While many people love the larger counter space with their glass cooktop, it can be difficult to keep clean. You’d think the sleek, flat top would be simple to clean, but the glass surface is so delicate that you must take extra precautions not to harm it, even while cleaning.

Unfortunately, even seemingly harmless practices may wreak havoc on a glass cooktop. To help you out, here are things given by cooktop repair professionals that can ruin your cooktops:

Placing hot lids face down on the cool cooktops

There have been reports of glass cooktops cracking due to hot pan lids left on the surface. How does this occur? Heat is trapped under the lid, forming a vacuum seal, and the pressure causes the cooktop to break.

You can get away with placing hot lids on your glass stovetop with no trouble, but one day, you won’t be as lucky, and your cooktop will break. It’s better to be safe than sorry, so you should start laying your hot lids on a pot holder or dish towel from now on.

Failing to clean your cooktop after every use

Putting off cleaning up your mess can only worsen matters in the long run. If there is a boil-over or spatter, wipe it up with a wet cloth as quickly as possible (remember not to use a cleaning solution while it is still hot, but a moist towel will suffice).

After each use, let your cooktop cool fully before spraying it with vinegar or your favorite glass cooktop cleaner, wiping it down with a damp microfiber cloth, then buffing it dry with a dry microfiber cloth.

Using course cleaning materials

If you have burnt food or stubborn stains on your cooktop, you may be tempted to use heavy-duty scrubbers. You should note that even the scrubby side of a sponge can be too harsh for a glass cooktop’s delicate surface.

Abrasive cleaners and scrubbing instruments (like steel wool) can leave tiny scratches or deep pits on your cooktop. Stick to the soft side of the sponge, or better yet, use cooktop pads.

These sponges are designed to reduce scratches on glass cooktops. You can find them at any of your nearby grocery shops.

If you can’t remove stuck-on trash with a soft sponge, try lifting the food with a plastic or silicone spatula.

You can use a razor blade scraper for particularly heavy messes. If the mess is too dry, try softening it with white vinegar or a glass cooktop cleaner. When using the scraper, avoid puncturing the cooktop with the blade’s corner.

Cleaning the cooktop while still hot

Washing dishes while they’re still warm can help you easily remove grease and grime, but the same idea does not apply to glass cooktops. Allow your cooktop to completely cool before using any type of cleaner, chemical or otherwise, since the cleaner may burn on the cooktop and cause irreversible damage.

There is also the risk of the cooktop breaking, especially if your water is too cold.

Using a glass cleaner to clean the cooktop

Using a glass cleaner on a glass cooktop appears rational, but you should avoid it. The cleaning contains ammonia, which is too harsh for a glass cooktop and can leave lasting stains and streaks. Not to mention that turning on a stove while the cleaner is still on the surface emits ammonia fumes.

To be safe, you should use a cleaner designed for a glass cooktop. Great options include pantry essentials like white vinegar and baking soda.

Leaving dirty dishes on the cooktop

If you’re like other homeowners, you tend to leave filthy utensils on your glass stovetop. As you can tell, this adds to the mess you’ll have to clean up later.

Instead, you should place utensils on a spoon rest or paper towel. Even more critical, ensure that whatever cookware you put on the cooktop has a perfectly clean bottom. Remember that a greasy skillet combined with a hot burner makes a challenging mess to clean up afterward. And you don’t want this, do you?

Sliding heavy cookware on the cooktop

You can still use cast iron on a glass or ceramic cooktop. Many people are using cast iron on a glass stovetop every day.

While this is the case, do not drop or slide the cookware around the surface. Instead, gently lift it and place it back down, moving it from one location to another with the handle. The same applies to other forms of heavy cookware, such as ceramic cookware.

Placing too much weight on the cooktop

A glass stovetop’s weight limit is approximately 50 pounds. Most of the time, this won’t be an issue, but it does imply you shouldn’t stand on your cooktop to reach a high cabinet, and large canners may also surpass the weight restriction of a glass stovetop.

As a result, you shouldn’t place them directly on the surface. Like any surface that you place more weight than it can handle, placing too much weight on your glass cooktop puts it at risk of breaking.

Parting shot

These are some of the mistakes you can make with your glass cooktop. Remember that your cooktop is delicate, so you should be ultra-cautious about how you handle it.

As tough as it seems, don’t use any tough cleaning products. As mentioned, don’t place heavy materials on it as it can easily break. And as you can tell, you can’t hire an appliance repair Northern VA professional to fix it.

Your only solution is to replace it, which, as you can tell, doesn’t come cheap.

The post 8 Mistakes You Are Making with Your Glass Cooktops first appeared on HVAC Repair, appliance repair. The post appeared first on Express Appliance Repair

After installing a new cooktop, you have good intentions to keep it clean and shiny. Unfortunately, cooktops are subjected to frequent usage and quickly begin to look shabby unless you take great care of them each time you use them. Before long, spills will burn onto the surface, and scratches will accumulate in the burner rings.

To keep your cooktop looking new, you must know more than how to clean a glass. Thankfully, with a little know-how, you can prevent recurring scratches and marks. Here are tricks to keep your glass cooktop in top condition that will ensure that you don’t need to get appliance repair professionals when your unit fails:

Don’t scrape your pans across the cooktop surface

Don’t drag your pans on the glass surface while cooking; always move them away. Most people ignore this cardinal rule when they shake and combine the ingredients, which explains why many cooktops have zig-zag scratches and are all pointing in the same way.

