Sunday, November 26, 2006

Washing Machine Diagnostic and Repair Guide


EEK! My washer is leaking! Your fill hoses might need tightening at either end.

I've seen where poor draining in the standpipe causes the sudsy water to back up and overflow, making it look like a washer problem when, in fact, it was a plumbing problem.

Maytags can have problems with the water injector leaking.

A pump might be leaking. You gotta open it up and see.

On Whirlpool/Kenmore direct drive washers, the pump is down in front and you'll need to remove the cabinet to check it out.

On old-style GE/Hotpoint washers, the pump is down in back and you'll need to pull off that back panel to check it out.

The pump on Maytag washers is down in front and you'll need to pull the front panel off to check it out.

The tub might be leaking. How can you tell? Right, you gotta open 'er up and look at it. Crystal balls don't work too good.

The new-style GE's (which suck out loud) are bad for the infamous spin-during-agitate problem. This makes a mess because it sloshes water out of the tub all over the frikkin' floor. The only cure is to replace the brake package but, man, you might as well go ahead and replace the whole transmission. Prevention is the best thing here: avoid GE like the plague and buy only Maytag or Whirlpool laundry equipment.

The fill valve has crud caught in it making it stick open. Replace the fill valve and install sediment filtration on household water supply. More details on this here.

Very restricted water flow through the valve. This problem is unique to the older GE/Hotpoint washers. Low water flow will cause the water from the valve's discharge hose to run back up the hose by capillary action and down to the floor. This is a tricky one to catch, Hoss. Takes real kidneys to spot this one.

The washer doesn't spin or, if it does, it's real sluggish. No spin at all: the lid switch is fried. Whaddya do? You test it with your meter.

In the Whirlpool/Kenmore washers, a common problem is that the lid plunger stops making contact with the lid switch. Use a pen to manually press the lid switch actuator (with the lid up, duh). If the washer spins...well, you know the rest.

Older (belt-drive) Whirlpool/Kenmores: the spin solenoid is burned out or has cut wires. Ohm out that solenoid (20-30 ohms) and test with a test cord. Make sure the wires are intact by giving them a little tug. If this is OK, you may need to adjust/replace the basket drive.

Newer (direct-drive) Whirlpool/Kenmores: worn out direct drive coupler.

The drive belt has had it. Look for excessive glazing on the sides of the belt or cracks in the power side of the belt. On Maytags, replace the belt set if they look glazed or shiny on the sides even though the belts may look OK otherwise. Belts on other brands will be more obviously bad. Here's how to replace the belt on older Whirlpool/Kenmore belt-drive washers, and on old-style GE/Hotpoint washers.

Timer is fried. On older timers, it's sometimes possible to run an external jumper to replace the bad internal contacts. Usually, however, the entire timer must be replaced. The only way to confirm is to use your meter and wiring diagram.

It fills OK, it just won't agitate. Drive belt could be worn out--see above.

On the Whirlpool/Kenmore dual action agitator, the agitator dog cam assembly or drive spindle could be worn out. If the agitator just wobbles around when you turn it by hand, you need to replace the dog cam set.

The timer contacts for the agitate cycle could be fried. Time to blow the dust off that meter and read that wiring diagram.

On belt-driven Whirlpool/Kenmores: wig-wag plunger/lifter or transmission mode lever could be worn out. You'll need to look at the action of the agitate solenoid when the machine is in the agitation part of the cycle. If the plunger/lifter slips off the transmission mode lever, replace either the plunger/lifter or the mode lever, as appropriate.

On Maytags only: the lid switch could be fried. (Other brands will still agitate with a bad lid switch.)

Pressure switch is fried. You'll need to ohm out the contacts on it. How you gonna know what you're looking for in the contacts if you don't use the wiring diagram, too?

The air tube connecting to the pressure switch is pinched or you pulled it off by accident when you where tearing the thing apart because you didn't have a clue about what you were doing.

It doesn't agitate or spin. Again, broken or worn drive belts.

Newer (direct-drive) Whirlpool/Kenmores: worn out direct drive coupler.

