of temperature.  Is there a lot of frost in the unit?  If so, defrost the unit.  Other possible issues could be that the weather is hot and humid and that the room is simply too warm.  Have you lost the refrigerant out the bottom?  If so, this means you need a professional. 
Electric Range Or Oven
If your range simply won’t turn on, there may not be any power going to it.  Check the fuse box or circuit breaker.  If it won’t go on after this, you need an electrician.  If the top elements are heating, this could mean that the wiring, terminal block or the switch is defective.  The element may also be damaged.  In these cases, you’ll need to replace them.  If your food isn’t cooking correctly, there could be something wrong with the element, which may need to be replaced.  Also, make sure you are using the correct sized pan on the range.
For an oven that doesn’t heat, this too could be the element, thermostat or selector switch.  Wiring could be the problem.  Here, you’ll need to check each of these things and replace the problem.  If you find that the top rear element is not heating, this could be a sign that the unit is in a self cleaning cycle.  If the oven gets too hot or overheats, check to make sure the vent is clean.  If it doesn’t hold the right temperature, clean and replace the gaskets on the door as necessary.  You may also need to calibrate the oven.  Your owner’s manual should provide information on how to do that for your oven or call a professional.
There is no doubt that sometimes you will need to call a professional to handle your kitchen and appliance repairs.  Checking these things first, though, can provide you with the best situation possible.
 

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