Tips & Tricks for

Home Appliance Maintenance

WASHING MACHINE

Top-load Tips

· Do not overload, place clothes loosely, distributed evenly to the bottom of the ring.

· Keep your water level high enough to compensate for the load size.

Front-load Tips

· Use HE (high-efficiency) detergent and do not use more than recommended.

· When the cycle is complete, open the door slightly to let the rubber gasket dry completely, or wipe dry (otherwise mold or a slight odor will appear).

Energy Saving Tips

· Use lower temperature settings on your washing machine, preferably the cold water cycle, and only use cold for rinses. The temperature of the rinse water does not affect cleaning.

· Load the washing machine to capacity. Washing one large load will take less energy than washing two loads on a low or medium setting. When you don't have a full load, match the water level to the size of the load.

· If your clothes washer has spin options, choose a high spin speed or extended spin option to reduce the amount of remaining moisture, thus starting the drying process before you put your clothes in the dryer.

Troubleshooting

When your washing machine stops working, your first inclination may be to call a repair shop. But before you dial, looking for some things yourself may save you money on having your washer repaired. Always be careful when working on a home appliance.

Preparing the Washer

Before you start troubleshooting your washer, turn off the water supplies for the hot and cold water, and disconnect the hoses. If there is water in the washer, run it through a spin cycle before disconnecting it to get the water out. If the washer does not run then you will have to use a bucket and remove the water by hand. Move the washer away from the wall so you can have access to all sides. Make sure your work area is well lit and that you have plenty of room to move.

Does Not Spin

· If your washer tub does not spin, the first thing you should do is check to see if any clothing is jammed under the tub. Sometimes clothing will wrap around the center post of the washer tub and then slide down under the tub. You will have to slowly remove the clothing and see if that solves your problem.

· If you turn on the washer to test the spin and you smell smoke, turn the washer off immediately and unplug it. More than likely your motor has burned out and you will need to call a repair professional to have it replaced.

· There is a switch normally located near one of the hinges on the washer door that is used to stop the washer when you open the lid. Check to make sure that this switch is not stuck or broken.

Leaks Water

· One of the more common problems with a washer is that it leaks water either when it operates, or slowly leaks water all the time. There are a few things you can look at to determine the source of this problem.

· Check your water source for leaks. If the water source is not leaking then check the connection between the water source and the washer hose. Check it when the washer is off and when the washer is on. There is pressure that builds up in the hoses when the washer is running, so that pressure may show you the leak.

· Also check the hoses themselves with and without water pressure in them. If a hose has a small leak, replace the hose. Do not attempt to patch the hole with tape or glue as the hole will only get bigger over time.

· If water is dripping into the washer when it is not being used, replace the water valve.

· Check the washer tub for any cracks or holes.

Dryer

Energy Saving Appliance Tips

· Dry full loads when possible, but be careful not to overfill the dryer, because air needs to circulate around the clothes.

· Don't over-dry clothes that you are going to iron. Take clothes out of the dryer while they are still slightly damp to reduce the need for ironing—another big energy user.

· If you have room, you can also hang your clothes out to dry.

· A dirty lint screen can cause your dryer to use up to 30 percent more energy-and it can be a fire hazard. Clean the lint screen after each load. Lowly lint has little use, and maybe you'll find that missing sock!

· Keep your dryer's outside exhaust clean. A clogged exhaust lengthens drying time and increases energy use.

· If your dryer has an automatic dry cycle, use it rather than a timed cycle. Or, use the moisture sensor option on your dryer, which automatically shuts off the machine when the clothes are dry.

· Since lightweight items take less drying time, separate loads into heavy and light items. Underwear and rugs do better if kept apart!

· Install a solar clothes dryer (a clothesline)! It will give your clothes a "fresh outdoors" smell.

Troubleshooting

Dryer drum does not turn

· Make sure you check the circuit breakers in the house service panel and reset if necessary.

· Listen to see if the motor is running, if the motor is running and the drum is not turning then the drum belt is broken.

· To replace the belt on most newer models pop the top and remove screws from front on the inside, then slip the belt over the drum from the front and put around idler and motor drive pulley from rear.

Dryer does not heat

· MAKE SURE POWER IS OFF BEFORE REMOVING ANY PARTS FROM DRYER.

· Make sure you check the circuit breakers in the house service panel and reset if necessary.

· Motor must be running for dryer to heat.

· Check to make sure temp select switch is not set to air fluff.

· Check dryer door switch.

· Check dryer thermostats (these are usually located on the heater element canister and in the dryer door opening.)

· Check dryer element for continuity, you visually look at it to see if it is broken.