The drive belt has had it. Look for excessive glazing on the sides of the belt or cracks in the power side of the belt. On Maytags, replace the belt set if they look glazed or shiny on the sides even though the belts may look OK otherwise. Belts on other brands will be more obviously bad. Here's how to replace the belt on older Whirlpool/Kenmore belt-drive washers, and on old-style GE/Hotpoint washers.

On Whirlpool/Kenmore direct-drive machines: worn direct drive coupler.

Motor is fried. If you can't rig up a test cord and test it, that's as far as I go with you on this one, Hoss.

No power at washer electrical outlet...duh!

"Fool thing won't pump out and I got a tub full of stinky water in the washer. I'm gonna die! EEEK!" Pump's fried. If it's a belt-driven pump, you can tell by feeling how stiff it is to turn. For electric pumps, hook up a test cord and run it. Pull drain hose and watch discharge stream. If stream fluctuates or is pathetic, replace the pump.

Again, worn drive belt. In this case, washer won't spin either (or will have a sluggish spin).

The drain hose is clogged (usually with panties or nylon stockings, ya hey). Pull drain hose and watch discharge stream. A good discharge stream will have the same diameter as the hose itself. If less than this, it's time to play find the panties.

It sounds like a helicopter's taking off and the whole house shakes when the washer goes into spin. Try leveling the washer, genius. Check for play along the diagonal corners of the washer cabinet by applying downward pressure. If there is any play at all, the washer will shake during spin and the legs must be leveled.

You have brilliantly located your heavy-ass washer on a floor that would be condemned for structural weakness if a building inspector saw it. Try placing reinforcing pads or pieces of plywood on the floor under the washer.

On Maytag top loaders: worn damper pads.

On Whirlpool/Kenmore direct-drive machines: worn snubber pads.

The clothes are still sopping wet at the end of the cycle and take forever to dry. Ain't but one thing: the washer's not spinning (although it still pumps out). "Oh no, I know it spins." How do you know it spins, Sherlock, did you bother to actually see it spinning during the spin cycle? Don't you think that'd be a better idea than shooting your mouth off at me?

"That washer put oil spots all over my clothes. I'm gonna sue!" Take a chill pill, Prudence, it's probably not the washer's fault (unless it's a GE/Hotpoint). Now, get ready to have your little mind blown: most of time, spots on clothes are from a chemical reaction between the fabric softener and the detergent. Oh sure, don't believe me, go hire a lawyer, I don't give a rip. But you might unbunch your panties just long enough to do this little test: try handwashing a spotted garment in warm soapy water. If the spots come off, they were caused by fabric softener/detergent interaction. I know, I'm a genius. But talk is cheap--thank me with your wallet, not your lips.

Transmission oil leaked back into the tub. This is most common with the older GE/Hotpoint washers. Test by applying solvent to a section of a spotted garment. If the spots come off only with solvent but not with soap and water, then they are oil spots. If you do have a GE/Hotpoint washer, take it to the dump and buy a Maytag or a Whirlpool.

"That horrible washer ate holes in my clothes! I'm gonna die!" Try using less bleach, Nurse Ratchet.

Your clothes are getting caught under the agitator. Feel under bottom of agitator for rough spots that can catch clothing.

You're using too little water for the load size you're running. Look, if you want to save water, get a front-loading machine. Otherwise, fill that sucker up and pollute all the water on the planet in the process.

Clothes are still soapy at the end of the cycle. Your cold water valve is clogged with sediment. Rinse is done with cold water. No cold water, no rinse.

Fried timer contact. Less likely but possible. Check the valve first, Hoser.


Itd be a good idea to check your water hardness, too.

I don't get no cold water in my washer. What, are you from Brooklyn and it's your birthright to talk like a moron? I think you meant to say, "I cannot get cold water to flow into my washer." There, doesn't that sound better, y'blockhead?

Sediment has gotten into the valve from the household water supply and is blocking the flow. Replace the valve.

Cold water hand valve at wall turned off...no, I'm not gonna say it.