You should stop this.

Even if you’re using a lightweight pan, the base will scratch and pit the surface of the cooktop as it drags, so avoid it. Ensure that you gently lower your pans onto the stove. Remember that lamming them down can scratch or even fracture the glass. You don’t want this, do you?

Keep the bottom of your pans clean.

Most people overlook the bottom of their pans when cleaning them. For starters, stains on the underside are often baked in and impossible to remove. Second, many believe that since the food isn’t contacting it, it doesn’t really matter. Actually, it does.

If your pan has stains and residue baked into the base, it will be much simpler to scratch and damage the stove’s glass surface. In extreme cases, it will also impede your pan from evenly transferring heat during cooking, as well as emitting foul odors as it heats up.

To protect your cooktop surfaces and ensure that your pan is as effective as possible, keep the bottom of the pan clean at all times.

To clean the base of a pan, make a paste of baking soda and water and apply it across the surface. Allow it to sit for 20 minutes before scrubbing it away with a non-abrasive sponge or old toothbrush.

Choose the right cookware.

You should make sure that you select the ideal cookware for your stove. This refers to the material of the pan’s base, which ideally should be stainless steel.

Because of its flat surface, stainless steel is ideal for use on glass stovetops, and it has enough weight to keep it steady when cooking. This is not to claim that switching to stainless steel will prevent stove top scratches, but it will be gentler on the surface in use.

When using it, remember not to drag it on the surface as you will cause damage to the cooktop, and you don’t want this.

Get a cooktop cover

There are cooktop covers available that you can use to protect the surface when not in use. These are also useful if you have a limited amount of countertop space, as the top of the stove can serve as an additional room.

If you have an induction glass stove, some mats are safe to cook directly on. These mats decrease scratching and heat exposure from the pan to the glass surface, allowing the cooktop to last longer.

Keep in mind that these mats should not be used on a conventional electric glass cooktop since these surfaces heat up far faster than induction, which would burn most mats. Consult the manufacturer for help if you are unsure how to use them properly.

Stay away from abrasive cleaners.

You should never use abrasive cleansers or scouring pads, such as steel wool and scrubby sponges, on your glass cooktops. This is because they are overly abrasive and may permanently harm the surface, producing scratch marks that you can’t remove.

The scrapes are also likely to contain material that will be difficult to remove.

To be safe, you should use softer materials that won’t cause any damage to the surfaces. In most cases, a sponge, soap, and water are enough.

Be cautious of cast iron.

While cast iron is an excellent cooking material, it is incredibly heavy and can cause significant damage to glass cooktops. Take particular caution while laying your cast iron cookware on the surface, and avoid dragging it over the glass – the weight will increase the likelihood of significant scratches.

As mentioned above, you are better off with cookware made from stainless steel as it tends to be more tender than your glass cooktop.

What should you do if your glass cooktop gets scratched?

Your glass cooktop should still function normally with minor scratches, but if it is chipped or cracked, you should stop using it and replace it.

If you want to reduce the look of the scratches, try cleaning the surface completely, as recommended by the manufacturer. If many marks turn out to be charred residue, a scraping tool can help significantly.

If your cooktop is too damaged and you feel that you have to replace it, don’t go blindly at it. Instead, get the input of experienced cooktop repairs Springfield professionals. These professionals will help you choose a unit that is not only efficient but also one that can take a lot of abuse and last for a long time.

Parting shot

These are some of the tricks you can use to ensure that you don’t damage your glass cooktop. As much as you should be ultra-cautious of the nature of the pans that you get, the unfortunate truth is that any type of pan can scratch your glass cooktop.

Thankfully, you can avoid scratches by choosing a style with a smooth base, such as stainless steel. You can also go with enameled or ceramic pans that also have a smooth finish that helps prevent scratching.

As mentioned, how you use the pan is crucial. Never drag it across the surface; instead, lift it and softly settle it. Also, make sure to wipe the underside on a regular basis to prevent residue from burning to the base and harming your cooktop.

The post How Do I Protect My Glass Cooktop? Here Is How To Go About It first appeared on HVAC Repair, appliance repair. The post appeared first on Express Appliance Repair

If you are like other homeowners, you want your fridge to last for a long time, function as efficiently as possible, not to mention look organized, right? Well, there are plenty of things you can do. These things include:

Clean the fridge religiously

You must keep your fridge clean for it to operate at its best. The effort required to keep the unit in top shape decreases with frequency of use, so you need to use it regularly.

Your fridge may need to work harder to keep things cool if you only clean it out once or twice a year. Besides having a dirty and disorganized fridge, it is a waste of space and energy to have a shelf full of expired products you will never use.

If you give your refrigerator a simple cleaning once a month, you’ll notice that it looks and works much better.

According to refrigerator repair professionals, you should routinely clean your refrigerator with a food-safe solution. Use a store-bought product or create your own homemade remedy to clean surfaces and effectively provide a pleasant scent.

Sort your fridge with baskets.

One great approach to organizing your refrigerator is to use little baskets to manage different products on shelves, indoors, and even in the freezer.

Organizing your fridge’s contents with baskets will help, and the basket’s base will also serve as a barrier to catch spills and food debris. If milk leaks, you simply need to clean the basket rather than the entire shelf.

