You have heard that making ice takes time, so you take your sweet time. You check your ice maker after a few minutes, and there is nothing. You come back after a few hours and still, nothing.

What could be wrong? You wonder.

A properly functioning ice maker should produce ice, so if yours isn’t, you have a problem you should address as soon as possible. To help you out, here are tips given by refrigerator ice maker repair experts on how to fix ice maker not making ice:

Check the water connections.

The failure of the appliance to make ice is most likely due to poor water connections. Since the connections vary depending on the refrigerator models, it’s hard to pinpoint where the connections are located, so check the instructions in your appliance’s user manual.

If you don’t have the hard copy manual, you can always download it online. Before you touch the connections, first confirm they are correctly in place and unobstructed.

Since you are inexperienced, avoid tinkering with connections in hard to reach areas as you can easily damage your appliance.

Check the power connections.

Sometimes you might get your pants in a bunch for nothing. You might think your appliance is faulty, but in a real sense, it’s simply switched off. Check the power connection to the ice maker. Is it switched off? If it is, switch it on.

Check the water supply line.

If you can see the arm swing into motion accompanied by a buzz, and yet the appliance isn’t making ice, it means the water valve is asking for water that isn’t arriving.

This often happens when the valve and the solenoid function properly, but the water supply isn’t.

Check your appliance’s water supply that will most likely be located behind or beneath the refrigerator. Find the shut-off valve behind the fridge or under the sink, turn it off, unscrew the copper line from the back of the fridge, put the copper line in a bucket, turn on the valve and see whether water pours out.

Confirm whether the filter has clogged up

Like a furnace and other appliances in your home, the ice maker will fail to make ice if the filters are clogged up. A dirty filter reduces the amount of water getting into the ice machine, reducing the ice maker’s chances of making ice.

If you find out the filter is clogged, clean it following the owner’s manual instructions.

Check the tap valve

The tap valve is a small device that connects the ice maker’s water supply tube to the water pipe. In some cases, the valve develops problems, so water fails to get to the ice maker.

If you do the inspection and find the valve malfunctioning, replace it together with the inlet valve. When undertaking the replacement, go for a valve that requires you to drill a ¼ inch hole instead of the self-piercing type.

You can purchase the connection kit and work yourself or hire a repair professional to do the work for you.

Take a look at the solenoid.

The solenoid attaches to the water line at the back and bottom of the fridge then travels to the ice maker. Sometimes the solenoid gets defective or fails to receive power resulting in plenty of problems.

Inspect the solenoid, unplug the refrigerator, and then remove the sediment screen inside and flush it with water. While at it, take a look at the seals and confirm they are in perfect working condition.  If not in good shape, replace them.

Look out for a frozen line.

It’s common to have a frozen water line, especially if you live in icy areas. To fix the frozen line, unplug the fridge, then locate the shut-off valve, often located under the sink or behind the fridge.

You should then turn the valve to the closed or off position then fill the turkey baster with warm water. You can also defrost the line with a hairdryer or by letting the fridge sit unplugged for at least two hours.

If you do this and still the ice maker doesn’t make ice, ask an experienced commercial appliance repair Northern VA professional to inspect the appliance. It might be having a more serious problem.

The post How To Fix An Ice Maker Not Making Ice first appeared on HVAC Repair, appliance repair.

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Although the dishwasher isn’t dead silent when running, it’s not supposed to be too noisy that you are bothered when cleaning your dishes. Is your dishwasher making noise? It means you have a problem that you should address as soon as possible. Here are some of the common dishwasher noises as given by dishwasher repair professionals and how to get rid of them:

Grinding noises

A light grinding noise is no problem, and you have nothing to worry about if your dishwasher is making it. However, if the noise starts immediately, you may have to hire a contractor and ask them to check inside the dishwasher as the drain impeller’s plastic blades might be having a problem.

The dishwasher uses the blades to break up large food particles, and sometimes things stick on the plastic blades leading to a grinding noise. If the contractor inspects the blades and there is nothing there, the noise could be coming from the water inlet valve.

Check the valve for clogs and if clogged, clean it. Also, check whether it’s damaged and if that’s the case, replace it.

Banging

Are there non-rhythmic banging sounds inside your dishwasher? In most cases, they are as a result of spray arms hitting the dishes. The arms will cause the bang sound, and since the arms rotate in a circle, the bang sound will have a certain rhythm to it.

To fix the rhythmic sounds, you have to adjust the dishes, but if the sounds aren’t rhythmic, you might be having a water hammer problem.

When a water hammer happens, the dishwasher valves close, forcing the water behind it to rattle the pipe. You need to hire a plumber to help you find the cause of the water pressure issue and install the adjuster to ensure you don’t burst a pipe.

Did you recently install the dishwasher? The banging sounds might be due to the drain line thumping against the cabinets or wall during operation. Ask the dishwasher technician to look into the issue and readjust it accordingly.

Rattling

In most cases, a rattling sound is due to improper placement of the dishes. A small cup might be jostled by water, you might be having a loose fork, or the plates are touching each other. If you do the inspection and the sound isn’t due to improperly placed dishes, take a look at the motor.