The washer is completely dead. No power at the outlet...DUH!

Timer is fried.

Washer went off-balance and tripped the off-balance switch. Open washer lid, redistribute the load and re-start the washer. Wasn't that a lot quicker than getting on-line, finding this website, and listening to my abuse?

 

Washer Drain Pipe Overflowing




Active Appliances Home Appliance Repair for Los Angeles appliances, San Fernando Valley, Santa Clarita, Simi, and Ventura County - Factory authorized appliance repair










Your Kenmore front loader is made by Frigidaire and is, in my vaunted opinion, the best front loader out there. Most of the problems I've seen with this washer have to do with debris in the pump, as you described, or door catch breaking. Both are extremely minor problems in the world of washer repair. Compare with the Maytag Neptune which has been nothing but one long, sad song about fried control boards and door latch assemblies--at much more than $50 a pop! I talk more about various appliance brands here.



The U-hook on your drain hose should just hang in the drain pipe--the diameter of the drain hose hook should be less than the diameter of the drain stand pipe. Typically, drain hose diameters are around 1" o.d. and standard drain stand pipe diameters are 2" o.d. The hook of the drain hose is simply placed into the drain pipe and secured with either duct tape or a tie wrap. You can see that this creates a natural air break which you should not try to obstruct. If your drain meets these criteria and you're getting the suds-back condition, then we need to consider a couple of other things.



Start with the simple things. Have your drain professionally reamed out by a plumber who knows his sh*t: Mr. Rooter. If you're not using a high efficiency detergent (especially critical for front loading washers), then it's time to start. Finally, and worst case scenario, if your house is on a septic tank system, the back wash from the drain pipe could be an early warning that it's time to have your septic tank pumped out.













 

Refrigerator Runs Constantly



You have correctly identified the two possible suspects: the defrost timer and the cold control. If you're sure the refrigerator cycles off for defrost, then the cold control electrical contacts are sticking. Replace it.


If you're not sure the fridge cycles off for defrost, then it's easy to test. Locate the defrost timer on your fridge and turn the knob until you hear a big click. This is defrost mode. Then wait approximately 21 minutes and 37 seconds for it to come out of defrost mode and start running again. If it doesn't, then the defrost timer is bad. Replace it.


 



APPLIANCE REPAIR, LOS ANGELES: Active Appliances Home Appliance Repair for Los Angeles appliances, San Fernando Valley, Santa Clarita, Simi, and Ventura County - Factory authorized appliance repair












Appliance Repair Mental Therapy

  1.  At lunch time, sit in your parked car and point a hair dryer at passing cars to see if they slow down

  2. Page yourself over the intercom. (Don't disguise your voice.)


  3. Every time someone asks you to do something, ask if they want fries with that.

  4. Encourage your colleagues to join you in a little synchronized chair dancing.

  5. Put your garbage can on your desk and label it "IN."

  6. Develop an unnatural fear of staplers.

  7. Put decaf in the coffee maker for 3 weeks. Once everyone has gotten over their caffeine addictions, switch to espresso.

  8. In the memo field of all your checks, write 'for sexual favors.'

  9. Reply to everything someone says with, "That's what you think."

  10. Finish all your sentences with "In accordance with the prophecy."

  11. Adjust the tint on your monitor so that the brightness level lights up the entire work area. Insist to others that you like it that way.

  12. Don't use any punctuation

  13. As often as possible, skip rather than walk.

  14. Ask people what sex they are.

  15. Specify that your drive-through order is "to go."

  16. Sing Along at the opera.

  17. Go to a poetry recital and ask why the poems don't rhyme.

  18. Find out where your boss shops and buy exactly the same outfits. Wear them one day after your boss does. (This is especially effective if your boss is the opposite gender.)

  19. Send e-mail to the rest of the company to tell them what you're doing. For example: If anyone needs me, I'll be in the bathroom.