Keep a basket filled with wholesome snacks to help you stick to a balanced diet.

Label everything

Putting labels on drawers, doors, shelves, and baskets is a great way to create fridge heaven. This is because you can quickly tell where everything is.

For a great experience, organize your refrigerator according to meal type, product category, or “use by” date. You can do this in your pantry, freezer, and refrigerator.

Remember to use labels that will stick to the food items or baskets even when they freeze. The last thing you want is the labels to keep coming out.

Have a list of the contents on the door.

Using the space on your outer fridge door to keep an inventory of what you have and need is an intelligent way to determine what you need to restock.

Some popular ideas are to paint the door with blackboard paint, magnetic shopping lists, or whiteboard markers. After all, there’s no better way to know what you need than what you have.

As wise as it is to have a list, remember that you shouldn’t make your fridge look too dirty and disorganized by putting too many details on the door.

Line the shelves and drawers

Regardless of how organized and clean you are, your fridge will unavoidably get messy every now and then. As long as you use your fridge, you will occasionally leave behind crumbs from a poorly wrapped pastry, drops of jam, and drips from opening drinks. These aren’t pleasant to have, are they?

Sometimes, cleaning the refrigerator shelves is just too much work after a long night of preparing supper and doing the dishes.

The best (and simplest) solution to this issue is to use a heavy-duty, water-resistant liner that is easy to clean and remove for thorough cleaning to line the shelves and drawers.

Rather than using typical plastic shelf liners, use old sheet pans and baking trays that have peeled or warped. The elevated sides greatly improve spill containment and are far simpler to take out (almost like a drawer).

They also help when you are cooking big dishes and want to combine specific things to get everything you need at once instead of searching around.

Put related products together

Although it may seem obvious, you’d be amazed how many people mindlessly throw items into their refrigerators. This is wrong as it makes it hard to find what you want.

A good way to do this is to note items that complement one another and combine them. For example, combine deli meats and cheeses, eggs and milk, and peanut butter and jelly.

If you are confused about what to group, consider your regular dining routine and identify the combinations you most frequently choose. When you do it right, you will spend less time rummaging through your fridge to find something. You will also easily tell what is about to go out and replace it early enough.

Put items in their right spots

By placing things in their best possible location, you can significantly extend the shelf life of your refrigerator’s contents. For instance, you shouldn’t keep the milk in the refrigerator door due to excessive temperature fluctuations. Instead, put it on a middle shelf.

Storing the milk here ensures that it doesn’t spoil and makes it easy to access. You can also tell when you are about to run out and replace it.

Have a lazy Susan

A revolving shelf in your refrigerator is a great idea. It makes it easy to quickly view and access the condiments and canned and jarred goods you have on hand to garnish your gourmet sandwich.

When installing the lazy Susan, ensure that it’s professionally installed. This way, you can be sure that it can hold your items and the items you don’t have to put in the fridge. The unit also frees up space in the fridge, which means that you have more space to store the things that matter.

Parting shot

These are some things you should do to keep your fridge functioning optimally. By doing these things, you will not only keep your unit in top shape, so you won’t need to hire appliance repair Northern VA professionals to fix it if it breaks down, but you will also have an easy time finding the different items in your unit.

The post Valuable Refrigerator Tips Every Homeowner Should Know first appeared on HVAC Repair, appliance repair. The post appeared first on Express Appliance Repair

Cooking takes much less time if you know what you have and where everything is stored. By being organized, you have an aesthetically pleasing fridge and ensure that everything is safely stored and there is no risk of contamination.

Are you wondering what goes where in a fridge organization? Here is how to ensure that everything is in place, as given by appliance repair professionals:

Upper shelves

The refrigerator experiences temperature variations, much like your oven, especially when heat rises. Because they are the warmest, the upper shelves are ideal for:

Eggs: Even though some refrigerators are made with egg sections on the door, eggs do best on the second shelf, which has a steady, cold temperature.

Milk: Keep milk away from the refrigerator door. Since the refrigerator’s warmest spot is where milk is stored, you should keep milk at a lower temperature. For convenience’s sake, place plant-based milks like almond and oat milk next to the cow’s milk, which you should always put at the top.

Juice:  You should place freshly squeezed juices that haven’t been pasteurized close to milk. This makes sense even in non-pasteurized cases. You can use the refrigerator door for soda, bottled water, and all other juices.

Fresh herbs: You should frequently arrange the herbs you use in a little jar with water, treating them like flowers. They can be uncovered for a week or covered for two to three weeks with a plastic bag or moist paper towels.

Cultured dairy products are excellent for adding more flavor and protein to dishes. These products include labneh, Greek yogurt, plain yogurt, cottage cheese, ricotta, and sour cream. Since they quickly prepare and contain milk or yogurt, you should frequently keep chia pudding and overnight oats on this refrigerator shelf.

Baking Soda: You should keep a box of baking soda in the refrigerator since it helps to neutralize food odors. It works great for baking and fits in the fridge just about anywhere.

Lower shelves

The lower you go in the fridge organization, the colder it gets. Whether or not your refrigerator has dedicated drawers for produce and meat will determine how you arrange this shelf.

Ready-to-eat snacks: If your young children can help themselves with snacks, place those in front of the refrigerator at eye level, perhaps on the second shelf from the top, so they can see and reach them without assistance. Add single-serve juices, smoothie yogurts, and washed and snack-ready fruits and vegetables like broccoli, carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, and sweet peppers.

