You need to use your refrigerator properly for it to function optimally and keep off a refrigerator repair professional. How do you do it? Here are tips on the proper use of a fridge:

Keep the used foods at the front

It’s common to open some foods then, after partially using them, return them to the fridge.

Many homeowners aren’t conscious of where they put the opened foods, which is wrong.

The right way to do it is to place the opened foods at the front of the fridge shelves, in front of the newer items. This way you are sure that you use the opened items before you move to the sealed ones.

Some homeowners will say they can remember the bottle they have opened, but this isn’t the case. Even if you place a label on the foods, don’t mix them with the unopened ones.

When storing the leftovers, move with haste and keep them before they enter the danger zone. If storing large amounts of the leftovers, store them in several small, shallow containers that will cool faster.

Remember to date them and keep them as fresh as possible by removing as much air from them as possible.

Put the non-perishables on the fridge doors.

The less perishable foods such as juices, fruits, and others respond better to temperature fluctuations, so you should put them on the fridge doors.

Remember that you will open and close the fridge door, so ensure that the foods you place here can withstand the temperature changes without changing their taste or texture.

Keep the raw foods at the bottom.

Raw meat and fish belong at the bottom of the fridge where the temperatures are lowest. These areas also don’t experience a lot of temperature fluctuations when you open and close the refrigerator.

Since the raw foods tend to be highly perishable, placing them at the bottom means that you put them away from the other foods, hence you don’t worry about them contaminating the rest of your foods.

As you put the raw foods at the bottom of the fridge, remember to keep them sealed and free of leaks.

Keep the refrigerator below 5 degrees centigrade.

You should keep your fridge below 5 degrees centigrade so that you can keep all of the food cool, fresh, and full of flavor. You are sure that even the highly sensitive milk won’t get spoilt at this temperature.

Don’t overstock the fridge.

It’s easy to be carried away and stock more than your fridge can carry, when you don’t want to make another trip to the grocery store.

As much as you will save a trip to the grocery store, overloading your refrigerator is not a wise thing to do as it prevents the air from circulating as well as it should, which, as you can guess, means that your foods don’t remain as cool as well as they should.

There is also the risk of the fridge overworking when you overload it, which drives it to an early grave.

What is the best thing to do instead?

The right thing to do is stock just the right amount of food in your fridge.

You are better off making another trip to the grocery store within the month than overloading your fridge and damaging it.

Clean the fridge once a week

At least once a week, remove all the foods in the fridge and clean them. Before returning any of the foods, find out their expiry date and discard them if necessary. You should also discard any food you aren’t sure whether should be in the fridge.

Parting shot

These are some wise fridge tips to keep your refrigerator in top working shape.

Don’t wait for your fridge to break down if you can afford it. Hire an experienced appliance repair Alexandria professional at least once a year to go over your unit and fix any issues your appliance might be having.

This way you prevent larger problems from resulting down the line, that might be too expensive to fix.

The professionals will also help you know expert tips to keep your appliance in top shape.

The post Proper Use of Refrigerator Tips first appeared on HVAC Repair, appliance repair. The post appeared first on Express Appliance Repair

When you need a new dishwasher, there are many options you can choose from. While each one has its own features, one of the more critical choices you must make is between a stainless steel or plastic tub.

It will not take long to discover that a stainless steel tub is more expensive than a plastic one. Your budget is essential, so which one do you choose?

Benefits of Stainless Steel Dishwasher Tubs

A stainless steel tub can hold up to heat and hard water better than plastic. The water temperature in a dishwasher gets as high as 160 degrees Fahrenheit to kill germs and bacteria. A plastic tub can warp and leak when exposed to high temperatures over a long period. Hard water can also cause a plastic tub to warp. 

A stainless steel tub uses less power energy.  A stainless steel tub only uses 450 watts as opposed to the 600 – 750 watts of energy used by a plastic tub. 

Stainless steel is more durable and lasts longer than plastic. Plastic is likely to crack and require a replacement. A stainless steel tub is also less likely to stain than a plastic tub.

Stainless steel tubs are better able to absorb sound, making them less noisy than plastic tubs. They produce as much as 10 decibels less noise than a plastic one. This noise reduction means that a dishwasher with a stainless steel tub is less disruptive to the household when it is running.