  20. Put mosquito netting around your cubicle.

  21. Five days in advance, tell your friends you can't attend their party because you're not in the mood.

  22. Call 911 and ask if 911 is for emergencies?

  23. Call the psychic hotline and just say, "Guess"

  24. Have your co-workers address you by your wrestling name, Rock Hard.

  25. When the money comes out of the ATM, scream "I Won!", "I Won!" "3rd time this week!!!"

  26. When leaving the Zoo, start running towards the parking lot, yelling "Run for your lives, they're loose!"

  27. Tell your boss, "It's not the voices in my head that bother me, its the voices in your head that do"

  28. Tell your children over dinner. "Due to the economy, we are going to have to let one of you go"

  29. Everytime you see a broom yell "Honey, your mother is here"

  30. Now, Grasshopper, go read the affirmations for effective appliance repair.

Appliance Tip of the Day: The Hard Facts About Hard Water

Complaints about the washer or dishwasher not cleaning very well are one of the more common ones I get asked by grasshoppers at my website and from paying grasshoppers in the field--also known as customers. The first thing I always like to figger out in these cases is how hard the water is. What's water hardness and why's it so ding-dang important? Well, Hoss, hang on 'cause I'm gonna 'splain it to you.



Hardness is a term them fancy-pants engineers use to talk about dissolved minerals, mostly calcium and magnesium, in the water. Water picks it up as it flows in rivers or in aquifers under the ground, dontcha know. It varies from place to place according to the types of rocks you got.



Anyway, them fancy-pants engineers went on and created a way of measuring hardness. They call it grains per gallon, and you'll see 'em write it as "gpg." So, the more grains of calcium or magnesium dissolved in each gallon of water, the harder it is.



So, what's wrong with having a little calcium and magnesium in the water? Nothing if it's just a little, like less than 3 gpg. But, when you start getting water with 10 gpg or more, you gots what we in the trade call, "hard water." And if it's more that 14 gpg, it's called "damn hard water." Y'see, Hoss, in a washer or dishwasher, these little calciums and magnesiums suck up the soap or detergent leaving less of it available to clean the crud off your clothes or dishes. As a result of water hardness, it takes more soap or detergent to get your clothes or dishes to an acceptable level of cleaness. Now you see why I always wanna find out what the water hardness is when I'm dealing with a poor cleaning complaint?



Now here's something else to think about. The detergent instructions on the box are based on average hardness. Average hardness in the U.S. is defined as 6.6 gpg and 6.1 gpg in Canada. Now this cuts both ways, Hoss, hang with me for a minute. What if your actual water hardness is only 2 gpg but you're putting detergent in your washer based on the directions on the box (typically a standard "scoop" or "capful")? Well, it don't take a certifiable appliance guru like myself to figger out that you're using too much freakin' detergent! You're not only wasting money, but you're wearing lots o' that stuff in your clothes, too.



Awwite, what if your actual water hardness was 15 gpg and you're putting in detergent according to the amount on the box? Why, it means you are one dirty dude 'cause your clothes ain't getting clean when you wash 'em. Think about that next time you put on a pair of "clean" underwear.



Not only is hardness a problem from the standpoint of cleaning your stuff, it messes up your appliances, too. Oh sure, after a while, all kinds of "scale" from the hardness collects on the innards of your washer and dishwasher and screws it all up. But hey, I love the work it generates so I ain't complainin'!



Now, the question you're all axin': "how do I measure the hardness of my water?" Piece of pie. Get you the Maytag Water Hardness Kit. Easy to use and just takes a second.



Well alright then.

 

Are Extended Warranties on Appliances a Rip-off?


Your impulse to work in the best interest of the customer is really the only way to do business for the long term. Your question about whether or not you're fleecing the customer by offering extended warranties is wholly dependant upon the actual service that would (or would not) be provided in the event the customer needed to exercise that warranty. In other words, the warranty is only as good as the service to back it up.


I look at extended warranties as a type of insurance which, in reality, they are. In fact, most of the large, reputable extended warranty plans, such as Whirlpool's Homewise plan, are underwritten by major insurance companies, such as AON Corporation. To this end, true extended warranties, backed up by real service, can be considered no more a rip-off than any other type of insurance. Is liability insurance a rip-off? You might think so as you pay the premium year after year...until someone actually sues you. Then it pays off in spades.