Already cooked foods such as farro or baked oatmeal, or leftovers from meals you’ve prepared. For easy access at dinnertime, you can put any frozen or marinating meals (like yogurt-marinated chicken) in this space.

Bread: You should keep your bread chilled or store it on the lower shelf.

You should also store your raw fruits and veggies as low as possible if you don’t have produce drawers. Keep vegetables apart from fruits, as many release ethylene, which causes vegetables to wilt too soon. Make your produce drawers with receptacles if necessary.

Doors

The items on the refrigerator door receive a burst of heat each time the door is opened. As a result, doors make great storage for shelf-stable products you want to chill, including juice or water, and products that naturally preserve well due to their high sugar or vinegar content and lengthy shelf life.

These products include applesauce, jams, and jellies. (both store-bought and occasionally handmade)

Condiments: Mayonnaise, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, oyster sauce, maple syrup, sun-dried tomatoes, roasted red peppers, spicy sauce, ketchup, yellow mustard, Dijon mustard, and salad dressings.

Pickled Products: Pickles add flavor to any meal, so you should keep pickled onions, turnips, sliced dill pickles, cornichons, capers, banana peppers, and olives (Kalamata, black, and green, like Castelvetrano and Cerignola) in your fridge.

Za’atar: A spice of salt, sesame seeds, dried oregano, and sumac. Although you can make it at home, you can buy it and store it in large mason jars in your refrigerator to extend its shelf life.

Drawers

Unless you are a vegetarian and can use the drawers for meat storage. The three most common drawers found on most refrigerators are as follows:

Meat and Poultry Drawer: Don’t squander this space on Coke cans. Some refrigerators even pipe colder air into the meat drawers to achieve the lowest, safest temperatures possible.

This decreases the chance of contamination if the packing leaks and keeps them cool. You should wrap your meat, poultry, and seafood individually to prevent contamination of the surrounding produce.

Since most people store these products in the freezer, you should only have 1-2 thawed weekly.

Produce Drawers/Crispers: Keep fruit and vegetables apart to avoid the ethylene from the fruits causing the vegetables to wither. There are models where the humidity can be adjusted.

Vegetables prefer higher humidity. Additionally, fruits prefer lesser humidity. When crispers are three-quarters full, they function optimally.

You should use the shallow drawer more for fruits, tomatoes, and peppers and the deeper drawer for larger root vegetables and cruciferous veggies.

Cheese & Butter: This might be unusual for some people, but there is no harm in having a whole refrigerator drawer devoted to cheese. If you love your cheese, store them all in one drawer to prevent them from becoming misplaced on deep shelves.

Parting shot

This is a detailed guide on what should go where when you are organizing your fridge. To have an easy time, put perishables on labels. Find the last day that food will be safe to consume when you open a package of deli meat or bring home a carton of eggs. This date may not coincide with the “sell by” date. Mark that date in the marker on the box.

Give the shelves labels. Your perishables are separated into their appropriate cold zones. Refrigerator repair Alexandria professionals recommend that you name the shelves and containers to assist you and the rest of the household in easy identification and knowing where to place each item.

The post What goes where in a fridge Organization? first appeared on HVAC Repair, appliance repair. The post appeared first on Express Appliance Repair

A refrigerator is one of the few appliances in the house that runs nonstop. You must keep it in good working order. Regularly dedicating a few minutes to basic maintenance chores can enhance the efficiency of your unit, resulting in lower energy expenses and potentially reducing the need for frequent refrigerator repair services.

Proper maintenance can reduce wear, prolong the life of your refrigerator, and help you avoid problems with the appliance.

To help you out, here are a few ways to follow for maintaining your refrigerator at home:

Clean the coils

Your refrigerator’s efficiency can be increased by 30% by cleaning the coils.

When you pull out your fridge to get something or clean behind it, have you ever noticed how much dust collects underneath? If not, get ready for a shock. Eventually, this same dust travels to the condenser coils, which may obstruct airflow.

Due to this, the refrigerator has to work harder throughout the cooling cycle, which may make the appliance warm. And you don’t want this.

Refrigerator coil cleaning involves unplugging the appliance, carefully vacuuming out any dust, and being cautious not to bend the coils.

To clean the coils, remove the refrigerator from the wall and unplug it. Next, look at the rear of the fridge for coils, which are thin metal tubes that twist away. If it is not visible, the coils are located underneath and are typically hidden under a front or rear detachable grille.

You should verify whether the coils are covered in hair or dust. If so, your compressor is operating too aggressively, which could lead to more significant energy costs and early compressor failure.

Use a vacuum hose attachment to remove every particle of dust within your reach. If you don’t have it already, visit your neighborhood hardware store to purchase a flexible coil brush if part of the dust is difficult to reach. To make your coils appear brand new, you can use this tool to squeeze into small spaces.

Remember to clean a little capacitor fan. When doing it, ensure that the ground below and any external vents or grills on the fridge are cleaned at least once before bringing it into position.

If your refrigerator’s coils are located on the back, make sure there is a minimum of one thumb’s space between them and the wall.

Defrost the freezer and fridge.

The majority of contemporary fridges offer automated defrosting. This feature operates on a timed schedule and shuts off when a thermistor, or temperature-controlled resistor, detects that the coils are no longer frozen.

Overall, this system performs excellent. But as refrigerators age, ice may start to build up.

