It is true the purpose of the screen is to catch lint from clothing. As the fabric wears, bits and pieces will come loose and without the lint screen the vent tube would soon be coated in a soft fluffy pillow of lint. And it is this lint that poses the greatest potential for a dryer fire.

Simple enough but as the lint screen ages, it can deform or develop small tears which allows more lint to get by. With years of use, the openings in the screen can change shape or become blocked by buildup from detergents and fabric softeners resulting in reduced airflow. And as we have learned, it is the airflow that gets our clothes dry, so we want to keep it moving.

When cleaning the lint screen, inspect its surface for damage. Check the frame for breaks and bows where lint may be getting by. Run it under a water faucet to see if there are places that may be restricting the flow. If anything seems less than perfect, get yourself a new lint screen. The few dollars spent on replacement every few years will more than pay for itself in better efficiency and less lint out the vent.

To begin with, a typical appliance repair will include a service call and labor. The first is to cover the cost of someone coming to your home, diagnosing the problem and providing an estimate for repair. The second is what is charged for the actual repair. Doing some simple math if the service call is $80 and the labor rate for a basic repair is $40, the total for the repair would be $120. But these ads promise the service call will be free if you get the appliance repaired.

No business is going to do the repair and walk away with $40 leaving you the $80. It is nothing more than a way to get you to call and them in the door. Once the bill comes, sure the line where the service call fee would be will be blank, but I suspect the total will still be $120.

When faced with an appliance problem and not sure where to turn, call a few different places and ask them specifics about how they charge so you know what to expect. By providing a model number and a good description of the failure, any service provider should be able to get you a good solid estimate. The lesson to be learned here is nothing is free.

Think of your refrigerator as a well insulated box with a freezer and fresh food section connected by air passages so air can flow between them. The typical refrigerator will have an evaporator in the freezer section which uses refrigerant to absorb heat, and a fan to circulate air.

As the cold air is blown into the fresh food section near the top, it will absorb heat from the food items on and around the selves until it reaches the bottom. That is where a return air vent will draw the warmer air back into the freezer section and across the evaporator removing the heat and the process then continues.

The heat is moved to the condenser coils located behind or underneath the refrigerator by the compressor where another fan helps remove the heat much like the radiator in a car. It is a simple enough process and very efficient, but still subject to failure or obstruction. Not only can one of these components cause a problem but something as simple as blocking the airflow with some jar in the back can lead to poor cooling conditions.

So while your refrigerator is working properly, take notice of the normal working sounds and feel the airflow so you may better understand what is going on when the refrigerator does stop working.

As a person that works and pays bills myself, I fully understand people’s frustrations when one of their appliances breaks and now they are faced with an unexpected repair bill. The most common reference will be comparing their appliance to the one their parents had while they were growing up. Usually the story goes mom’s washer lasted 30 years and never needed service.

Well that is usually where I chime in and say, mom’s new washer won’t last 30 years. I hate to sound so negative, but the reality is mom probably spent a small fortune in today’s dollars back in the day. Manufacturers have tried very hard to keep the costs of appliances low despite inflation. Every wonder why mom’s washer cost $500 forty years ago and today you can still by a washer for $500?

The truth is manufacturers had to cut costs by using thinner materials, removing features, and off-shoring much of the manufacturing processes of these appliances just to stay competitive in our consumer driven markets. None of this leads to higher quality or longevity.

When buying new appliances, I always tell my customers to buy what they like and need for their homes. Spending more money will not buy an appliance that will last longer. And that is my two cents.

Begin by doing some online research to find local used appliance stores. The feedback from previous customers can help guide you toward the better stores and keep you away from the bad stores.

Look for manufacturer model and serial tags on the appliance. Many “scratch and dent” appliances have actually been scrapped by the manufacturer as indicated by the removal of this tag. Not a big problem if the appliance works, but service in the future may become difficult or impossible without this vital information.

Ask what parts were replaced in the appliance. Buzzwords like “refurbished” or “reconditioned” are frequently used, but it is very rare to find any used appliance that has had all the wear items replaced with new parts. Good dealers will have checklists available outlining what was checked and what was replaced.

Read and understand their warranty. Most used stores will offer some sort of warranty, but it may allow them to replace an appliance instead of repairing. This may not be an issue unless you purchased a matching washer and dryer.

