Maintainance Tips

Northgate Appliance Services offer free advice for do it- for Do-It Yourselfers living in the city of Edmonton & surrounding.

If you are a Do-It-Yourselfer living in Edmonton, Alberta, and you’re trying to repair your own Washer, Dryer, Refrigerator, Dishwasher, Stove, Oven or Cook top and you need advice about fixing this appliance, I will be glad to help you over the phone. You’re probably wondering why I would do this since most Appliance Repair companies won’t. It’s because I know how much people appreciate someone who’s willing to talk and help without expecting something in return. It makes for good business and if in the future you do need an Appliance Repairman, you’ll probably call us.   

Helpful Appliance Maintenance Tips

Here Are A Few Appliance Tips That May Help You Solve Your Problem and Save You Some Money including “How to Prevent or avoid causes for Fire”

Take off the bottom kick-plate and see if your condenser is dirty.  A dirty condenser can cause the compressor to over-heat which will give you a cooling problem.  Check your condenser 3 times a year and clean if needed.(on some models you will have to pull the refrigerator out and take off the back cover to access the condenser)  Also make sure that both controls are set to the middle positions.

Take the fill hoses off the back of the machine.  Carefully remove the hot and cold water screens from the inlet valve.  Clean and re-install or replace the screens.  Do not leave the screens out or you can damage the valve.  It’s also a good idea to check the washers in the fill hoses at this time and replace if necessary…

Pull the dryer away from the wall and disconnect the vent hose from the back of the dryer.  Keep the dryer pulled out and dry a a couple of clothes with the vent hose off.  If the dryer works fine now then your vent is restricted in some way.  Either a crushed vent hose, vent line full of lint or outside vent flap stuck shut.  Once you clear the line, reconnect the vent hose and push the dryer back into place.  Sometimes it may require a professional with the proper equipment to come out to clean your line.  It’s also a good idea to clean your lint screen before every load.   

When this happens, it’s possible that your igniter switches got wet somehow.  Either by spilling or while cleaning.  A wet igniter switch will cause the igniters to keep clicking.  Unplug the appliance for a few days and see if the problem stops when you plug it back in.  If the problem does not go away after 7 days then you may have 1 or more faulty igniter switches.

Most disposers have an opening on the bottom in the center that you can put an Allen wrench into to un jam it.  Make sure the disposer is unplugged or turned off at the electric panel first.  After you insert the Allen wrench into the slot, move it both clockwise and counterclockwise to see if you can un jam it.  Pull out whatever was jamming it from the top before testing it out.  If you are unable to un jam it then the disposer may need to be replaced.  If the disposer doesn’t even hum, be sure the reset button on the bottom is pushed in.

It is very common for clothes dryer to build up lint inside the housing and around the heater core and eventually catch fire.  Most of the time the lint burns out and you’re left with a burning smell in your laundry room and sometimes damage to your dryer.  There’s always a chance that the flames will spread and catch your house on fire!  It happens.  You probably heard. When I’m called out to repair or service a dryer, I always clean out the lint from inside.  I carry a shopvac on my truck.  Most people think that if they clean their lint screen faithfully, they should be ok.  Not True!  Lint always gets passed the lint screen and builds up inside the dryer.  Most dryers today are not easily accessible for the owner to clean out. 

Our suggestion to you is

Whenever you have an appliance technician out for a repair, ask him to clean out whatever lint there is while he’s there.  If he’s already there on another job, it shouldn’t cost that much more to clean out your dryer lint.  If he’s working on your dryer for any reason, he should always clean out the lint.  A few extra minutes of work could save your belongings, and maybe life.  Clogged vent will make the lint in your dryer build up even faster.  Make sure your dryer vent is clear and your vent hose is in good shape, not too long, and not kinked or crushed.  If you have the old white vinyl or plastic vent hose, Replace It Now! It’s a fire hazard and has been out-lowed.  If your vent line(from the wall to the outside flap) is too long for you to clean out, you might need a professional to do it. if it’s been a few years since anyone has opened your dryer, you might want to call and have it serviced and insist that the technician brings a shopvac to clean out the lint.

Washing Machine Tips!!

Always Empty Everything Out of Your Clothes Pockets!
(You don’t want a quarter or a nail to break your water pump do you?)

Never Overload Your Machine!
(Nothing wears out a Washing Machine more than overloading)
Make Sure Your Load Is Well-Balanced!!
(if you hear the tub banging the sides,  your load is NOT well-balanced)

Never Start Your Machine and Leave the House!!
(I’ve seen the damage a washer can cause if it leaks and no one is home to stop it)

Did we mention “Never Overload Your Washing Machine”?

I think every washer sold should have a giant sign on it that reads:
If you want this washer to last you a long time, with fewer repairs, then make sure that every member of your family DOES NOT OVERLOAD IT”!

Do you know why they don’t post that sign on it?  Because, they want you to buy another washer sooner than you want to. 

As you can see, the washer to the right is overloaded
  Usually a damage caused by overloading a washing machine, cost of
Repair may is high that buying an other mache could be a forced choice.   
Be higher than you want

Dishwasher Tips!

7 Important Tips for Sparkling Clean Dishes!

1.   Rinse most or ALL the food off your dishes prior to putting them in the dishwasher. Use warm water only, NO SOAP, when rinsing.  Even though you think you’ve rinsed all the soap off, you haven’t!  This will cause a suds sing effect in your dishwasher and leave a film on your dishes.  If you leave food on your dishes, that food usually ends up clogging the pump, spray arms and drain lines.  Then you’ll need to call me for a repair!!  

2.  Do not overload the dishwasher!  Leave some room so that water from the spray arms can get to all the dishes.  

3.  Do not put large & tall items in dishwasher.  Wash these items in the sink by hand. The Old- Fashioned Way.  Large items like pots, pans and skillets block the water.  Tall items like cookie sheets can block the spray arms from turning.   

4.  If your machine has a pop-up tower connected to the lower spray arm, be sure not to cover the opening in the center of the lower rack.  This has to be clear so the tower can pop up and clean the top rack.  If you have a dish covering this area or even leaning over it, the top rack will not get cleaned properly.  

5.  Do not use too much dishwasher detergent.  More is NOT better!  I suggest filling the first cup (which goes into the tub immediately) completely full.  The second cup is not necessary but if you want to put detergent in that one also only fill it half way.  I prefer using the Electro sol tablets.  However, don’t put the tablet in the soap cup like it says on the box.  Put the tablet on the bottom of the dishwasher under the lower rack.  This gives the dishwasher more time to rinse out all the soap before the end of the cycle.  

6VERY VERY IMPORTANT!!   When you are ready to start your machine, first turn on the HOT water at the sink and wait till it gets as hot as it’s going to get.  Then turn the water off and start your dishwasher.  This puts hot water into the machine from the start.  If you don’t do this the tub could fill up with cold water. (Because it’s usually a long way from the Hot Water Heater to the kitchen)  Cold water will not dissolve the soap or clean the dishes properly.  

7.   Finally, Clean your dishwasher once a month! This will help keep hard water deposits from building up in your dishwasher and help keep your glasses sparkling clean!!  Just follow the directions. Courtesy of Northgate appliance service 780-200-4605  

NOTE: It may be a good idea to print out this Tips page for reference to the teenagers in the house.

If you have a specific brand that needs a fix and it is not listed here, you are welcome to contact us and check if we can service your appliance.