Are your kitchen appliances on the fritz after all your holiday meal preparations? Don’t replace them just yet! Sometimes, the most obvious fix is the one you tend to overlook, but at G&G Appliance Service, we’ve got you covered (both with and without your warranty!) We’ve collected a few of our most common kitchen appliance complaints and detailed quick and easy solutions that can help restore proper functioning. If you’re struggling with any of the following issues, try our quick remedies first, and if they don’t provide a functional solution, give our appliance repair specialists a call.
Dishwasher Dilemmas
With all those holiday meals and party preparations, your dishwasher is sure to have seen its fair share of work over the last month or two. Occasionally, that extra workload can result in some not-so-convenient appliance issues. Two frequent dishwasher problems we see are:
● Dishwasher Failing to Clean Dishes Properly
If your dishes aren’t getting as clean as they once did, you may be using more detergent than necessary in your machine. Keep in mind that, according to appliance manufacturers, even single-use detergent pods may contain too much soap, depending on the machine. For your next load of dishes, try measuring out one-half to three-quarters the amount of detergent you normally use to determine if that solves the issue.
Another common cause of less-than-sparkling dishes is scale buildup in the spray arms of your dishwasher. Check the holes in each spray arm for hard water deposits that may be blocking water flow, and remove deposits with a skewer or any other long, thin tool. If neither of these easy fixes solves your dirty dish problem, it may be time to contact a dishwasher repair specialist who can diagnose and repair the problem.
● Water Collecting In the Bottom of the Dishwasher
If dirty water is collecting in the bottom of your dishwasher, there’s a high chance your machine has a clogged filter. To determine if food buildup is causing the issue, locate your machine’s filter beneath the lower spray arms. Remove the filter, and if your machine contains a two-part filter, don’t forget to dislodge the lower filter from the machine, as well.
Scrape any food buildup within the filter into the trash or your garbage disposal, and gently scrub away residue using warm soapy water and an old toothbrush. You should also examine the filter housing for food waste, and remove it if necessary. Finally, reinsert the filter and when you run your next load, pay attention to the water content at the bottom of the machine. If you don’t see any water pooling, you’ve solved the issue!
If, however, water continues to pool after you’ve cleaned the filter, you may have a blocked pipe somewhere in your home that’s causing water to back up into the dishwasher’s drain. You can contact an appliance repair specialist to determine if your dishwasher is the issue, but you should also call a plumber to perform a camera inspection of your drains.
Refrigerator & Freezer Headaches
A non-functional refrigerator or freezer isn’t just inconvenient; it can be costly, too—especially if you’re prone to keeping substantial quantities of perishable food at the ready. Two frequent freezer and refrigerator issues we see are:
● Ice Maker That Won’t Dispense Ice
An apparently non-functional ice dispenser is one of the most common freezer dilemmas we see, but fortunately, it also happens to be one of the easiest to remedy. Often, a non-dispensing ice maker is simply the result of ice buildup within the dispenser chute, which you can quickly fix with a simple hairdryer.
Examine the chute, and if you can see ice has formed a clog, grab your hairdryer and use its lowest setting to gently melt the ice until the chunk falls through the chute. If ice accumulation doesn’t appear to be causing the problem, though, you’ll need to contact a freezer repair specialist who can test the unit for malfunctioning components, and replace them if necessary.
● Refrigerator That Won’t Stay Cold
A warm-ish refrigerator is another highly common issue with a very simple fix. Often, a refrigerator that won’t stay cold is the result of overly dirty condenser coils on the bottom of the appliance. Grab a flashlight and shine it beneath the unit to determine if dust and grime have caked the coils and are preventing them from cooling the refrigerator properly.
If you can see significant buildup on the coils, simply grab your vacuum, attach the hose, and vacuum the coils until they appear clean. After two to three hours, test the interior temperature of your refrigerator to determine if it has cooled. If not, you’ll need to contact an appliance repair specialist who can test the electronic components of the machine.
Got Appliance Problems? Contact G&G Appliance Service Today
At G&G Appliance, we’ve been serving New York State residents for over 20 years with prompt, professional, and high-quality appliance repair. All of our technicians are state-certified, expertly trained, and superior customer service professionals. We service all major appliances brands and will work with your warranty provider to deliver the service you need, promptly and efficiently. And, even if your appliance has outlasted its warranty, you can expect the same high-quality, fairly priced service, no matter what. To learn more about our appliance repair options, give our team a call at 718-848-2100. Or, for your convenience, feel free to schedule your repair online.