This can result from a compromised part or parts in the automated defrost setting. When in doubt, whenever ice gets close to being a quarter of an inch thick, manually defrost your refrigerator and freezer.

Replace the water filter.

You can save money by routinely changing the water filter in your refrigerator, but you’ll probably end up spending the extra money to buy the water filter designed specifically for your brand of appliance.

Instead, put an inline filter on your refrigerator’s water supply line to maximize the benefits of water filtering.

This way, you can purchase replacement water filters for much less, and the filtration quality will be considerably higher.

By doing this, you have a variety of options for water filters that eliminate pollutants, heavy metals, and poor taste.

Maintain the right temperature.

When you set the temperature of your freezer and refrigerator lower than necessary, you consume a lot more electricity. An improperly set unit also tends to break down more often.

If you doubt, set the freezer and refrigerator’s temperature according to the manufacturer’s recommendation.

To save even more money, set the freezer and refrigerator to their highest temperatures—which, depending on the brand and model, should still be sufficiently cold.

The refrigerator’s inside must be between -4 and 0°C. While occasional variations in this temperature are typical, you should ensure they don’t interfere with the refrigerator’s ability to function.

If you believe your refrigerator is not keeping the proper temperature, you can reset the thermostat to remedy the issue.

You should reduce the temperature by one degree until you find a comfortable middle ground if it’s too hot.

Inspect the fridge gaskets for wear and tear.

Inadequate gasket sealing allows cold air to seep out, increasing the effort and energy consumption of the unit to regulate the temperature. This is terrible for your refrigerator and your energy bill, which will increase significantly in such circumstances.

For this reason, it becomes essential that you regularly look for wear and tear indicators. To prevent serious fridge issues, replace them if you hear cracking or decaying noises.

To help prevent spills and crumbs from damaging the seal, wipe the gasket regularly using warm, soapy water as part of your refrigerator’s maintenance regimen.

Keep the door closed after using the fridge.

When you fail to shut the refrigerator door, you make the fridge work harder to keep the proper temperature. This not only increases the amount of energy you spend but also reduces the lifespan of your unit. You don’t want this, do you?

Before opening the refrigerator door, list the things you need and grab everything. After you’re through, make sure the door is shut securely. This will stop the refrigerator’s cool air from escaping.

Have the unit fixed by an expert

Refrigerators are sophisticated household machines that work nonstop to preserve the safety and cleanliness of your food. When a household appliance keeps you going all day, you should return the favor by fixing it when needed.

As per the recommended maintenance protocol, you should have your refrigerator serviced by qualified appliance repair Springfield experts every six months.

As a rule of thumb ensure that the experts you hire are experienced and know what they are doing.

The post Refrigerator Maintenance Best Practices first appeared on HVAC Repair, appliance repair. The post appeared first on Express Appliance Repair

To avoid hiring appliance repair professionals when your washing machine breaks down, you must avoid doing things that damage it. What will mess up a washing machine? Well, there are plenty of things that can do it. The most popular ones are:

Overloading it

You need to make sure that your washing machine is never overloaded. Although you will want to maximize the available area and wash time, packing the drum too full won’t benefit your clothes or your machine.

First, the load won’t be cleaned as thoroughly since the detergent won’t reach all your items for a uniform coat. Moreover, there won’t be space for your garments to agitate, hindering stain removal.

Occasionally, a washing machine that is too full will stop spinning. This is because its extra weight causes it to become unstable.

In the event that it tries to spin against its will, it may vibrate and seriously harm both the machine and your floor. This can put a lot of strain on the belt and bearings, and you don’t want this, do you?

Only load the right amount of laundry on your machine to stay safe.

How can you tell you are overloading your machine? It is inappropriate to cram the rest of your belongings inside or stuff stray socks into every available space.

The washing machine should be almost complete for the best outcome—not overfull. When in doubt, opt to save extras for the next wash. Both the machine and your clothing will benefit from it.

Failing to empty the pockets

Ensure there are no stray items in the pockets before throwing your dirty laundry into the drum. If a tissue left behind becomes stuck in the machine, it can make a messy mess that takes time to clean up. Keep tissues out of your washing machine to avoid problems.

You should also watch for sharp or hard things, such as lost cash or keys. These often end up in the drum, which is not ideal.

The objects will create a loud noise as they collide with the walls and the washing machine door. In addition to causing rips in your clothing and scratches on your machine, these objects have the potential to become lodged in the drain pipe and you have to hire an expensive repair professional to remove them.

As you pack your laundry into the washing machine, look in every pocket. Make sure they are empty by turning them inside out. Stop the cycle and remove the item when you think something is loose in the washer.

Loading the wrong items

Even though most washers are pretty adaptable, you can’t just chuck anything in there. Some objects will break down as they agitate, damaging both the object and the machine.

Sequins, for example, tend to melt or break off from adorned objects and become stuck in the inside parts of your washing machine.

Purses with bulky, metal clasps can also create noise and cause damage as they rotate.

If you decide to wash anything with a combustible stain, your washing machine may also catch fire. Thus, it is essential that you wash your clothes carefully and never put anything that is not supposed to be in the washing machine.

Letting your machine vibrate for too long

You’re not alone if you’ve observed that your washing machine seems to take off as soon as it starts to spin. Numerous factors can induce a washing machine to vibrate while attempting to spin, including being overloaded, cleaning just one duvet, or simply sitting unevenly.