Stainless steel tubs use conduction, which means that the dishes dry faster. Stainless steel pulls in heat and turns it into condensation, which drops to the bottom of the dishwasher instead of becoming a puddle on the plates.

At Sarah’s Appliance Repair, we recommend a stainless steel dishwasher tub. While stainless steel may cost a little bit more upfront, the extra cost will be worth it because of all the benefits it provides in the short-term as well as saved money in the long run by avoiding the cost of replacement parts.

Having issues with your current dishwasher? Give us a call today at 505-835-1927 or text 505-388-0900.

The post Should I Buy a Dishwasher with a Plastic or Stainless Steel Tub? appeared first on Appliance Repair New Mexico.

A tidy fridge is not only beautiful to look at, but also saves you money as it runs more efficiently, not to mention lasting for a long time.

How do I keep my fridge tidy? If you are asking this, you should know that there are plenty of ways to do it, as given by refrigerator repair professionals.

Which are these ways? Here they are:

Maximize the shelf space

Most people will say that their fridges are full, but when you inspect them, you find that they aren’t using their shelf space as well as they should.

To keep your fridge tidy, you need to make the most of your shelf space. And the beauty is there are plenty of ways to make it happen.

One of the things you should do is avoid having unopened cans or single-serve bottles crowding the food that you should keep cold. This calls for you to keep the cans out of your fridge.

Instead of keeping the cans in the fridge, keep them in the pantry. If you need to cool the bottles, use ice, instead of placing them in the refrigerator.

Another way to make the most of your shelf space is to use square instead of round plastic containers. The reason for this is because square bottles store more food and look much cleaner than round ones.

If there is leftover food, don’t place it in huge, space-sucking containers. Instead, put it in individual portions in smaller bins. You can also store them in resealable bags that you can easily grab and go.

Make the food items accessible.

You will be doing double work removing items out of the way then restocking them. You will also be messing with your fridge by doing it.

You should strategically place the different items in your fridge to ensure this doesn’t happen. Of course, the items you use regularly should be near the door to easily access them.

Experts also recommend you use a Lazy Suzan.

Regularly clean the fridge.

You should regularly clean your fridge and remove any materials that might make the unit look dirty. For the best outcome, thoroughly clean the insides of the refrigerator,

Besides the cleaning, reduce the work you have to do to keep the unit clean by lining the bins with paper towels that will catch the drips.

It’s also wise to keep the sticky items such as syrups, jams, and sauces in removable shelf bins. This way, if dribbles happen, you only need to take them out and rinse them.

As you are doing the cleaning, you will come across stuck-on messes. To remove these, use a damp scrubber sponge sprinkled with baking. This will not only remove the messes, but also get rid of dirt and odors.

Clip the opened bags

When you have many bags in your fridge, it’s easy to forget what you have already opened, and you end up with many half-used food items that make your fridge look full and disorganized.

To ensure that you exhaust one bag before moving to the next, mark the bag you have already opened.

One way to do this is to clip the bags to the shelf with a binder clip. Of course, you should keep the bag close to the fridge door so that it becomes the first thing you see when you open the refrigerator.

Keep the items sorted in the freezer.

Due to its small size, things can quickly build up in the freezer, giving it an untidy, disorganized look. To avoid this, keep the items in small containers. For example, you can have fish, poultry, or even vegetable containers.

After keeping the items in clear plastic containers,  label them to make them easy to find.

Parting shot

These are some of the ways to keep the fridge clean and organized. As you organize the food items, store them to make them last for as long as possible. This calls for you to double bag certain foods such as raw meat.

Appliance repair Springfield professionals also recommend you pat the wet fruits and vegetables with a dry paper towel to get rid of excess moisture that can spoil the items.

The post How Do I Keep My Fridge Tidy? 5 Tips To Make It Sparkle first appeared on HVAC Repair, appliance repair. The post appeared first on Express Appliance Repair

There are plenty of guides on proper loading of the dishwasher, so it might be a bit cliché writing another one. This is the reason we have put together this detailed guide on how not to load a dishwasher.

Pre-rinse the dishes

You must have heard that to keep your dishwasher functioning optimally and keep away appliance repair professionals, you need to clear as many food particles from the dishes as possible.

While it’s true that removing most of the food particles will make the work easy for your dishwasher, you shouldn’t pre-rinse the dishes. This is because you will be wasting water and energy.

