THE FIX IS IN
Has your microwave given up the ghost? Mourn it briefly and replace it, says Wayne Archer, who fixed appliances for 20 years and now provides DIY help for appliance and lawn and garden equipment for Sears. Replacing is sometimes more economical than repairing. Archer volunteers his expertise to answer questions about a variety of common problems.
Q My front-load washer is starting to smell. How do I get rid of the stink?
A Over time, an odour-causing residue can build up from all the dirt, detergent, fabric softener and water that pass through your front-load or top-load washer. One of the best things you can do to prevent odours is remove wet clothes as soon as possible when the wash cycle is done. Also, leave your washer door or lid open between loads to dry out.
If you have young children who might find the open washer door an invitation to play, keep the laundry room door closed while airing it out.
Q I have occasional bouts of dirty water appearing in the bottom of my dishwasher, presumably from the sink next to it. Our appliance repairman says the washer is functioning fine. The plumber made sure the dishwasher’s water hose was raised up a bit, and advised I clear the sink drain occasionally with yeast or RID -X. Any other ideas?
A If dirty water is appearing in the dishwasher at random times, your problem might be from a restriction in your house drain line. This will block the water from going down the drain, causing the house drain water to back up and fill the dishwasher with some dirty water. I recommend checking the dishwasher for dirty water after you run water from other places, such as sinks or showers. If water appears then, you will need to have a plumber come over and clean your house drain lines.
Q The ice dispenser on my side-by-side refrigerator suddenly stopped working. Now I have to scoop ice from inside the freezer door. It’s a minor inconvenience, but I wonder whether there’s a simple solution. The water dispenser works fine, as does the ice maker. Any ideas?
A Open the freezer door and look into the ice chute from the inside of the freezer door to check for an ice clog. Use a hair dryer on a low setting to defrost ice and clear the clog if you see ice cubes in the chute. If the chute is clear, then a wiring failure or faulty control is probably preventing the ice-dispenser door from opening.
Q My 10-year-old microwave has stopped working. Except for the Popcorn button, any other function causes it to conk out and then prompts a Reset Clock message. Do you think it would be cheaper to fix it or replace it?
A Repairs for a 10-year-old microwave would most likely be more expensive than buying a new one.
Q My kid scratched up the inside of my microwave. Can I use appliance touch-up paint to repaint the entire inside?
A Sorry, no. Touch-up paint is designed only for use on arcs and burn marks up to the size of a quarter. The touch-up paint shouldn’t be used to repaint the entire inside of the microwave. For safety, a service technician should examine the inside of the microwave if it has large scratches. If the technician determines that it’s safe to repaint the inside of the microwave cavity, the technician can apply the paint and then test the microwave for radiation leakage. The leakage test must be conducted on the microwave before it can be used safely.
Q When the spin cycle is ending and the drum starts to slow down to a halt, my washer makes an alarming rattling noise. What is it and can I fix it myself ? Is it worth the cost of having it repaired or should I buy a new one?
A Foreign objects such as coins under the agitator could be the cause of your problem. On older washers, the spin bearings could also be wearing out and starting to make noise. I recommend having a service technician check your washer for foreign objects under the agitator. Repairing or replacing would depend on the age of the product and overall shape it is in.
Q My dishwasher is about two years old and I use it once or twice a week. I have tried the Soil, Prowash and Tough cycles, but my dishes do not come out clean. I have also taken the filters out and they are all clean. Do you have any suggestions before I call for service?
A Check the holes in the spray arms for hard water deposits that could be blocking water flow. Clean any blocked sprayarm holes using toothpicks or bamboo skewers. If the sprayarm holes are clear or the dishes still don’t get clean after clearing the spray arms, watch our Searspartsdirect.com video on the topic online to help address other possible dishwasher cleaning issues.
Q We don’t use our dishwasher at all, but I’ve been wondering if we should run a load through once a month or so to keep it working. Would this be a good idea?
A Yes, running a load once a month will help keep water seals moist and flush out any water in the pump and hoses.
Q My dryer no longer makes a sound to alert me when the drying cycle has ended. Also, if the dryer door is closed for a week, a lot of moisture builds up inside the drum and I have even noticed a small puddle of water on the floor beneath the door. What is causing these problems?
A Check the dryer’s control settings to see whether the end-ofcycle signal is turned off. Turning the signal back on may fix that problem. If not, a wiring failure or faulty control may be causing the signal failure.
Moisture inside the drum could be caused by a broken vent damper on the wall cap where dryer exhaust air blows out the side of your house. A flapper on that wall cap should close and prevent air from entering your home when the dryer isn’t running. If that damper is broken, replace the wall cap.
Q My top-load washing machine fin. Can the has machine a cracked continue agitator to run effectively if a piece breaks off completely, or would I need to replace the entire agitator unit? Will this throw it off balance?
A Yes, it could throw the washer off balance. It could also rip clothes that get caught on it. We recommend replacing the cracked agitator.
Q My front-loader has developed a black stain on the gasket. It’s spreading from the side where the door hinge is, which led me to think it’s some kind of mould. I tried scrubbing and bleaching to no avail. Do I have to replace the gasket?
A To remove washer mould already present on the door seal of a front-load washer, follow these steps from Searspartsdirect.com: 1. Empty all garments from the washer.
2. Mix 3/4 cup (180 ml), of liquid chlorine bleach in 1 gallon (4 L), of warm tap water.
3. Wipe the seal area with the solution and let stand for five minutes.
4. Rinse the area thoroughly with plain water. Open the door wide and let the seal air dry.