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Why is My Refrigerator Leaking Water

by | Jan 16, 2019 | Refrigerator Repir Help, refrigerator replacement parts, water valve replacement parts |

You don’t normally think of your refrigerator as an appliance that would leak water but they sometimes do.  Finding the source of the leak takes some investigation but it is relatively simple to do.

 

Defrost Drain

A very common problem is that the defrost drain could be blocked.  The drain has a small opening that is easily clogged by food particles or ice.  During the defrost cycle, water could build up and not be able to drain into the pan.  The water would then leak out onto the floor.  You can clear the drain by pouring hot water over it and using a stiff wire to remove the blockage if there is any.

Drain Pan

Normally the drain pan is not the problem but it can develop a crack and that would allow water to leak.  Only a small amount of water usually accumulates in the drain pan and not enough to overflow.  This water evaporates, with help from the condenser fan, which blows warm air across the surface of the pan.  Do a thorough examination of the drain pan looking for any damage or cracks. If the pan is damaged, replace it.

Ice Maker

The water line connections to the ice maker can sometimes come loose or the seals can crack from age.  The plastic hoses can crack, tear or get kinked which would cause pressure at the connection and cause a leak.  The water line going to the ice maker is normally on the back, outside of the refrigerator.  Check this line and its connections for any signs of moisture.  If the ice maker supply line is the problem there will normally be water running or dripping down the line onto the floor.  You should tighten all of the connections or replace the water line.

Refrigerator Water Inlet Valve

Water Filter

If your refrigerator has a filtering system the connection between the water filter and the water supply can cause a leak.  The filter may have been installed incorrectly, wrong size or wrong model for the refrigerator.  It’s also possible that it may be very old and the housing or seals are cracked, therefore allowing water to escape.  Remove and replace the filter if you see water running down the outside of the filter and into the interior of the refrigerator.  Make certain the filter is the one specifically for your model.

Refrigerator Water Filter Cartridge

Oven/Stove/Cooktop Repair Help

by | Jan 15, 2019 | Cooktop Top Burner, Oven Repair Help, range/oven and stove top replacement parts |

Your stove, oven or cooktop will eventually need a repair part or two, sometimes they are
very easy to install.  Your average range surface burner will usually last
6 years or longer.

Range, Oven, Cook Top Repair Help

Range and oven bake elements, under normal use, will usually work
for eight years or more. Broil units usually hold up much longer. It is not unusual to
see stove-oven-range units that are twenty years old or older that have never needed any repair parts.

Some oven repair tips.

If the bake or broil element in your oven or range is not working
and you can’t see any exterior damage such as a small hole or a break in the element
where it has shorted out or any other obvious parts damage, it may have a wire
that has come off of the terminal clips on the element or one of the wires may have shorted
where it connects to the bake unit terminals. Since a lot of people buy stove, range and oven parts
only to find out later that the problem was a burnt wire, it might save you an
unnecessary oven repair parts expense if you check this out before purchasing new parts.

Oven Bake Elements

If you have an ohm meter (available at most hardware stores) you can check
oven-range-stove element for resistance.  Usually if it shows resistance it is an indicator
that the burner is good and the problem may be in the oven, range, stove selector
switch or thermostat.

Surface Element Burner

Your oven, range or stove surface unit parts as shown above may start working erratically.
If this is so, The terminal ends on the stove burner may be charred or burnt. This will cause the range
burner to lose electrical contact at times with the terminal block it plugs into. It is quite often
better to replace both range parts. If the terminals on the surface unit are burnt then the contacts
on the block are probably burnt also. If new part is used with a burnt terminal block these
range, oven repair parts may not last very long or give proper service.

 

Range/Stove/Cooktop Surface Element Switch

If your oven, range, stove or cooktop surface unit switch such as the one shown above
becomes defective, your burner may stay at high heat when you turn it on, even if you
have it at a low setting.  Of course the burner element may not come on at all when the switch
is turned on.   Repeat, the main symptoms when these range, stove parts become defective is
too much heat or no heat.

Range/Stove/Cooktop Surface Burner Terminal Block

 

These oven, stove, range  terminals are installed with ceramic wire nuts that usually
come with the parts kit, along with installation instructions.
To obtain the best repair results when using wire nuts, make sure each wire you are
connecting to each other is bright and shiny.  You may need to use sandpaper
on the wires to achieve this result.