The dishwashing detergents are designed to cling to the food particles and separate them from the surfaces. This means that when you remove all the food from the dishes, there will be no place for the detergents to adhere to hence you might not get the clean dishes you are looking for.

The right thing to do is scrape off the large food particles instead of rinsing them.

You should only consider pre-rinsing the dishes if you aren’t planning to clean them immediately—you want to keep the dishes in the dishwasher until you have a full load.

By rinsing the dishes you prevent foul smells from emanating after the dishes have stayed in the dishwasher for a couple of days.

Load the pates in the top rack

The top rack looks great, and this is where you should put the plates, right? Wrong.

Dishes are meant to go to the bottom rack. This is why there are tines intended to hold the plates in place to maximize the number that fit and make sure that the hot water passes through for proper cleaning.

You can get away with having a plate or two on the top rack, but when you cram several of them there, you interfere with how other items fit and get cleaned.

Place glassware over the tines

The cups and glasses indeed belong on the top rack, but you shouldn’t place them over the tines. Instead, place them between the tines to prevent cracks and chips from occurring when they bump or rattle against each other during a cycle.

Place the dishwasher pieces facing the same direction

You should have all the dishwasher pieces facing one direction to maintain uniformity and have an easy time, right? Again, wrong.

For proper dish cleaning, you should place the dishes in opposite directions. This means that the dishes on the rear should face forward, and the ones in the front face towards the back.

The same thing applies to the spoons and forks—place them in varying positions in the utensil tray.

By doing this, you allow water to reach all the dishes and at the same time prevent the forks and spoons from nesting into each other.

For the best outcome, load the dishes so that they all face the center of the bottom rack.

Place the platters at the front.

Cutting boards, large platters, and casserole dishes belong at the back or sides of the bottom rack. This is not only to give you room to pack other dishes, but placing them in the front increases the chances of blocking the soap dispenser and preventing detergents from reaching the rest of the load.

Overfill the dishwasher

You might have the impression that when you put all the dirty dishes in one cycle, you save water and energy, but this isn’t the case.

Like the washing machine or refrigerator, cramming your dishwasher full makes it run inefficiently. The water and soap also don’t circulate freely; hence the dishes don’t get as clean as they should.

To be on the safe side, you should only stock what is required—don’t load your dishwasher more than it can carry.

Load even non-dishwasher safe items

I know it’s easy to throw all the dirty dishes and cutlery into the dishwasher and forget about it, but you shouldn’t do it as you will be damaging them.

According to dishwasher repair Northern VA professionals, when you throw plastic containers in the dishwasher, the hot water can melt or even warp that plastic. There is also the risk of cracking wooden spoons and gold flatware discoloring.

To protect your dishes, always confirm whether dishwasher safe before putting them in.

The post How Not To Load A Dishwasher—A Detailed Guide first appeared on HVAC Repair, appliance repair. The post appeared first on Express Appliance Repair

Thanks to washing machines, we no longer worry about washing clothes with our hands. To draw the most benefits from these machines, you have to use them properly.

How do you use washing machines properly? Here is how to go about it as given by washer repair professionals:

Always prepare your clothes before putting them in the washing machine

Don’t just toss your clothes in the washing machine—prepare them for washing. A good rule of thumb is to close the zippers, unbutton shirts, secure straps, hooks, and Velcro, and inspect the pockets for any important items before putting the clothes in the machine.

The purpose of doing this is to prevent the clothes from getting damaged as you are cleaning them. For example, if you leave the clothes buttoned, you risk losing a thread around the buttonholes. Lint can also catch on the Velcro straps if you don’t close them properly.

Remove stains beforehand

While it’s possible to put bleach in the washing machine and remove stains or even whiten the clothes as you are cleaning them, it’s unwise to do this as sometimes the washing machine fails to remove the stains properly.

If you have stained clothes in your basket, remove the stains before putting the clothes in the washing machine with the other clothes. Besides having an easy time getting rid of these stains, removing the stains beforehand prevents stain transfer.

Separate light and grey clothes

The purpose of separating the clothes before putting them in the washing machine is to protect them from damage. For example, if you put lightweight clothes such as t-shirts and leggings together with jackets and other heavy clothes, it means that the clothes will stay in the washing machine for a long time so that all the dirt can come off the jackets.

As you can guess, this puts the leggings and the other lightweight clothes at the risk of getting damaged for staying in the washing machine much longer than they should.

