Sunday, January 30, 2011

Western Appliance Repair | Appliance Repair Meridian Idaho

If you would like some money saving tips to keep your appliance in top condition then this video may be helpful.  Our goal at Western Appliance Repair in Meridian Idaho is to provide the most solid, professional appliance repair service here in the treasure valley.  Whether it be washers, dryers, refrigerators, ovens, dishwashers, or other, we can fix it. 208-599-1086

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Front Load Washer | Clothes Still Wet | Leveling and Balance

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Front load washers are more efficient, using just 13 gallons of water verses 35 gallons for a typical top load machine. Front load machines use less energy. Front load machines also cause less wear on clothes. However, occasionally, consumers may comment on longer wash times, increased washer vibration or movement, clothes coming out wet, or that washer paused and consumer had to restart.

Clothes coming out too wet
1. Adjust out-of-balance load. It is best to washer similar fabrics in reasonable amounts for best results.
2. An extremely heavy load can lower the wash basket below the drain pump inlet resulting in wet clothes (water in basket during spin).

Clothes coming out Damp
1. Many washers spin at 2 different speeds ranges based on load and balance. A slower speed spin will cause clothes to retain more moisture.

Long Wash Times
1. Select SpeedWash set on Normal Soil for fastest possible wash cycle. Wash similar fabrics together to reduce the number of rebalances.
2. Depending on the wash cycle selected, initial wash cycle time estimates vary from 40 minutes for the shortest cycle to nearly 3 hours for the longest cycle. In addition, out-of-balance load rebalancing can add as much as 63 minutes to a given cycle. Adjust an out-of-balance load to minimize rebalances and shorten overall wash cycle time. It is best to wash similar fabrics in reasonable amounts for best results.
3. Legs out of adjustment. Each of the 4 legs should be adjusted to carry equal weight to reduce rebalancing.
4. Too much or wrong detergent creating excess foam and triggering pressure switch. During Washer, if the machine determines there is too much foam, it will stop rotating the basket and turn on both the drain pump and the water valve to flush excess suds. The pump may run for an extended period of time until foam level drops below the machine set-point. This can add an hour or more to the cycle time.

Re Leveling the Washer
1. Ensure the unit is level and all four leveling legs are properly adjusted and securely on the floor. The objective is for each of the four legs to carry equal weight, four on the floor. As little as ¼ or ½ turn on a single leveling leg can be significant. A helpful quick check is to place your left hand on the top left front corner and your right hand on the top rear corner. Then, push the washer in the direction of your hands and note force required to remove the weight from the front leg. Now, reverse hands, right in top right front corner and lift in top left rear corner and not the force required to remove weight from the front leg. The two forces should be equal.

Why does the washer move?
1. Both the front load washer and pedestal are made o move. They absorb the energy from spinning to reduce vibration. If they were rigid, and did not move, they would hammer the floor as the basket spins.
2. Top load washers vibrate side-to-side and front-to-back. Front load washers vibrate up and down. While accelerating into spin, the legs on one side push harder on the floor and the other side push less. This force can be very large. A load of clothes and the machine together could weigh 400 to 500 lb.
3. Front load washers are more efficient using just 13 gallons of water verses 35 gallons for a top load machine. Front load machines have a shorter dryer time and use less energy. Front load machines cause less wear on clothes; however, Front load washers vibrate more in spin. Front load washers can spin at more than 1000 rpm verses just 500-500 rpm for top load washers.
4. Below 12 rpm, the front load washer cannot calculate or adjust to out-of-balance load conditions. The solution to a slow speed vibration issue is to adjust or change the load. It is best to washer similar fabrics in reasonable amounts for best results.
5. Front load washer must be level for the dispenser to work properly.
6. Each of the four front load washer legs must carry approximately equal weight to minimize movement and vibration.
Appliance Repair Meridian Idaho
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Tuesday, January 11, 2011

White Film on Dishes - Dishwasher Help

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White film may form on glassware and dishes when using phosphate-free dishwasher detergent.

