Appliance Troubleshooting Guide:

Do you have some minor issue with your appliance and you’re not sure if you should call a technician or not? Many common appliance problems are easily fixed by yourself with the right knowledge and a little research. It’s important to remember, however, that more serious problems may be present and that self-service know-how is never a replacement for a professional repair technician. Below are some common appliance issues and starting points for what may be wrong or how to fix them.

What is the appliance problem?

The refrigerator is never cold enough, even when highest temperature setting is set.
A pen got into the dryer and now the drum and my laundry are streaked with ink.
The freezer door doesn’t shut tight and nothing stays cold.
The dishwasher door slams open. Sometimes it also leaks water onto the floors.
The dryer takes over two hours to dry a load of clothes now.

Problem: The refrigerator is never cold enough, even when highest temperature setting is set.
Solution: Your refrigerator might be overheating because it is overworking itself. This could be due to too much dust on the condenser coils. Unplug the refrigerator and remove the grille cover at the bottom front of the unit. If you have a vacuum with a soft-brush attachment or crevice tool, use that to vacuum off the dust. If the vacuum can’t reach that far back, you can find coil-cleaning brushes at your local hardware center to get the debris off. If the problem still persists, call Brand Source Appliance Service & Repair at 303-758-5808 to come diagnose & repair the problem as overheating refrigerators can be a serious fire hazard.

Problem: A pen got into the dryer and now the drum and my laundry are streaked with ink.
Solution: First, use some sort of stain remover gel (such as Shout Advanced Gel) on the clothes and get them into the washer. Next, unplug the dryer and if you have an old gas dryer, make sure you turn the pilot light off or anything that may be flammable before cleaning the dryer. Get some isopropyl or denatured alcohol and lightly damp a washcloth with it. Rub down the biggest splotches with this, then wipe any excess liquid off, and then rub down the same areas with another wet washcloth to make sure that any residue from the alcohol & as much ink as possible is gone. Allow all surfaces to dry and all odors to dissipate, alcohol is flammable and could present problems if you operate the dryer before making sure it is safe. Then, toss in some old wet rags or towels to ensure that no more ink will transfer & set on a drying cycle. If there are any remaining ink stains, they eventually disappear over time & should not affect your laundry in any way. There are also options not involving flammable liquids if that makes you nervous but it may cost more for the cleaning products required to do so.

Problem: The freezer door doesn’t shut tight and nothing stays cold.
Solution: You might have too many food items on the shelves of your freezer door, so it could be too heavy to close tight. If there is nothing on the shelves, your refrigerator’s legs might be uneven. To test, turn on a flashlight and put it inside the freezer. If there’s light escaping, the legs aren’t level. Your refrigerator’s legs should be adjustable—try raising the front legs just a tad so they’re a little bit higher than the back ones (DO NOT TILT THE REFRIGERATOR- IT COULD TIP OVER). The appliance’s website should have information on how to properly adjust the legs of your fridge. Then, wipe down the door gasket with some warm water & detergent to clean, dry it, and voila! It should shut better now. If you’re still having a problem, you might need to replace the gasket or the refrigerator may be so uneven that you’ll need to repair the legs. It would be best to call a technician at Brand Source Appliance Service & Repair to fix it. Receive $20 off your service by signing up for our newsletter!

Problem: The dishwasher door slams open. Sometimes it also leaks water onto the floors.
 Easy Solution: Before doing anything, unplug or hit the corresponding circuit breaker to turn off the appliance, and turn off the water supply. If water is leaking, there could be more serious problems with your appliance that are not presenting itself and calling a professional may be the only way to diagnose it. When it comes to tricky parts such as door latches or springs, it may be best to just call a professional. Those types of parts get worn out naturally over the appliance’s lifetime and may just need replacing—check the model number of your unit & call your local Brand Source Appliance Service & Repair to have them do a simple diagnose & repair on the unit.

Problem: The dryer takes over two hours to dry a load of clothes now.
Solution: Dryers will react to venting that has become restricting by cycling off the heat, which is why it takes so long to run a drying cycle. You could try removing the vent hose from the dryer & running a load to see if your timing cycle can run shorter. Dryer vents can run into many problems like being vented vertically, or when they exceed 18 feet without the aid of a helper blower installed inside the duct. Having a vent that is made of thin foil or white plastic is even worse, and potentially dangerous. These types of vents should be replaced, and you can call Brand Source Appliance Service & Repair to come take a look & give you an estimate on repairing the issue. Vents should also be cleaned out at least once a year. There might be other more serious problems with the dryer, though, so calling a repair technician to come take a look may be the only way to really figure out what’s going on.

*The advice on this page should in no way replace the opinion of a professional repair technician. Again, there may be serious problems with your appliance that could cause major damage if not properly diagnosed, or if improperly repaired. A professional, dependable and honest repairman is going to get the job done & get it done right, and that is why Brand Source Appliance Service & Repair is here to help you. Appliance Factory Outlet & Brand Source Appliance Service & Repair are not responsible for any damages that may occur to your appliance or home should you attempt to do-it-yourself. Any appliance repair could be dangerous without the proper knowledge or certification.