To have an easy time sorting the clothes, have multiple hampers. You also should sort the outfits by their material. For example, put clothes made from lighter materials such as shirts and leggings in one basket and clothes made with thicker materials such as jeans and jackets in another.

You can also separate the clothes by color. Dark-colored clothes have dyes that can seep into the lighter clothes, so you should put them separately.

Turn the clothes inside out.

The point of doing this is to prevent your clothes from fading and maintain their original color. If you have fading clothes, it’s always recommended you clean them with cold water. The cold water sets the dye to the fabric, preventing it from floating away in the wash water, so you keep your clothes in their original color.

Don’t overload the washing machine.

When you have a large load to clean and minimal time, it’s tempting to load all of your clothes in one go and get done with it, but don’t. This is because you end up overloading the machine, which makes it work harder than it should and puts it at the risk of getting damaged.

All washing machines have their capacities indicated, so you can’t miss that. All you have to do is check on the indicated figures and ensure that you don’t overload your appliance.

Leave the washing machine door open.

After using the washing machine, don’t close the door. Instead, leave it open for air and light to get in. Mold and mildew thrive in damp areas, so when you close the washing machine’s door immediately after using it, you keep the insides damp, promoting mold and mildew growth.

By leaving the door open, you give the appliance time to air out and dry up, which kills the mildew and mold and prevents foul odors from occurring.

Keep the washing machine clean.

Since the washing machine cleans clothes, you don’t need to clean it, right? Wrong. According to appliance repair Springfield professionals, if you don’t regularly clean your washing machine, you don’t get rid of dust and debris that might get on your clothes, and they come out dirty.

To keep your appliance clean, clean it at least once a week.

The post How Do You Use Washing Machines Properly first appeared on HVAC Repair, appliance repair. The post appeared first on Express Appliance Repair

Would you love to keep your fridge in perfect working order and keep off refrigerator repair professionals? You should keep these fridge rules into consideration:

Keep the fridge at the right temperature

Setting the fridge at the optimal temperature not only keeps your food fresh, but also prevents it from overworking. The ideal fridge temperature is between 1c and 4C as you have to keep the food at 5C or lower. If you recently visited the grocery store, so the fridge is full, keep the temperature settings a little lower to save energy.

If it’s empty or cold, keep the temperature a little high.

Besides doing this, make it a habit to defrost your appliance when the ice is more than 5mm thick or prevent the air from circulating as effectively as it should.

Keep the fridge clean.

It goes without saying that you have to keep the fridge in top shape to keep it clean. As a rule of thumb, clear any spillages as soon as they happen. You should also wipe down the handles daily and clean the door outside at least once a week.

Regularly inspect the shelves and containers for lackluster or out-of-date food items and remove them.

At least once every three months, empty the refrigerator and draw out all the removable parts (drawers, shelves, and racks), then wash them with hot water and washing liquid.

Never use bleach or any non-food-safe chemical cleaners.

If the fridge is too dirty or you have gone for a long time without cleaning it, you need to deep clean it. To do this, use a toothbrush and thick paste of bicarb mixed with water and get rid of any stains.

You should then unplug the unit and clean it by hovering underneath and behind it. You should also remove any vented covers and reach the dust-coated fans and coils.

Store the right things in the fridge

What you store in your refrigerator goes a long way towards maintaining sanity in your appliance. Don’t store opened tin cans in the appliance as once you open them to the air, the tin from the can can transfer more quickly to the can’s contents.

Only place cans that come with resealable lids in the fridge, and always decant leftovers.

You also shouldn’t refrigerate hot food as they cause contamination and mess up the fridge temperature, causing it to overwork.

If you want to store your food in the fridge, wait for it to cool completely.

Some of the items in the fridge include: milk, yogurt, all berries, citrus, fish, and any opened products that specify refrigeration once opened.

Eggs require consistent temperatures so if you bought them refrigerated, keep them that way.

You also should keep large tubs of nut butters that you don’t need immediately and open pickles and jams.

Place the items on the right shelves.

Placing the right items in the refrigerator isn’t enough—you need to put them on the right shelves.

Top shelf: This shelf belongs to the items that don’t need cooking. These include: dips, sliced meats, deli dishes, leftovers, tortilla wraps, etc. This shelf is also perfect for any unfinished tin cans.