Dishwasher detergent manufacturers are phasing in a new phosphate-free formula to comply with various EPA regulations that became effective July 1, 2010. This switch to the new formula has been gradually happening since late 2009 and is continuing to the present.

Phosphates are added to dishwasher detergents to remove minerals from the water and thus improve dishwasher performance. Many detergents that do not include phosphates in their formula tend to leave mineral deposits on glassware, plastic items, pots and pans. It also causes poor wash performance and many complaints.

The deposits are in the form of a white film on glassware and other items, even the interior of the dishwasher itself. The white film is often mistaken to be a problem with the dishwasher instead of the detergent. All phosphate-free dishwasher detergent formulas appear to have this issue. Some appear to have this problem more than others.

Testing has shown that packs and tablets perform better than some powder or gel detergents.

If a white film develops on glassware, then we can safely assume that phosphate-free detergent is the problem.

The easiest way to remove the white mineral film or build-up is to run the glassware and dishware through a dishwasher cycle using citric acid additive. There is a citric acid kit made by GE. The part no. is WD35X151. Pour the mixture in the detergent cup and close the cover and let it disperse normally in the dishwasher cycle.

Place the glassware and dishware in the dishwasher. Remove silverware and other metal items out of the dishwasher and run the cycle with the additive. Turn the dishwasher on and let it run through a cycle with the citric acid and without detergent. The dishes and glassware should come out sparkling.

Dishwasher manufacturers are working to resolve the phosphate-free filming issue but the problems are likely to be with us for a long while. Dishwasher owners may want to repeat the citric acid rinse several times a year to reduce the mineral buildup on dishes.

Some other important things to remember when you’re preparing the dishwasher for the wash cycle are:

1. Run your kitchen sink hot water faucet for at least 1 minute or until maximum temperature is achieved. This will help reduce any white film deposits on dishes or glassware. For the best cleaning performance dishwasher manufacturers recommend a water temperature of at least 140 degrees F as it enters the dishwasher tub.

2. Remove seeds, nuts and plastics from bowls and plates before loading the dishwasher. Seeds and nuts do not break down easily and tend to clog filters and strainers, eventually restricting the water circulation and water pressure to the spray arm jets.

3. Do not load any plates, pots, pans, or any other large objects or dishes directly in front of the dishwasher soap dispenser. The spray-arm water flow must be allowed to flow and spray freely to dissipate the detergent in the dispenser.

See more information at Appliance Repair Meridian Idaho website http://www.western-appliance.com We also do
Whirlpool Repair Meridian Idaho, Maytag Repair Meridian Idaho.
208-599-1086

Monday, January 10, 2011

Appliance Repair Meridian Idaho | Dishwasher Not Cleaning

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Dishwasher preventative and maintenance tips that can extend the life of your dishwasher and help prevent unnecessary repairs. Below you will find some of my best recommendations for proper dishwasher operation.

Make sure that the dishwasher's is installed level. This is very important and a reliable and experienced installer should know how to install this properly. For the homeowner however, please pay special attention during installation. A properly leveled dishwasher will prevent the racks from falling forward as you're loading dishes and will also allow proper drainage.

Make sure the drain hose is properly routed to the air-gap. If there is no "air gap" mounted on the sink then it must be routed and mounted to the top of the underside of countertop before routing to the garbage disposal drain port. This will prevent food particles from entering the drain hose which will eventually form a clog.

Add a cup of white vinegar through the dishwasher to remove residue and odors. Do this at least once per month. You can also add a dishwasher detergent additive to achieve the same results.

Always run hot water in the kitchen sink before starting the dishwasher. This will purge the hot water line and allow hot water to enter the dishwasher at first cycle. The water entering the dishwasher should be 140 F to properly clean the dishes and to prevent food buildup and soap scum. Most dishwashers have an interior heater element which is not of high enough wattage to heat cold water to the proper cleaning temperature.

Clean the door gaskets regularly with a soap solution to remove all food debris and hard water deposits. Rinse and dry. This area is especially important for cleaning since a proper seal is important to prevent leaks.