Even if this noise ends as it reaches maximum speed, you shouldn’t disregard it. Your washing machine may harm your floors and your house in addition to causing interior damage as it tosses around. Furthermore, the thrashing will resume when it slows down.

You should find out the source of your washing machine’s vibrations. Should there be a loading issue, you can adjust your routine accordingly. If not, there are a few places to look.

Verify the washing machine’s levelness with a spirit level or feel for any tilting with your hands.

To level everything out, the feet might need to be adjusted. It’s also a good idea to see if the transit bolts, which are located around the back of the machine, have been taken out if your machine is new.

Before using your washing machine again, be sure this issue is resolved since it may result in irreversible damage.

Adding fabric softener

It makes sense for you to use fabric softener after every wash. In addition to lowering static and softening the burden, it also smells nice. Fabric softener is unsuitable for your clothes, the environment, or the washing machine.

The cloth can’t absorb as well because of the residue being created on its surface with each wash.

This basically means that you can’t clean your garments all the way through because they won’t absorb the detergent as well as they should.

Additionally, fabric softener is useless for your washing machine. You are probably familiar with the thick, gooey, and slimy residue detergent drawer cleaning may leave behind.

It’s not difficult to imagine that this kind of residue could also clog pipes and drains.

You must learn how to clean a washing machine thoroughly to deal with such residue. The remaining fabric softener might encourage mold growth in your washing machine, so don’t overlook it.

Instead of using fabric softener, use pure white vinegar. To help soften your laundry, add ¼ cup of distilled white vinegar to the last rinse cycle.

Parting shot

These things will mess up your washing machine, forcing you to hire washer repair Northern VA experts to fix it. To stay safe, only do the right things for the unit.

The post What Will Mess Up a Washing Machine? first appeared on HVAC Repair, appliance repair. The post appeared first on Express Appliance Repair

It’s a terrific sensation to first install a new glass stove top and see it sparkling and in perfect shape. The sad truth is that this look will not last with regular use unless you take tremendous care. Before you realize it, spills will burn onto the surface, and scratches will accumulate in the burner rings, and you don’t want this.

The good news is that you can make changes to avoid cooktop repairs and future scratches and blemishes. To help you out, here are some of the best ways to protect your glass cooktop and keep your glass stove looking like new.

Choose the right cookware.

You should ensure that you select the optimum cookware for your stove. This refers to the material of the pan’s base, which ideally should be stainless steel.

Because of its flat surface, stainless steel is ideal for use on glass stovetops, and it has enough weight to keep it steady when cooking. This is not to claim that switching to stainless steel will prevent stove top scratches, but it will be gentler on the surface in use.

Keep the bottom of your pans clean.

Many people overlook the bottom of their pans when cleaning them. For starters, stains on the underside are often baked in and impossible to remove. Second, many believe that since food isn’t contacting it, it doesn’t really matter. Actually, it does.

If your pan has stains and residue baked into the base, it will be much simpler to scratch and damage the stove’s glass surface. In extreme cases, it will also impede your pan from evenly transferring heat during cooking, as well as emitting foul odors as it heats up.

To avoid this, keep the bottom of your pans clean. To clean the base of a pan, make a paste of baking soda and water and apply it across the surface.

Allow it to sit for 20 minutes before scrubbing it away with a non-abrasive sponge or old toothbrush.

Keep the top of the cooktop clean.

Get into the practice of cleaning your stove top after each usage, once it has cooled down. Wiping down the surface immediately removes any spills or crumbs that may bake-on or catch under your cookware, causing more scratches.

Remember to thoroughly clean your stovetop as needed. For general guidance, do this once a month; however, if you notice burn marks emerging around the elements, it’s time for a cleaning. Keeping your stovetop clean will extend its life, but only clean it after it has cooled.

Use protective accessories

You can use a variety of accessories to add extra protection to your glass cooktop and avoid scratches. These accessories not only protect your cooktop, but also make cooking more convenient. To help you out, here are some protection accessories to consider:

Cookware shields: Purchase cookware shields or separators made of soft materials, such as felt or silicone. You can place these thin pads between stacked pots, pans, and lids to keep them from scratching one another or the glass surface.

Use trivets or heat-resistant mats when putting hot cookware on your glass cooktop. These protective pads form a barrier between the heat source and the glass surface, preventing direct contact and damage. Make sure the trivets or mats are clean and free of dirt that could scratch the cooktop.

Silicone Bumpers: Attach little, adhesive silicone bumpers to the bottoms of your cookware. These bumpers serve as cushioning, reducing direct contact between pots and pans and the glass cooktop. They leave a tiny gap between the cookware and the surface, which reduces the possibility of scratches.

Cookware Handles: Choose cookware with heat-resistant, ergonomic handles. Handles that are overly lengthy or improperly built may come into contact with the glass cooktop, resulting in scratches or damage. Choose handles that remain cool while cooking and are simple to hold and move.

Custom-sized Cutting Boards: When chopping or preparing food, place them on your glass cooktop. These cutting boards include a protective covering that keeps sharp knives and heavy items from coming into direct contact with the glass.

Using these protective items will help preserve your glass cooktop from scratches and extend its life. They act as a protective barrier between your cookware and the delicate glass surface, limiting the possibility of unintentional damage during cooking and storage.

Avoid mistakes that can cause scratches.