Middle shelf: The best items to store here are dairy and eggs. Don’t store the items on the door racks or egg holders to avoid damaging your door.

Bottom shelf: You place meat and fish here

Vegetable drawers: These are designed for fruits, vegetables, herbs, and leaves. Lettuce and other greens belong here.

Store all soft, fresh herbs (except for basil) here.

Door racks: Door racks are for juices, condiments, spreads, and other items with long shelf lives.

Undertake regular inspections

After buying, most homeowners don’t inspect their appliances, which is wrong. To ensure that your unit is in top working condition, make it a habit to inspect it at least once a year. Go around the unit and find any issue it might be having.

You can inspect yourself or hire an appliance repair Springfield professional to help you out. When hiring the repair expert, ensure they are experienced and know what they are doing.

The post 5 Rules for a Perfect Fridge first appeared on HVAC Repair, appliance repair. The post appeared first on Express Appliance Repair

5 Ways to Fix Standing Water in the Bottom of Your Dishwasher  

After every cycle of (most) dishwashers, there should be about 2 cups of water in the unit. If there’s overflow in your appliance, you’ll need to do some investigating. The good news is that puddles at the bottom of your dishwasher aren’t necessarily a reason to call a professional repairman. We’ll look at what you can do to get your dishwasher back up and running (without overspending).

What You Need to Know

Clogs, user error, maintenance issues, broken parts: these are the most common causes of standing water in dishwashers. This means that fixing can be as easy as rinsing off your dishes better or replacing a small (and inexpensive) part. So, if you have too much standing water accumulating in your dishwasher, take these steps:

1. Check the Filter

Even self-cleaning filters will need to be checked every so often to ensure the hoses are intact and the drain basket is empty. If there’s any build-up, it won’t be able to keep the water clean during each wash cycle. Your owner’s manual will have the exact details based on the type of filter you have.

2. Remove the Garbage Disposal Knockout Plug

The garbage disposal can have a lot to do with how your dishwasher drains. Removing the knockout plug will allow the water to flow more freely, so there’s less standing water inside. You can do this with nothing more than a hammer, screwdriver, and pliers. Check the drainage hole to see if the plug is there. If it is, use the screwdriver and hammer to remove it.

3. Unclog the Air Gap

Not every dishwasher has an air gap, but it’s normal for it to become clogged after a while. If you see a small cylinder that has a protective metal casing, you can use a pipe brush and regular soapy water to clean the inside. You may also need to use a drain snake to ensure the whole pipe is clean.

4. Straighten the Drain Hose

The drain hose helps keep dirty water out of the dishwasher. If there are any kinks or folds (or if it’s clogged with food), it can cause standing water. To fix it, you’ll need to turn off the power, locate the hose, and check to see that it’s not twisted or clogged. In some cases, you can use your hands to gently untwist it so the water flows freely.

5. Clean Your Spray Arm

This is unlikely to be the problem, but small bits of food can become lodged in the arm and impede the cleaning process. Cleaning the spray arm is recommended regardless of whether you have standing water, though, and can be done with a toothpick and a combination of water and vinegar.

If all of the above are clear, this is when it’s time to check the drain pump motor, which we don’t recommend you DIY. Sarah’s Appliance Repair is here to help if you need help with getting your dishwasher back up to speed.

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Are you wondering, what should you not do with a washing machine? Well, there are plenty of things. Here are some of these things as given by appliance repair professionals:

Leaving wet clothes inside

With the hectic lives we are all leading, it’s easy to be distracted by other tasks while doing laundry, and we forget a load of clothes in the washing machine. Sometimes we are distracted or even on days that the clothes develop mildew and foul odor.

These are not only bad for your clothes, but the machine as well, which is a double tragedy.

To avoid this, set a timer or reminder on your phone to get a notification when the load is done.

Don’t overload the machine.

When you are in a hurry, it’s easy to want to load the machine with as many clothes as it can carry, so you are done fast. Don’t do this.

You should note that washing machines are designed to wash a certain weight of clothes, and when you exceed, you increase the chances of damaging the machine where the drum spins get damaged, but you also fail to clean the clothes properly.

To avoid damaging your appliance, you shouldn’t overload it. When doing the loading, ensure there is a space between the top of the load in the drum and the top of the drum itself. The space should be around the width of your palm.