If the motor is faulty or on its way out, it’s normal for it to make rattling sounds. You can test whether the problem is due to a faulty motor by running an empty cycle where there is nothing left but the motor itself.

While at it, take a look at the filters and drains for solid objects that might be causing the rattling.

If everything checks out and you still have the rattling sounds, chances are you have a water hammer in your pipes. Ask an experienced professional to look into the issue and fix it.

Clicking

Clicking sounds are normal when you switch on the appliance, but if the sounds are too loud, you might be having a problem that you need to address.

Clicking sounds are often brought about by small items such as seeds bouncing around. The noises will also come about if you recently made repairs, such as replacing an O-ring. If the repair professional didn’t properly replace the O-ring, you are bound to have clicking noise as the ring moves.

Humming

Humming is the normal sound of a dishwasher in operation, but if you hear louder noises than normal or high-pitched, you will need to look further into them. Take a look at the motor or the fan.

If the humming is happening during a drying cycle, the noise is most likely coming about due to a faulty fan, but if the humming is happening during any other cycle, the motor is most likely the culprit since the fan is only used for drying cycles.

Squealing

Squealing sounds are common with new appliances as the dishwasher is yet to get used to the job. If your dishwasher is new, appliance repair Northern VA experts advise you to relax as the noises dissipate with time. However, if you have had your appliance for a long time, check the motor, water inlet, or pump for damage.

The post Is Your Dishwasher Making Noise? Dishwasher Repair Experts Explain Why first appeared on HVAC Repair, appliance repair.

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The reason you installed a glass cooktop is that you enjoy the design aesthetics of the cooktop. While the cooktop is elegant and a great appliance to have, it often easily develops scratches that give it a cheap, dingy look. You don’t want this, do you?

To restore your cooktops to their original glory, you have to remove the scratches. The beauty of it is you don’t have to hire cooktops repair professionals to remove the scratches as you can easily do it on your own at home.

Want to learn how to do it?

Here are ways on how to remove scratches from a glass cooktop stove:

Baking soda

The good thing with baking soda is that it’s easy to find, and when properly mixed, it’s not dry or abrasive. To eliminate scratches using baking soda, make a loose wet paste by combining baking soda with water in a small container.

You should then apply the paste directly to the affected area using your fingers, then using a soft cloth, buff the scratches in a circular motion. Once you are done, wipe away the paste using a clean, damp cloth.

Toothpaste

Toothpaste sounds like an odd choice, but it contains several valuable ingredients, such as baking soda and peroxide. These ingredients buff out small abrasions without damaging your cooktops.

Begin with getting whitening toothpaste and two soft cloths. Squeeze a small amount of toothpaste onto a soft cloth, then apply it to the damaged area. Rub it in circular motions for at least one minute, then use a wet cloth to wipe out as much toothpaste as possible.

To clean up any leftover liquid, wipe the stovetop with a dry cloth. Repeat this process until you get your desired results.

Metal polish

You can use some metal cleaners to get rid of glass scratches. The cool thing is the metal polish removes scratches and scuffs and at the same time polishes the stove.

To get rid of scratches using this method, you need a soft cloth, glass safe metal polish such as Brasso, and a wool pad. Begin with pouring the cleaner on your cloth pad, then gently buff the scratched or scuffed areas by moving the pad in a circular motion on the affected area.

Once you are done, use another damp clean piece of cloth to remove the cleaner. For best results, dry the area with a separate soft cloth.

Nail polish

You need to combine clear nail polish with glass polish to get rid of scuff marks and scratches, leaving you with a clear, shiny stovetop. To get rid of the scratches using this method, use glass polish, clear nail polish, and a light buffing pad.

Use a brush to cover the scratches or the damaged areas, then wipe away any excess polish before it dries, so it doesn’t stick to the stove. Allow the remaining polish to dry for 30 minutes, then using a non-abrasive pad, gently buff each area with nail polish for at least 30 minutes.

Once you are done, place a small amount of glass polish on the buffing pad and touch up the areas you just worked on. When done right, this will hide even the worst of the scratches.

Glass repair kit

You might have the impression that the glass repair kit will be harmful to the finish on your cooktop, but this isn’t the case. Get a glass repair kit and multiple wool pads or soft cloths.

Then follow the instructions given on the repair kit to remove the annoying and embarrassing scratches.

Valuable tips when removing scratches

As much as you want spotless cooktops, you shouldn’t scrub the cooktops with abrasive materials as you will scratch the surfaces, causing more damage and dulling the surfaces further.

To prevent scratches, appliance repair Springfield professionals recommend always checking the bottom of pots and pans before using them. Remember, any burned-on food particles are more than likely to cause damage to the cooktop.

Also, never move the pan back and forth on the glass stovetop, as this will cause scratching. Some people argue that cold pans don’t harm the stovetop, but this is a lie. Any pan has the potential to scratch your surfaces, whether hot or cold.

The post Cooktops Repair: How To Remove Scratches From A Glass Cooktop Stove first appeared on HVAC Repair, appliance repair.

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