To avoid scratches on your glass cooktop, avoid making blunders that can accidentally damage the surface. By being aware of these problems and adopting proactive measures, you can extend the life of your cooktop. Here are some common mistakes you should avoid making.

Sliding Cookware: Avoid sliding or dragging your cookware across the glass surface. Always lift and set pots and pans on the cooktop. Sliding or dragging can leave scratches, especially if particles or dirt are trapped between the cookware and the surface.

Cleaning your glass cooktop with abrasive cleansers, scouring pads, or brushes is not wise. These can create scratches and damage to the surface. Choose non-abrasive cleansers that are specifically made for glass cooktops, and clean with soft cloths or gentle sponges.

Overloading the Cooktop: Be careful not to overburden your glass cooktop with too much weight or big cookware. Overloading can stress the glass surface, increasing the likelihood of cracking or scratches. You should follow the manufacturer’s recommendations for the maximum weight and size limit for your cooktop.

Using poor-quality cookware: Low-quality or broken cookware can leave scratches on your glass stove. Avoid using cookware with sharp edges, warped bottoms, or loose handles that could come into direct contact with the glass. To be safe, invest in high-quality cookware that is suitable for glass cooktops.

Parting shot

These are some of the things you should do to keep your glass cooktops in good condition and avoid having the need for appliance repair Alexandria. As you have seen, going for the right units is vital. Go for high-quality cookware that won’t scratch your surfaces.

You also should be cautious about how you do the cleaning and always clean your surfaces as regularly as possible.

The post Tricks to Protect Glass Cooktop from Scratches first appeared on HVAC Repair, appliance repair. The post appeared first on Express Appliance Repair

Just like any other electrical appliances, commercial ice cream freezers are exposed to some common failures during their lifetime. It might be an electrical failure or just a simple fan detachment. We are going to look at some of the common problems, causes and ice cream freezer repair methods you can implement to have a fully functioning freezer in no time.

Freezing and cooling System issues

The most common cause of the cooling system failure is the presence of leakages in the compressor coil or thermostat miss configuration. To resolve this, check and see if the thermostat is configured correctly. If not, you should adjust the temperature knob to the required level.

Power issues

Power issues with your ice cream freezer are mostly caused by a non-functioning fuse, overheated power supply unit or just a power surge in your main line. To solve this, you should ensure that the freezer is turned off for safety reasons and check the power source to confirm whether there is any fault with the circuit breaker. Confirm if the fuse you use is firmly connected to the plug. If there are no faults, contact a commercial appliances repair professional to check the whole system.

Compressor issues

The compressor will stop to function if there is a defective coil running through the system and if there is a sudden change in room temperature where your ice cream freezer is positioned, and if there is an ice clog in the compressor coils. If the compressor is not functioning well, you should reset the temperature of the freezer to its normal set-point for a few hours and monitor its behavior. If this does not work, shut down the system completely for up to 12 hours particularly if it had been running for an extended period and check to see if the issue has been resolved.

Condenser fan complications

The condenser fan can suddenly start to rotate at an extremely fast rate or an unquestionably slow speed producing some noise. The prevalent cause of this is the occurrence of a loose bolt or just a lubrication issue with the rotating screw. You should shut the whole system off and unscrew the fan from the freezer. Using a lubrication agent, you should oil the rotating screw and clean the back of the fan box to remove potential threats.

Conclusion

These are some of the most common problems with ice cream freezers. When you come across a problem that you can’t easily fix, you should contact and experienced commercial freezer repair Arlington to help you in fixing it.

The post Ice Cream Freezer Repair: Taking A Look At The Common Ice cream Freezer Problems And How To Diagnose Them first appeared on HVAC Repair, appliance repair. The post appeared first on Express Appliance Repair

While it’s common for the dishwasher to develop problems every now and then, there are a number of things you can do to keep your unit working for long. Some of the things that you can do as recommended by commercial dishwasher repairs include:

Rinse the dishes

Before you put the dishes into the dishwasher always rinse them. By doing this you get rid of even the smallest pieces of food from your dishes that would put the dishwasher at the risk of clogging. All you need to do is buy a high powered sprayer and place it by your sink.

Operate in full loads

Operating in full loads means that you ensure that you have filled all the spaces in your dishwasher before you start the unit. By doing this you save energy and prevent the unit from working too hard to clean the same number of dishes. While you should run your unit in full loads, you should avoid overloading the unit as you risk damaging the dishwasher.

Keep an eye on the water tank temperature

The dishwasher can operate at different temperatures but for the unit to function optimally you should ensure that the temperature remains below 140 degrees. Operating your dishwasher above this temperature would result to you wasting a lot of energy thus your energy bill will be too high. It’s also common for the dishwasher to be damaged by the high temperatures thus be required to hire commercial appliances repair professional to fix it for you. In some cases, the damage is too extensive that you have to replace the unit.

Regularly change the filters

Just as your air conditioner works harder than it should when it functions with dirty air filters, your dishwasher also consumes a lot of energy when the air filter is too dirty. The unit also works harder than it should which reduces its lifespan. According to commercial appliances professionals, the dirty unit also doesn’t clean the dishes as properly as it should when the air filters are dirty. To prolong the lifespan of your unit and for it to clean the dishes properly you should change the filters regularly. You can do it on your own or hire a professional to help you out.