 

My Refrigerator Is Not Staying Cold Enough

My Refrigerator Is Not Staying Cold Enough

by | Jan 13, 2019 | Refrigerator Repir Help, refrigerator replacement parts |

Having a refrigerator that is not getting cold enough is both costly and unhealthy.  Food can spoil much faster than the expiration date and can make you sick.  Normally the problem is one that is easily fixed.

 

1. Defective Door Switch

The door switch is located along the internal frame of the refrigerator.  It turns the light on when the door is opened and off when the door is closed.  If the switch is not operating correctly, when the door is closed the refrigerator will not resume cooling and if the interior light stays on it will also affect the temperature because of heat from the interior light.

2. Condenser Coils Dirty

Condenser coils are located either under or in back of the refrigerator.  If you find that these coils are dirty, unplug the refrigerator before attempting to clean them.  If the coils are dirty they will not let the refrigerator cool properly.

3. Defective Door Gaskets

Refrigerator door gaskets keep the cold air in when the door is closed as long as they have a proper seal.  Gaskets can become loose or damaged therefore letting cold air leak from the refrigerator.  Constantly opening and closing the refrigerator door lets cold air out and warm air in.

4. Temperature Control Not Working Properly

If the temperature control thermostat is faulty the refrigerator will not maintain the correct coldness.  Check your refrigerator temperature to determine if it is set at the correct level.  A normal refrigerators setting is usually around 32 degrees Fahrenheit (0 degrees Celsius) and 1.4 degrees Fahrenheit (-17 degrees Celsius) for the freezer.

Refrigerator Temperature Control Thermostat

5. Frost-Free Feature Not Working

When the frost-free feature is not working it will cause a buildup of frost around the evaporative coils in the freezer.  This in turn causes the evaporator fan to malfunction and not be able to blow cold air around.  Should the fan hit the frost it could be damaged.

6. Air Flowing Inside The Refrigerator Is Inadequate

If you have your refrigerator stuffed with food and everything is crammed together then the air will not be able to flow freely inside the refrigerator. This will not allow a correct temperature of coolness to flow around your food items.  Not having enough food items in the refrigerator will also cause it to function inefficiently.

7. Clogged Vents Between Freezer and Refrigerator

Cold air flows through vents between the freezer and refrigerator.  If ice forms in the vents the air will be blocked from flowing into the refrigerator thus not letting the refrigerator cool down properly.  If this happens you can unplug the refrigerator and let the ice melt, then reconnect the refrigerator.

8. Leaking Refrigerant

This is not very common but if you suspect this is your problem it would be wise to call a qualified service technician.

Refrigerator Repair Help | Fix It…

by | Jan 8, 2019 | Refrigerator Repir Help, refrigerator replacement parts |

Repair techniques below with helpful hints
and repair advice for the most common part problems you might have
with your refrigerator.

Refrigerator Parts

Some of the general diagnostic tips and repair techniques presented below may apply
for many makes and models, of side by side refrigerators, as well as top or bottom freezer units. GE, Maytag, Whirlpool, Amana, Frigidaire refrigerators, as well as many other major brands.

Caution.

The diagnostic help outlined below is intended to be used only by professional appliance repair technicians.

If you are attempting to repair your refrigerator yourself, be aware that you are working with potential dangerous electrical currents that can cause serious injury or death. Be aware that appliance parts have extremely sharp edges and moving parts that can cause serious injury or death.

Always remove the power source from the unit you are working on. Unplug it! When unplugging or removing the power source, double check to make sure that you removed the proper cord or turned off the proper breaker. When tightening parts make sure that if the tool you are working with or your hand slips, you will not be injured by sharp or jagged edges.

Keep children and pets away from the working area and disassembled refrigerator parts. Be aware that there are other hazards involved in appliance repair, besides those listed above that may cause serious injury or death. Always use extreme caution when removing or installing parts.

Troubleshooting suggestions for the do – it – yourselfer.

  • Refrigerator and freezer repair help.
  • Squealing noise coming from the refrigerator or freezer.
  • Thrashing or clattering sound.
  • Frost is building up in the back of the refrigerator or freezer section.
  • Noise appears to be coming from freezer

Refrigerator and freezer repair help

Be aware that the refrigerator repair tips and diagnostic information given below is general in nature and is not meant to be all inclusive nor necessarily apply to your Refrigerator unit.

Squealing noise

The refrigerator makes a high pitched squealing sound, or chirping sound. Possibly coming from the freezer compartment, but does not make this noise all of the time.

Possible cause and parts repair help solution:

You may need a new freezer fan motor. This problem is more common in some older model refrigerator units.

Thrashing or clattering sound

Noise appears to be coming from behind refrigerator, near the bottom.