Play it safe when buying any used appliance as there are good and bad dealers in every town. Do your research and seek the advice of people and businesses you trust.

The water system inside the typical refrigerator is actually made up of several parts all designed to provide for a problem free experience. The process starts at the connection to the refrigerator which is usually a fitting on the water valves. From there, tubing will run to a water filter back to another valve then finally to the dispenser or icemaker. Not much to go wrong but just like cleaning the gutters on your home, some periodic maintenance will keep things moving properly.

Most water filters are made up of a series of fine screens to trap particulates in the water that will slow the flow as they become clogged. It is this slowing of the water that can cause icemaker problems such as hollow ice cubes, small ice cubes, and may even stop the icemaker from working.

To keep things working well, most manufactures recommend replacement of the water filter at least twice a year. If you’re not sure the water filter is in need of replacement, I suggest filling a glass from the water dispenser. If it seems to take a long time the water filter is the likely problem.

As a service provider, I get calls daily from people with repair questions about their appliances. Most are looking for a repair, but some are simply looking at saving money and want some free information. I don’t have a problem with helping many of those people out, but unfortunately, many times the person looking to save a few bucks actually spends more time and money because they really don’t know what they are doing.

The problem only gets worse after spending countless hours on the internet reading various bits of information that may or may not pertain to their specific brand or model. Exacerbate this with websites that make money trying to sell you parts, and the end result is often an appliance broken for weeks, money spent and no positive outcome.

I don’t wish to discourage people from repairing things themselves because I personally think it is a lost art. But don’t try and work beyond your knowledge. Get as much information specific to your problem, and seek out honest places for that knowledge and parts. We spend many years learning our trade and we can sometimes make things look easy. That is why people hire us in the first place.

But as an appliance repair professional, and someone that can be found in many places on the vast Internet, I always point out the advice you find on appliance repair is generally only half correct. It is up to you to determine which half is right, and which half is not.

Much of the advice you find on websites has been presented by trained professionals, such as me, who want consumers to be empowered with knowledge and to better understand the appliances they purchased. Others simply present themselves as professionals and all but regurgitate the hard work of others in order to make money through various forms of advertising and sales promotions. The problem this creates is it can be difficult to know who is who when you really need accurate information.

The Internet itself isn’t bad and it is important to seek answers to your appliance problems should they occur. I do suggest keeping an open mind because if the appliance repair suggested is not the same as what you found on a particular website, trust the professional standing in front of you over the anonymous advice from the Internet.

I will clean the coils on my refrigerator at least twice this year.

I will leave the door on my washer open after use to prevent mold and odors.

I will check and refill my dishwashers rinse aid dispenser every three months for better drying.

I will have my dryer vent cleaned this year to provide better airflow.

I will change the water filter in my refrigerator to keep the water flowing properly.

I will clean out the old food from my freezer to provide for better airflow.

I will clean or replace the grease filters in my range hood to prevent fires.

I will clean the inside of my microwave oven to prevent damage.

I will clean spills inside my oven and on the cooktop as they happen.

I will not slam the doors or lids on any of my appliances so they don’t break.

I will use the proper amount of detergent in my washer and dishwasher to get the job done.

I will replace the water hoses on my washer to prevent water damage from a leak.

I will read the use and care manuals for all my appliances so I will know how to use them properly.

Happy New Year!

Before calling for service, take a few minutes to do the basics. Unplug the appliance or turn the circuit breaker off then back on to see if many the electronics need to be reset. Make sure someone didn’t change the machine settings from normal without you knowing. Look for things out of the ordinary like doors that won’t close frost on a freezer back panel, lights that stay on or flash, and unusual sounds or smells.

What you are doing is not only checking for simple issues, but also getting a better idea of what may be the issue. When you do determine it’s time to call for service, provide not only your appliances type, make and model, but also your observations as to what is going on. This information is appreciated by us technicians and greatly increases our ability to offer valid help over the phone, provide you with a more accurate repair estimate prior to arrival, and to get you back up and running more quickly.

A broken appliance isn’t good, but it doesn’t necessarily need to be bad. Follow the troubleshooting steps in the use and care manual as a start, use your powers of observation and call for service if you need assistance.