Instead of cramming everything into one load to save time, use the quick washing setting for two decent-sized loads. In most modern machines, this will cut the washing time by half so you can wash many clothes without overloading the machine.

Forgetting to sort

Forgetting to sort your clothes not only damages the clothes, but the machine as well. Failing to sort your laundry leads to color bleeding, clothes shrinking and unwanted pocket items floating around during a washing cycle.

To avoid this, sort your laundry before putting it in the washing machine. It’s during sorting when you will find that you have a black permanent marker in your pocket. It’s also when you will prevent the whites from turning grey as you separate the clothes into the colored and whites, and run two loads.

Choose the wrong setting.

Although you can wash most of your clothes using the normal setting and come out perfect, there are a few clothes with special instructions you should be cautious about as they can get damaged when you wash them at the wrong temperature.

Most clothes are made from cotton that shrinks when you wash them for the first time. If the water temperature is wrong, the shrinkage worsens.

To prevent your clothes from shrinking and ensure you are cleaning them at the right temperature, read the label to find out the right temperature you should clean the clothes. You should also use the manual to find the best program to clean the clothes.

If you are worried about your clothes shrinking or losing their shape, wash them in cool water by hand, then dry them on the washing line or airer.

Failing to clean the washing machine

Many homeowners think that the washing machine is self-cleaning, so they don’t need to clean it, but this isn’t the case. Over the months and years of cleaning, the insides of the washing machine get dirty, mold builds up, and this can lead to the machine smelling bad.

To keep your appliance running in top condition and smelling fresh, make it a habit to run a service wash at 90 degrees at least once every month. You can run the wash using a detergent, a specialist washing machine cleaner, or any natural product such as vinegar.

Besides doing this, refer to your manual and see what else is recommended.

You can do the cleaning by yourself, but if you aren’t confident in your skills, you can always hire washer repair Springfield professionals to help out. The cool thing with hiring professionals is that besides running the service wash, they also inspect the appliance and fix any issues that might be present.

Of course, when hiring professionals, hire experienced technicians that know what they are doing. You don’t want someone that will damage your expensive unit, do you?

The post What Should You Not Do With A Washing Machine? first appeared on HVAC Repair, appliance repair. The post appeared first on Express Appliance Repair

Have you just bought a dishwasher or moved to a house with a dishwasher and you have never used it before? Here is a guide given by dishwasher repair professionals on how to use a dishwasher for the first time:

Load the dishwasher

Everything begins here. After all, there is no way your dishes will get clean if you don’t load them, right?

To give your appliance an easy time, scrape any extra food from the plates before placing them in the dishwasher. Evenly space the dishes with the dirty side angled down towards the water jets, taking not to overlap the dishes, as doing so will prevent the water jets from reaching the insides for thorough cleaning.

Place the right items in the top and bottom racks for pristine cleaning.

For the top rack, load items such as cups, mugs, bowls, wine glasses, and even water bottles. Position the small bowls and plates between the tines and place the plastic container and lids on the top rack to avoid warping.

As you are placing the plastic containers, note that not all plastics are dishwasher safe, so check the bottom of your plastic ware to ensure that it’s safe.

When it comes to the bottom rack, place large kitchenware such as serving platters, dinner plates, stainless steel pots, dishwasher-safe baking dishes, and other heavily soiled dishes.

Position the pots and pans along the sides of the dishwasher or towards the back and add utensils to the dishwasher’s utensil basket. When placing the items in the basket, ensure that the sharp objects such as knives face downward, to avoid injury.

Before closing the dishwasher door, ensure that nothing is blocking the wash arms.

Load the dishwasher detergent

Once the dishes are in place and in their right racks, the next thing you should do is to load the dishwasher detergent.

While detergent dispensers vary depending on the model, you should follow the same procedure regardless of the nature and placement of the dispenser in your appliance.

Begin placing the detergent in the detergent dispenser, then add rinse aid to the rinse aid dispenser up to the point where it says full.

You should then close the lid and press firmly until it clicks shut.

You should note that the detergent you use on the dishwasher significantly impacts the results you achieve, so ensure that you use the correct one. As a rule of thumb, use detergents formulated explicitly for automatic dishwashers.

There are plenty of detergents you can use. From liquids, gels, tablets, packs to powders, you will be spoilt of choice. There is no right or wrong detergent to use—you only need to find the one that works the best for your appliance and use it.