Dryer heats but takes too long to dry

· Check to make sure dryer vent is not obstructed (also check roof vent they have screens to keep birds out and get plugged).

· Check dryer thermostats.

· Make sure blower is not slipping on motor shaft.

Refrigerator

Energy Saving Appliance Tips

· Make sure the door is closed properly after each use (if the door is not sealed properly, air will get in and affect the temperature and accumulate frost).

· Do not put HOT items in the refrigerator; wait for it to cool down to at least room temperature (it can affect temperature and accumulate frost).

· Open refrigerator/freezer doors only when necessary.

· Keep refrigerator coils (on the back or the bottom of the appliance) clean.

· Make sure the seals on your refrigerator, freezer and oven doors fit tightly. Easily perform this test by leaving a lit flashlight inside a closed appliance and if you see light around the gasket, replace the gasket.

· Make sure your refrigerator and freezer are not running too cold. The temperature in your refrigerator should be 38-40 degree F, and the freezer 0 to 5 degrees.

· Keep the freezer full of something, such as loaves of bread or milk jugs filled with water, to keep the cold air inside the freezer even when the door is open.

· Keep the fridge clean – extra containers require a refrigerator to work harder.

Troubleshooting

Refrigerator side getting warm Freezer still cold

· Evaporator fan motor not running.

· Defective defrost timer.

· Defrost heater defective.

· Defrost thermostat defective.

· Airflow blocked from freezer compartment.

· Freezer control turned to "coldest" setting blocking air flow to refrigerator side. On most refrigerator/freezers, the freezer control closes a baffle when turned to coldest setting, and this blocks off the air flow to the fresh food compartment.

· Fan blade broken.

· Defective door switch on older models.

· Light staying on with door closed.

Refrigerator & freezer compartments both are getting warm

· Make sure refrigerator is plugged in and has power.

· Condenser fan motor on bottom under refrigerator not running.

· Condenser coil clogged.

· Defective defrost timer.

· Defective defrost heater.

· Defective defrost thermostat.

· Evaporator fan motor not running.

· Cold control defective.

· Compressor overload defective.

· Compressor relay defective.

· Light staying on with door closed.

· Compressor defective.

· Low on refrigerant.

Freezer compartment getting hot.

· Defrost timer stuck in defrost cycle (replace).

· Defrost thermostat stuck (replace).

· Ice maker stuck in harvest cycle.

· Light staying on with door closed.

Ice maker not making ice

· Defective inlet water valve.

· Freezer temperature not cold enough.

· Defective thermostat in ice maker.

· Defective drive motor.

· Water inlet tube clogged with ice.

· Defective module in newer style icemaker.

Refrigerator sweating around door edges

· Door gaskets leaking air.

· Defective case heaters.

· Energy saver switch not set to reduce exterior moisture.

Dishwasher

· Rinse debris off the dishes before placing them into the dishwasher.

· When the dishes are done, don’t let the door stay closed for more than a couple days, mold will form.

Energy Saving Appliance Tips

· Operate your dishwasher at full capacity. And if the manufacturer's instructions permit, open the door of the dishwasher at the end of the last rinse cycle, rather than using the drying cycle.

· Choose a dishwasher with several wash cycle selections. If your dishes are only slightly dirty, you can use the light or energy-saving wash cycle, it uses less water and runs for a shorter period of time.

· Choose the right size for your home. Standard capacity models hold more than 8 place settings and 6 serving pieces. Compact capacity models hold 8 place settings and six serving pieces or less. If you have to operate a compact model more frequently, you may actually use more energy than you would with a standard model over time.

Cooking Appliances

Energy Saving Appliance Tips

· Use the smallest pan necessary to do the job. Match the pan size to the element size. For example, a 6" pan on an 8" burner can waste over 40% of the heat produced by the burner.

· Don't preheat your oven. And try to avoid “peeking” by opening the oven door. Each “peek” can lower the oven temperature by 25 degrees.

· Cook complete meals of several dishes simultaneously in the oven.

· If you have a microwave oven, use it for reheating and cooking small quantities of food.

Water Heaters

Energy Saving Appliance Tips

· Set your water heater thermostat at the lowest temperature that provides you with sufficient hot water, but not lower than 120° F. For most households, 120° F water is fine. If you use a lot of hot water, you may need to set the temperature higher to provide enough hot water for your needs.

· Wrap your water heater with a water heater blanket, especially if it's in an unheated area of your home. The blanket could save you up to 10% on water heating costs.

· Use exhaust fans sparingly in your bathroom. In just one hour, they can remove a houseful of warmed or cooled air.