Fixing Common Kitchen Appliance Issues

9 May 2017
 Categories: , Blog

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Kitchen appliances have special place in the hearts of many homeowners, thanks to the fact that they cut down on the amount of time spent performing dull, repetitive, or unwanted tasks. Perhaps for that reason, nothing could be more frustrating than a kitchen appliance that ceases to work the way it should. If you would like to improve your DIY repair skills, here is how to handle three frequently encountered kitchen appliance problems.

Garbage Disposal

The problem: Disposal has stopped working.

There are two main reasons that a garbage disposal may stop working correctly. The first is that the motor has overheated. When this happens, an inbuilt overload switch automatically shuts off the disposal to prevent its burning out. Give the appliance a few minutes to cool off, then press the little red button you'll find on the bottom of the disposal. This will reset the overload switch.

The second main problem is a disposal whose motor makes humming sounds but whose blades do not spin. As you can likely guess, this is generally the result of food or foreign objects that have become stuck in the disposal. Cut off power to the disposal to prevent it from suddenly kicking off, then use your hand to dislodge and remove any stuck objects.

Dishwasher

The problem: dishes do not get properly cleaned.

Nothing could be more aggravating then opening up your dishwasher at the end of its cycle, only to find food particles still coating the dishes. This problem is generally tied to a clogged filter. A clogged filter will prevent water from entering the pump system, which in turn means that the sprayer arms will not be able to adequately wash or rinse the dishes in your top rack.

Correcting this problem is simple: you just have to clean the filter. Begin by taking out your lower dish rack. At the bottom of the machine you should see the filter cover. Lift this out of place and, using either a cloth or a wet/dry vacuum, remove the debris that has accumulated inside the filter.

Electric Range

The problem: one of your burners won't heat up.

This problem is often the result of a burner prong whose connection is excessively loose. You can test this by gently jiggling the burner from side to side. If you feel a strong wiggle, remove the burner by pulling it straight out from its socket, and carefully bend the two prongs apart. Now reinsert the prongs and test again for wiggle. By adjusting until the prongs sit firmly in the socket, you should be able to restore proper functioning. 

For more information, talk to a professional like Eco Appliance Service.