Conclusion

These are some of the things you should do to keep your dishwasher working efficiently for a long time. To have an easy time working with a reputable commercial appliances repairs Alexandria.

The post Commercial Dishwasher Repairs: Tips On How To Keep Your Dishwasher Working For Long first appeared on HVAC Repair, appliance repair. The post appeared first on Express Appliance Repair

You have to take good care of your kitchen to prevent downtime and keep it functioning optimally and efficiently. How do you take care of your commercial kitchen? According to commercial appliance repair professionals, there are plenty of ways to do it. These ways include:

Clean the kitchen hood filter.

Kitchen hoods coated with oil and grime have reduced airflow, making them less effective in removing grease, smoke, and odor. They perform best when cleaned regularly.

After turning off the power to the machine and allowing it to cool, you should remove the grease traps, drain the grease, immerse the traps in a solution of water and degreaser, and air dry.

You should also remove the filters to soak and clean any debris obstructing airflow. This is also the time to check the filters for tears and damage to see whether they require replacing.

Next, clean the hood’s interior and exterior with the degreaser and water solution to remove built-up grease and caked-on residue. You also should wipe down all surfaces to keep the device safe for servicing and ready for peak performance.

Replace the gaskets in your kitchen.

Gaskets create a seal between two parts, preventing gases or fluids from escaping. They also help to reduce friction between parts, which increases component life and reduces vibration — potentially making the equipment safer to use.

You can find gaskets on virtually every connection point in your kitchen, including refrigerator or walk-in doors, sinks, faucets, drains, and stoves.

Because they are constructed of flexible materials, gaskets conform nicely to surfaces, forming a tight seal.

This softness also makes them some of the most worn elements in your kitchen, as they are prone to shifting, drying out, and breaking, making them a must-have on your commercial kitchen equipment maintenance list.

If you use a marinator, you may also have a gasket. Marinators use a tumbling mechanism to shorten the time required to marinate proteins from hours to minutes, or they can achieve the more intensive benefits of overnight marination in as little as 20 minutes by adding a vacuumed chamber to the process.

You should check the drum gasket regularly to ensure your marinator seals properly.

Replace the sifter brushes.

All Breader Blender Sifter (BBS) models employ a sifter brush as a drill, blending and mixing seasonings uniformly throughout the breading mixture to improve flavor consistency and eject undesired doughballs.

While this is the case, the bristles of a sifter brush can deteriorate over time, rendering them inefficient and wasting essential materials.

If you have a BBS, replacing your sifter brush is one of the most crucial commercial kitchen equipment maintenance jobs you can complete. Annual replacement maintains your BBS clean and efficient, extending the life of your breading combinations and lowering your ingredient expenses by up to 40%.

Clean or replace the kitchen casters

Commercial kitchen casters take a hammering as they regularly roll across your busy kitchen floor, accumulating dirt and grime and becoming prone to fracture and rust.

It’s simple to include a fast caster inspection in your operator’s weekly side work checklist to ensure the casters are debris-free and functional.

When it’s time for replacements, look into NSF-approved commercial kitchen casters, which are easier to clean and less likely to harbor hazardous bacteria than other casters.

Clean the deep fryers.

A simple lack of care and knowledge about cleaning and maintaining a deep-fat fryer may convert it into one of your kitchen’s most dangerous fire dangers.

You should have the fryer inspected by a skilled commercial kitchen equipment contractor every 12 months.

Clean the grease filters.

One of the simplest ways to prevent a grease fire in your commercial kitchen is to clean your grease filters regularly.

Most restaurant kitchens clean their grease filters once every week. If your restaurant prepares many oily foods, you may need to perform this service more frequently, if not nightly, which is an ideal strategy to lessen fire dangers.

Cleaning your grease filters regularly also helps to reduce the quantity of debris you have to clean off your restaurant’s kitchen equipment.

Replace the broken parts fast.

Many kitchen owners ignore a broken or faulty part on one of their appliances and continue to use that part to avoid bearing the cost of a repair. This is wrong.

The best way to go about it is to repair the broken element of the appliance right away rather than waiting. You can avoid the more expensive replacement by remaining on top of your repairs.

The longer you wait to repair parts, the more likely it is that additional sections of the appliance may fail, resulting in the complete appliance becoming non-functional due to carelessness.

Keep the floor in top shape.

Most businesses do not consider their kitchen floor part of their equipment, although it is the most commonly utilized section of the kitchen.

Negligence in cleaning the kitchen floor can result in your employee tripping or falling on the floor, which can reduce productivity and even lead to lawsuits.

To stay on the safe side, clean your floor regularly. You also should repair any faulty part as soon as you notice it.

Commercial appliance cleaning best practices

You must observe a set of best practices for the best outcome when cleaning your commercial appliance. These practices include:

Have a cleaning schedule.

A good cleaning routine guarantees you remove oil, stains, and food from your commercial kitchen equipment and appliances, producing superior-quality food.

Regular cleaning will keep your employees and customers in good shape, creating a safe and healthy working environment.

To achieve the greatest results, ensure that anyone cleaning your equipment follows the cleaning procedures outlined in the manual.

You should ensure that a professional appliance repair technician Fairfax cleans and repairs the kitchen. The last thing you want is to hire someone that causes more harm than was there.

The post How to Maintain Your Commercial Kitchen first appeared on HVAC Repair, appliance repair. The post appeared first on Express Appliance Repair