Is the arrangement set up for the insurance company (or extended warranty dealer) to make money? You bet it is! Could it be any other way? Businesses exist for one reason and one reason only: to make a profit. If a business can't make a profit offering a legitimate product or service then it goes bankrupt. And who benefits from that?


Some customers are willing to pay a premium for the extra security and peace-of-mind that they derive from owning a legitimate extended warranty policy. Others are not. Your role as an appliance salesman is to offer realistic and honest choices to customers. As long as you're doing that then you should sleep well at night and I charge you to "Go placidly amid the noise and haste..





 

Appliance Repair Revelation: Troubleshooting a Gas Oven That Won't Fire Up

If you have a gas oven that's not firing, don't be bonehead and automatically assume the valve is bad (hint: it's usually not). What else could it be? Ah, Grasshoppah, read and learn.


You may even see the orange "glow plug" (called a hot surface ignitor) glowing orange and so assume that it's OK. But you would probably be wrong. Many $$ wrong. You gotsta measure the current drawn by the ignitor before you can say it's OK or not. The gas valve has a bi-metal that snaps open when a certain amount of current flows through it to heat it up. The ignitor is wired in series with the gas valve. As the ignitor ages, its resistance increases to the point where not enough current is flowing to the gas valve bimetal to open it up. Consequently, the gas valve never opens up. BTW, a common symptom of the early stages of this problem is erratic temperature control in the oven due to delayed firing of the bake burner while cooking. This service sheet illustrates the main players in the ignition system and how to test them.



Here's another picture that shows the main components in a gas oven. The big thing to notice is the difference in current draw between the round and flat ignitors. Look, there's just no substitute for measuring the current draw--this is the gold standard for diagnosing gas oven ignition problems. I'll let you in a little secret, though: if the ignitor glows but the oven takes longer than three minutes to fire up then, 97.98745987% of the time, the problem is a bad ignitor. Here's another tip: if you buy the ignitor through this parts link and that doesn't fix it, you can return the ignitor for a refund. Who else but the Samurai will make you a deal like that?



I've talked to lots of shotgun parts-changers about this problem. These are guys who can't be bothered with the theory of operation. Besides, they already know everything anyway, so they just shoot from the hip and end up replacing a bunch of parts that were still good. They blew beaucoup bucks on a new valve and just can't understand why the oven still won't fire up. But now, you know why.


 

Saturday, November 25, 2006

WHIRLPOOL FREE REPAIR MANUAL

 GO TO WHIRLPOOL
http://www.whirlpool.com/custserv/index.jsp

General Electric Free APPLIANCE MANUAL





GO TO GENERAL ELECTRIC LINK 

http://www.geappliances.com/service_and_support/literature/ 

Maytag Appliance Repair Manual Free


Go to Maytag following link 


http://www.maytag.com/mths/cust_serv/manuals/default.jsp

Appliance Repair 12 Laws

Appliance Repairing Ichiban Law of Appliance Repair: Never replace a part unless you have proof that the part is bad.



This distinguishes the Samurai School of Appliantology from the Monkey Boy School of Appliance Repair. When I replace an appliance part, it's because I have proven that the part is bad. This proof could be something subtle, like an electrical measurement, or something simple, like laying eyeballs on a burned wire connection.



Appliance Repairing 2nd Law of Appliance Repair: All machines break.



I don't care how much you paid, who made it, or what the salesperson told you, appliances are just another type of machine. And all machines, like everything else in the physical world (including our bodies) tend inexorably toward entropy, i.e., they wear out and breakdown. The corollary to the 2nd Law is to buy appliances that are easy to repair because, at some point during its useful life, you will be repairing it. Speaking of useful life, how long should appliances last?



Appliance Repairing 3rd Law of Appliance Repair: Measure twice, order once.