Select a wash cycle

Now you have your dishes and detergent in place, the next task is to choose a wash cycle. Most dishwashers have at least three cycles: quick, normal, and heavy.

Quick: This cycle uses a lot of water, energy, and high temperatures, giving you fast results. Use this cycle when you have lightly soiled dishes and are in a hurry.

Normal: The normal cycle is the most commonly used, and it allows you to clean everyday messes without using extra water. Use this cycle on the day-to-day loads that aren’t heavily soiled.

Heavy duty: This cycle works best for loads that include pots, pans, and other heavily soiled items. As you might be guessing, this cycle will use a lot of water and higher temperatures.

The cycle you choose depends on the size of your load and how dirty your dishes are.

Setting a cycle is easy as all you need to do is use the buttons located on the top or front of the appliance.

Start the dishwasher

After setting up everything, the next thing you should do is to start the dishwasher. Before you fire it on, appliance repair Northern VA recommends you double-check and ensure there is nothing blocking the wash arms.

For your appliance to function optimally, ensure that the water temperature is 120ºF as it enters the dishwasher. Remember that if the water is too cold, it won’t clean the dishes as well as they should. At the same time, if the water is too hot, it might make the baked-in food harder to remove from the dishes and pots.

The post How to Use a Dishwasher for the First Time first appeared on HVAC Repair, appliance repair. The post appeared first on Express Appliance Repair

Did you know the refrigerator ice maker gives obvious signs that it’s time to fix it? Some of these signs as given by refrigerator ice maker repair professionals include:

The freezer gets too warm

For the ice maker to make ice, it needs to be cold, so if you notice the temperature in your appliance being too high, there might be a problem that you need to look into. Even if your freezer is above 10 degrees F, you should be worried.

While the freezer might be freezing food, the ice maker won’t make ice, and in some cases, it might stop making any ice altogether.

To make ice, the freezer should be functioning at 0 degrees F, which is the temperature you should shoot for. Before you contact a repair professional, turn down the freezer and observe the temperature. If it doesn’t drop, get in touch with an expert to find out why the temperature isn’t dropping.

The ice doesn’t taste right.

Sometimes the ice maker will make ice, but it has a weird taste or smell on tasting it. Sometimes it might be due to poor city water supply, but if tap water tastes alright, but the ice still has a weird taste or smell, the problem might be with the ice maker.

Get in touch with an experienced professional to look into the source of the problem and fix it.

Faulty water inlet valve

The water inlet runs from the wall to your appliance and connects via the water inlet valve. This valve can fail to function due to a variety of reasons that include:

• The water pressure might be too low that it doesn’t activate the valve as well as it should
• There might be some mineral build up in the valve or hose that restricts proper water flow
• The valve might fail mechanically

If you are a dab hand at DIY projects, you can try troubleshooting the appliance by shutting off the water to your appliance then disconnecting the hose from the inlet valve.

After removing the hose, inspect it and identify any issues that might be present.

If the problem is due to low water pressure, you will notice the low pressures in some areas of your house, and you should work on increasing it.

The buildup will be visible in the valve and hose if the problem is due to mineral buildup. In some cases, you can remove the buildup, but you are better off simply replacing the valve and getting it working again in other cases.

If the valve has failed, remove the metal bracket securing it to the appliance, and test it with a multimeter.

If you have done everything within your knowledge level and still the valve inlet valve has a problem, get in touch with an experienced professional to help with the troubleshooting.

Loud noises

It’s normal for the ice maker to make some noises, but they shouldn’t be too loud that you hear them from a distance. In most cases, ice makers are loud when dumping ice, but they tend to be fairly silent in all the other cases.

If your ice maker is making constant loud and /or unusual sounds, you must be having a mechanical problem that needs to be looked at by an expert.

No ice

The purpose of the ice maker is to make ice, so when it fails to, it’s obvious that you have a problem that you should look into. Your icemaker will fail to make ice due to plenty of reasons such as blocked water line, electricity problem or any other problem.

If you can’t tell why your unit isn’t functioning, get in touch with an experienced appliance repair Springfield professional to help with the inspection and troubleshooting.

Work with the right contractor

While there are many contractors in the industry you can hire, take your time and hire an experienced one that knows what they are doing. The last thing you want is hiring a contractor and they cause more problems than were originally there.

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