Three Common Household Appliance Problems And How To Repair Them

Let's face it:  major appliances are major purchases, and most appliances are heavily relied on and generally used on a daily basis.  If one your major appliances breaks, it's a major nuisance:  You'll be inconvenienced and probably out of pocket for repairs or worse, replacements. Read on to discover three common appliance problems and how to repair them.

Three Common Household Appliance Problems And How To Repair Them

1.  Your Washing Machine

Losing the use of your washing machine is one of the most frustrating situations, especially when you have a soggy load of clothes just hanging out in there.  If you are in the middle of washing your clothes and you find that the machine has not begun to agitate, rinse or spin, then you are likely to have the issue of a broken lid or a broken door switch.  I personally learned this the hard way and went through not one but TWO washers on account of broken lid latches. Machines with lid latches use a sensor to determine whether the door has been closed and whether or not it can begin the wash cycle.

In order to fix the issue, you'll have to call a professional.  It's possible to experience harmful EMF exposure should you try and repair it yourself (and to be honest, it's not an easy fix). Read up on safe EMF levels for more information on this.  (Not-so-fun-fact: washing machines are one of the biggest culprits of EMF exposure.)

2.  Your Freezer

A freezer with a floor of ice is a common occurrence in a lot of refrigerators, especially older models. This is usually on account of a badly clogged defrost drain.  To rid yourself of this ice build up, defrost your freezer.  Defrosting your freezer can take a couple of hours, so be sure to move any frozen food to an ice chest to keep cold during the process.  If you're defrosting a freezer that's part of a fridge, be sure you empty the contents of the fridge as well.  Unplug the unit, and lay towels on the floor beneath.  As much as you will be tempted, don't chop away at the ice; you definitely don't want to damage coils or chip the plastic surround.  Lastly, and most conveniently, aim a hair dryer on it's hottest setting at the ice, taking care that you are safely from any water hazard.

Once the ice has melted and you've wiped out all of the water, clean your freezer with a 50/50 mix of white vinegar and water, and dry thoroughly with a clean towel.   Plug the unit back in and wait about 30 minutes before putting all of the food back in.

3.  Your Fridge's Water Dispenser

There is nothing worse than grabbing a glass of "filtered" water from your refrigerator's water dispenser only to find you have some unwanted guests floating in the glass. These "floaters" can be caused by contamination, mineral deposits and even mold (um, ew?).  Be sure to replace your fridge's water filter every six months minimum, or as your manufacturer suggests.  To see what you're dealing with when it comes to your fridge's water, you can purchase inexpensive water test kits to check for lead,  copper, iron, chlorine, mercury and other bacterias.

For more information, consult your refrigerator's warranty and instruction guide for assistance.

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Still not sure if you should repair or replace?  We think you'll love this infographic from uniquedoor.com because it actually shows search terms on YouTube that you can use in order to find solutions to the appliance problems you may be having, so you can make a more informed decision on how to handle your appliance issue(s).