Ok, you've diligently observed Appliance Repairing Ichiban Law of Appliance Repair and have proven that a part is bad based on some type of objective observation. If this observation involved making an electrical measurement, such as voltage, current, or resistance, then make that measurement TWICE just to be doubly-woubly sure that you didn't make a mistake. Common mistakes in making electrical measurements include not making good contact with your probe and not removing at least one wire from the component before making a continuity or resistance measurement.



Appliance Repairing 4th Law of Appliance Repair: Beliefs are for religion, not appliance repair.



In appliance repair, we use test instruments to quantify the problem and draw definitive conclusions about cause and effect. Hope, beliefs, and wishful thinking don't get stuff fixed, unless it's by pure, blind luck.



Appliance Repairing 5th Law of Appliance Repair: Electronics and wet appliances do not mix.



Manufacturers love using fancy electronical boards for things that used to be done by simple, reliable mechanical switches. I see these boards fail frequently and at far greater expense than the good ol' mechanical switches. But the failure rate of these cheesy, over-priced electronical boards in the wet appliances (washer, dishwasher, ice and water dispensers on refrigerators) is excessively high. If you have a choice when buying new appliances, opt for the models with few or no electronic boards.



Appliance Repairing 6th Law of Appliance Repair: Begin troubleshooting right at the problem.



Where else you gonna start? No water coming in your dishwasher? Start at the water inlet valve. Gas oven won't bake? Start at the ignitor. Go right to the main thing that ain't doing its thang.



Appliance Repairing 7th Law of Appliance Repair: All leaks are visual.



Let's say your washer is leaking. You see the water seeping from under the washer cabinet. So you go online to the Samurai School of Appliantology and say, "my washer is leaking, what should I do?" And we'll tell you to remove the front panel and get some eyeballs on where exactly the leak is coming from. Same deal with your dishwasher-- remove the kickplate and peer underneath with a flashlight while it's running to spot the source of the leak. Get the picture?



Appliance Repairing 8th Law of Appliance Repair: Fix the obvious problems first.



If you have an appliance that you think may have several things wrong with it, you have to break down the problem into smaller component problems and then fix each one. Usually, when you fix the obvious problem first, you find that it was the only problem all along. Other times, you cannot even diagnose the other problems until you've fixed the obvious one(s).



Appliance Repairing 9th Law of Appliance Repair: Nothing kills bio-gookus like chlorine.



Just remember this next time you're dealing with a restricted condensate drain in your refrigerator. Bio-gookus loves to grow in dark, moist environments like condensate drain tubes and they'll restrict the flow the same way plaque does in arteries.



Appliance Repairing 10th Law of Appliance Repair: Never move an appliance to make a repair unless you absolutely have to.



This is one I learned the hard way. You never know what you're gonna run into (that you didn't need to) when you move an appliance. And, worse yet, you may end up creating a new repair that you hadn't planned on. The classic example is pulling a dryer out just a few inches only to find that it had some impossible dryer vent connection that requires a contortionist/gymnast to re-attach. Oy!



Appliance Repairing 11th Law of Appliance Repair: Raw power is dirty power.



All electricity is not created equal. Power quality varies widely from place to place. Depending on where you live, power at the wall outlets in your house could have all kinds of garbage on it. Stuff like voltage surges, sags, swells, and spikes can kill electrical and electronics equipment. In this modern era of using electronic control boards in appliances for the jobs that simple, reliable mechanical switches used to do, all your appliances should be protected by simple surge protectors at the least. Just like you wouldn't (or shouldn't) plug your computer directly into the wall outlet without using some type of surge protection, neither should you expose your appliances to naked, raw power.



Appliance Repairing 12th Law of Appliance Repair: Neutral is not ground; ground is not neutral.



Under normal circumstances, neutral and ground should have the same, or close to the same, electrical potential. But, electrically, neutral and ground are not the same thing and serve entirely different purposes. Back in the old days, they were often used interchangeably, as with the old three-wire dryer and range cords. But, after lots of people got themselves fried or burned their houses down due to a ground fault, "They" decided it would be a good idea to respect the distinction between ground and neutral. Hence the new four-wire dryer and range connections.



Appliance Repairing Golden Rule of Appliance Repair: Never trust customer diagnostics.