 

Possible cause and repair parts solution:

The refrigerator condenser cooling fan motor blade, located at the back of the unit near the compressor, may be be striking a foreign object, such as a piece of paper, cardboard, or some other object.

Very easy refrigerator repairs, no parts needed.

Fan blade may be loose.

Fan motor shaft may be loose.

Motor mount screw may have come off.

This diagnostic repair information applies to most refrigerator units, including Whirlpool, Kenmore, GE, Amana, Maytag, KitchenAid and Frigidaire.

Frost building up in back of refrigerator or freezer section.

Refrigerator Defrost Thermostat

Possible cause and repair parts solution:

  • Defective part, defrost timer.
  • Defrost Heater(s) are inoperable.
  • Defrost thermostat limit is defective.
  • Freezer fan motor is not working.

Thrashing or clattering sound

Noise appears to be coming from the freezer section.

Freezer Fan Motor

Possible cause and repair parts help solution 

  • The refrigerator freezer fan motor blade may be loose.
  • The motor shaft may be worn out.
  • The blade may be striking a foreign object such as paper
    or cardboard.
  • The blade may be striking ice build up or a stray ice cube.

 

Most of the refrigerator parts that are mechanical, such as a defrost timer, light switch, freezer fan motor, condenser fan motor, compressor, defrost element, fan switch, fan blade, cold control, thermostat, defrost terminator, limit switch, ice maker and water valves can usually be obtained for most of the above mentioned repair parts, even for refrigerator units that are 25 to 35 years old. These parts are still readily available.

 

Admiral, Amana, Americana, Arctic Air, Bosch, Caloric, Crosley, Dacor, Danby, E-wave, Electrolux, Estate, Frigidaire, GE, Gaggenau, Gibson, Goldstar, Haier, Hardwick, Hotpoint, Inglis, JC Penney, Jenn Air, Kelvinator, Kenmore, KitchenAid, LG, Magic Chef, Maytag, Modern Maid, Montgomery Ward, Norge, RCA, Roper, Samsung, Scotsman, Sharp, Sub Zero, Tappan, Thermador, U-Line, Universal, Westinghouse, and Whirlpool.

My Washer Leaves The Laundry Soaking Wet

My Washer Leaves The Laundry Soaking Wet

by | Jan 7, 2019 | Kenmore/Whirlpool washer repair, washer repair, washing machine replacement parts, water valve replacement parts |

If your laundry is dripping wet and very heavy after the final washer cycle is finished,  this is a check list that may help you troubleshoot and pin point the problem.

 

Check the clothes washer drain hose – clogged or bent –

On the back of your washer is a drain hose.  Check this to make certain it is not bent, therefore restricting the water from draining out.  At the same time you should remove the hose from the drain pump and check to see that the pump and drain hose don’t have any blockages that would be keeping the water from flowing.

Washer drain hose is positioned incorrectly –

Clothes Washer Drain Hose

The drain hose in back of your clothes washer may be either too far down in the drainpipe or not far enough down.  This would cause the water to not drain out of the tub, leaving your clothes dripping wet.

Drain filter or coin trap clogged on the clothes washer –

A clothes washer has a debris filter or coin trap which could possibly be blocked causing the washer not to spin dry your clothes  The drain filter is on the front bottom of the washer and the coin trap is located behind an access panel.  These are filtering devices and can be easily cleaned which will make the water flow when the washer is draining the water out.

The drain pump is clogged or faulty –

The washer drain pump may be clogged with debris or faulty if it will not spin all of the water out of the washer.  Check out the inside of the drain hose and the pump ports for debris that may be clogging them.  If these are clear, test the drain pump to make certain it is working properly.

Clothes Washer Pump

Wash load may make the tub get out of balance and not spin fast enough –

When loading the washer try to add items of the same size.  No blankets or large heavy items with smaller ones. This will get the washer out of balance.  Don’t overload your washer or pack clothing in tightly.

Loose or damaged clothes washer belt –

If your washing machine is not spinning your clothes dry it may be the belt, pump or the motor.  The belt could be stretched or just worn out.  Check the belt or the direct drive system for wear and tear.  If the drive belt or direct drive motor coupling is worn, stretched, broken, cracked or damaged in any way, they will need to be replaced.

Washing machine clutch may have gone bad –

Appliance Parts

If your washer is not spinning your clothes dry, it may be that the clutch is about to fail, because the spinning action is not sufficient to remove enough water from your clothes.

Your problem could possibly be the transmission, although this is usually rare.