Clean and inspect the spray arm holes, lower and upper. Remove any food particles, plastics, or toothpicks that may have lodged there. Tweezers or needle-nose pliers may help to remove such items.
Make sure you do not overload your dishwasher. If the spray arm jets are obstructed by plates or other dishes then the dishes will not be cleaned properly. You may also get spray directed to the areas near the door seal and cause leakage.

Do not add more than the recommended amount of detergent. Excessive detergent will cause suds which will seep out door cracks and cause leakage. It may also cause unwanted damage to hardwood or vinyl flooring.

Add detergent additive such as LemonShine to remove unwanted hard water buildup and help cleaning. Phosphates are being phased out of all dishwasher detergent so additional cleaning power may be necessary.

Always use the "heated dry" option on the dishwasher. Most major brand dishwashers including Whirlpool, Kenmore, GE, Frigidaire, and Maytag will have this option. Wet dishes and a wet damp area such as the inside of tub, does not allow enough air flow to prevent mildew buildup. Eventually unwanted mildew and mold will build up on the inside of the sump components and also on the inside walls of the tub.

Article was written by Rich C. of Appliance Repair Meridian Idaho Western Appliance. We repair washers, dryers, dishwashers, refrigerators, ovens, ranges, washing machines, cooktops, and most major appliances. We repair the following appliance brands: Whirlpool, Kenmore, Maytag, GE, Frigidaire, Sears, KitchenAid, Jenn-Air, Roper, Magic Chef, Amana, Hotpoint, and more. We provide appliance repair in Boise, Eagle, Meridian, Star, and Kuna Idaho. For immediate appliance repair help please visit http://www.western-appliance.com
208-599-1086

Thursday, January 6, 2011

Meridian Appliance Repair - Oven Ignitor Replacement

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If your bake operation on your gas oven is not functioning properly and burner is not igniting consistently then chances are good you have a bad ignitor. This is a step by step appliance repair guide on how to properly install a new oven ignitor.
There is a wide variety of oven brands and designs vary considerably from one oven to another. Proper care should be taken to account for the differences between the body styles of ovens such as Whirlpool, Kenmore, GE, Frigidaire, LG, and others. The procedures are very similar however give proper attention to detail to get the job done properly.
Ignitors are manufactured in round or flat (rectangular) designs depending on the oven model. Do not mix the two. If you have a round ignitor, replace it with a round one. If you have a flat ignitor, replace it with a flat one. If you are unsure of which ignitor to use than obtain a parts diagram for your specific oven and obtain the proper part number.
On most brands you can access the inner oven area without removing the door. If you would like to remove doors for ease of access then follow the manufacturer's procedure for removing the door. On most GE models, open the door partly and gently pull up on door to slide off the hinges. On Whirlpool and KitchenAid type ovens open the door to the full open position, lower hinge clips - see product manual for location -, close the door partly and slide the door off the hinges.
The inside bottom panel of the oven cavity will need to be removed. Remove thumbscrews at the back of the bottom panel. Grasp the back of the panel through vent openings and pull away and up to remove panel. This will expose the ignitor.
Remove the lower drawer to gain access to ignitor wire terminals. Disconnect the ignitor wires from valve and wire harness.
Remove the burner assembly. There should be one screw holding the front of the burner to front inside oven. With the drawer removed, locate the other screws securing the lower part of burner tube and remove the burner tube.
Remove the two screws securing the ignitor and install the new ignitor. A useful method of removing the two oxidized screws is to put a dab of liquid soap on each of the threads before removing the ignitor.
The plug and terminal ends of the old ignitors must be reused. Cut both ends 3-4 inches long and splice to the new ignitor wires using porcelain wire nuts.
Feed the wires back through the rear of the opening and reinstall the burner tube.
Plug the two wires back in and tuck the excess wiring behind paneling or gas tubing. Replace the bottom panel of oven.
The above procedure will work on most domestic models of ovens and ranges. It will usually take about 1 hour to perform this job.