I'm too embarrassed to admit how many times I've been burned by violating the Golden Rule. You'll get some customers that are so eloquent and seem so erudite and technically proficient that you'll be tempted to accept their diagnosis over the phone (at their insistence-- to save money, of course). So when you bop on over with the special-ordered part that doesn't fix the problem, you're now in a quandary: how do you charge for this wasted repair effort and the cost of returning a special-ordered part...if you can even return it? Most electronic boards cannot be returned once they're installed. The hard lesson is to always do your own diagnosis, no matter how much the customer insists otherwise.

Samurai Appliance Repair Man cast these pearls at 15:32 ET. [permalink]

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1 Comments:



Violating the 10th law actually helped me fix my washer. Moved into new base housing, got new hoses and drain hose, installed and washer lost water through drain (slowly). Checked this and that, and spent time and money with same result. Finally, moved washer away from wall to watch from the back (what I expected to see is anybody's guess, maybe a neon sign with a finger pointing saying "Leak Here"). Washer stopped it's slow drain and ran normally. OK, insert head slap here. Cutting the drain hose to a level above the bottum of the tub stopped that pesky law called syphoning. Yea, I told the wife and kids it was bad Fram-a-Damitz Klooter valve and only my expert electrical knowledge saved us tons-o-money.







 

Refrigerators and Freezers

Leave enough space between your refrigerator and the walls or cabinets so air can circulate around the condenser coils. Trapped heat increases energy consumption.



For food safety keep your refrigerator between 36° and 40° F and your freezer between 0° and 5° F. A refrigerator that is colder than safety dictates uses up to 25 percent more energy, and will freeze your milk and lettuce.



As your food budget permits, keep your freezer and refrigerator full-but not so full that air can't circulate. The mass of cold items inside will help your refrigerator recover each time the door is opened. Here's a hint: If your refrigerator is nearly empty, store water-filled containers inside.



Check door seals regularly to make sure they're airtight. To test them, close the door on a dollar bill and try to pull it out. (Larger bills are harder to come by, but work just as well!) If the dollar slides out easily, you're wasting energy and money.



Unless it has untold sentimental value, get rid of that older, energy-hogging second refrigerator in your garage! It's costing you about $120 a year to operate. One large refrigerator is cheaper to run than two smaller ones. (Warning: If you get rid of an older refrigerator or freezer, please dispose of it properly, and make sure the door is removed so children cannot be trapped inside.)



If you're thinking about purchasing a new refrigerator-freezer or a separate freezer, check the annual energy cost on the Energy Guide label to find the most economical buy.



Side-by-side refrigerators use approximately 7 percent to 13 percent more energy than similar-sized models with the freezer on top.



Chest freezers are typically more efficient than upright freezers, because they're better insulated and cold air doesn't spill out when the door is opened.



Brush or vacuum dirty refrigerator or freezer coils. You'll improve your appliance's efficiency by as much as 30 percent.


 

Amana Washer Repair Tips

Start by removing the front panel to see where the leak is coming from. Then, pray to Allah, who is compassionate and merciful, that it's just a leaking hose because if'n it ain't, start practicing yoga so you can kiss your sweet derriere goodbye.



If the tub seal is leaking, you'll need to replace the hub and seal kit on this puppy. I hope you enjoy spending hours on end in a dark, damp basement, breaking apart old parts fused together by years of corrosion while another glorious summer day gallops by outside, leaving you more pallid and one day closer to the bed pan. Time and pain--that's what awaits you in this repair journey to Hell, Budrow. And there's a fair chance that this will be a one-way trip, too, since your hours of weeping and gnashing of teeth may not result in a successful repair. How much time and pain? Let's just say that it's off the scale on the SUDS-o-meter. This is one of those jobs that makes even crusty old appliance warriors wet themselves and pretend they have a bad phone connection when they get a call for one of these jobs.



Ahh, Grasshopper, let this be your wakeup call. But if, after reading my wise admonitions, you think you have the cohonas for this job, then here are a couple resources that'll hepya: