July 26, 2010
Troubleshooting Your Air Conditioner
Air Conditioner
Midsummer.
It is the hottest, most humid time of the year in most of the country. The last thing one needs is a broken or malfunctioning air conditioner.
If your air conditioner does show signs of misbehavior, visit RepairClinic.com. Highly trained technical experts can help you troubleshoot your problem, find the solution and acquire the part you need to fix it.
Here are a few of the most common problems with air conditioners:
- The air conditioner doesn’t turn on at all – Check to see if there is power getting to your unit – check the fuses or circuit breakers. If there’s still no power, you will need to contact a qualified electrician to restore power to the outlet. If there is power coming to the appliance but it is still completely dead there may be a problem in one or more of the following areas:
- Wiring (inspect for any broken or burnt wiring)
- Thermostat
- Compressor
- Overload and/or relay
- Selector switch
- Control board
Work on these areas of an appliance may require help from an appliance repair person or other qualified technician.
- The fan runs but there’s no cold air – Is the thermostat knob turned to the proper setting? Is the compressor motor running? The compressor is a football-sized case with no apparent moving parts. It is located inside the air conditioner at the center. Is it humming or making any kind of continuous noise or causing the lights to dim? If it is making a continuous noise, and your air conditioner is still not cooling at all, there may be a serious problem with one or more of these areas:
- Compressor
- Condenser
- Evaporator
These items are not user serviceable. You will need to contact a qualified appliance repair technician to repair these components.
If the compressor is not running but you do have power to the air conditioner there may be a problem in one or more of these areas:
- Compressor
- Overload and/or relay
- Thermostat (open thermostat)
- Burnt wiring
- Bad selector switch
- Capacitor
For more information, troubleshooting suggestions and all the air conditioner parts that you need, visit RepairClinic.com.
July 19, 2010
RepairClinic.com – Troubleshooting Your Dehumidifier
Dehumidifier Parts
With the summer in full swing and humidity at record levels, it is important to have your dehumidifier working as efficiently as possible. If something does go wrong, don’t despair. RepairClinic has all the information you need to fix your unit quickly. And if you need parts, visit our website.
Here are a few steps to help you diagnose your problem:
The coils frost up
The coils (on the back of your dehumidifier) are the evaporator. When the unit runs, the coils get very cold. As the fan draws the room air over the coils, the humidity in the air condenses out onto the cold coils. If the temperature of the air the fan draws over the coils is too cool, the humidity that condenses out of the air freezes on the coils.
To remedy this problem, you can try any of these:
Warm up the room the dehumidifier is in.
Put the dehumidifier on a sturdy table (the room air is coolest near the ground).
Turn the unit off until the room warms up.
It runs, but no air blows out the front of the unit
Your dehumidifier has a circulating fan that draws the room air over the coils. If there’s no air movement out the front or the back of the unit, the fan motor may be burned out or stuck, or the fan blade may be broken. If so, you need to replace the fan motor or the fan blade.
The indicator light is on, but the unit doesn’t run
The tank may be full. Your dehumidifier has a safety device that turns off the appliance when the water tank is full. Usually the tank itself either presses against a switch or there’s a device connected to the tank that triggers a switch when the tank is in place and full.
If you’ve emptied the tank and the unit doesn’t run, inspect the place where the tank rests to see if there’s a switch or mechanism that’s not being activated. You may be able to turn it on with a simple flick of your finger.
The container fills up too quickly
When the container fills quickly, your dehumidifier is doing its job. If the container fills quickly for many days in a row, you may want to locate the source of the humidity (for example, is there an unsealed crawl space?) and see if you can correct the problem at the source.
The container doesn’t fill
If your dehumidifier doesn’t seem to run often but the humidity in the room is high, try adjusting the humidistat control on the dehumidifier to a dryer setting. If the dehumidifier seems to run constantly, but there’s little or no water in the container, there may be a problem in the refrigeration system. Try cleaning the unit. If that doesn’t work, you can not repair the refrigeration system yourself. This is the time to call a qualified appliance repair technician.
July 12, 2010
Troubleshooting Your Refrigerator
Refrigerator trouble?
During these hot July days, it is essential to have your refrigerator working well. But what if your unit suddenly stops running?
If your appliance is showing signs of trouble, here is a bit of advice from RepairClinic.com.
The refrigerator has stopped running completely
The first thing to do is make sure that your refrigerator really isn’t running. Check to see if the light comes back on or if there is any fan, motor, or other sound coming from the appliance. Also, try adjusting the thermostat to a colder setting. If there is no sign of life, you will need to figure out what the problem is.
The second thing to do is check if there is power getting to the refrigerator. To do that, plug a lamp or another electrical device into the same outlet the refrigerator is plugged into. If there is no power, check the fuses or circuit breakers in your basement. If the fuses or breakers are not the problem, contact a qualified electrician to restore power to the particular outlet for your refrigerator.
If there is power to the appliance but it is still not working, there may be a problem in one or more of these:
- Wiring
- Thermostat
- Defrost timer
- Compressor
- Overload and/or relay
For all appliance parts, refrigerator help and troubleshooting information please visit RepairClinic.com.
Warning! To avoid personal injury or even death, always disconnect your appliance from its power source – unplug it or break the connection at the circuit breaker or fuse box – before you do any troubleshooting or repair work on your appliance. Also, because some components may have sharp edges, use caution while working on your appliance.
July 6, 2010
RepairClinic.com – Refrigerator Advice
Take care of your refrigerator!
It is very, very hot outside this week and your refrigerator is working hard.
Still, it should not be running constantly, even at high room temperatures. If your refrigerator seems to run non-stop, you should check it out for a number of possible problems.
These are the things that could be wrong:
- Your unit might have a dirty condenser coil. See our Maintenance Tips section for help in cleaning it.
- The clearance around the appliance might not be adequate for proper air flow
- The seal on one of the doors might be loose or worn out
- It might have a light bulb that is not going off when the door is closed
- Your unit might have excessive frost build-up on the internal evaporator coils
- It might have a defective thermostat
- Your refrigerator might be low on refrigerant
Visit RepairClinic.com for expert advice, refrigerator parts and maintenance tips.
Best of luck for a trouble free summer!
June 28, 2010
Ice Maker Parts and Advice
Ice Maker
The hot days of summer are here in earnest. Temperatures are high, humidity is steaming, and we all need something to cool us down.
Ice – it is such a beautiful word in summertime, isn’t it? If you have an ice maker, this is when you use it most.
If your ice maker is not working property, RepariClinic.com can help you diagnose the problem and find the right part to fix this essential summer helpmate.
Here are a few possible problems with your ice maker:
- No ice – if your ice maker has completely stopped making ice, check items in this order:
- It may be turned off. Look for the wire along the right side of the ice maker that looks a bit like a coat hanger. If the wire is in the raised position, the ice maker is turned off. If so, try one of these:
- If your ice maker has a small red plastic lever, lower it to lower the wire.
- If there’s no plastic lever, simply lower the wire.
- It may be turned off. Look for the wire along the right side of the ice maker that looks a bit like a coat hanger. If the wire is in the raised position, the ice maker is turned off. If so, try one of these:
- Make sure that the temperature is 8 degrees Fahrenheit or lower. If the freezer is too warm, the ice maker won’t cycle properly and the ice maker fill tube may be blocked by ice. If this is the case, melt the ice by using a hair dryer; be very careful not to melt any plastic parts, though!
- Replace the water shut-off valve or water-inlet valve, or both, if necessary. The ice maker head assembly may have broken parts. Look to see if the gears are broken. Check to see if the small plastic arms that rest against the ice rake are broken. If the ice maker head assembly is modular and you’ve found broken parts, you can just replace the entire thing.
- Small ice cubes or too few of them – if your ice maker is producing ice poorly, you probably have a clogged water line, a defective water-inlet valve, or a defective ice maker mold thermostat that isn’t cycling properly. Check these:
- The water line that’s attached to the back of the refrigerator. Make sure you have good water flow. If the flow is poor, you need to repair, clean, or replace the tubing or the shut-off valve that supplies the water.
- The water-inlet valve. Replace it if it has failed.
- Check the freezer temperature. If should be 8 degrees Fahrenheit or lower. If the freezer temperature is too low, the ice maker won’t cycle properly.
- The ice maker mold thermostat. Make sure that it’s cycling properly.
- Specks in the cubes – if you find black or gray specks in your ice cubes, have a look at the ice cube tray. If the protective coating is peeling away, the most economical solution is to completely replace the ice maker.
Enjoy your summer with a cool, ice filled glass of lemonade!
June 24, 2010
Raina’s Cakes
The Margarita Cake!
On several occasions in the past few weeks, employees at RepairClinic.com come to work and were dazzled with a lovely surprise – a beautifully decorated cake!
The first cake was a pink and purple sphere, adorned with jewel colored swirls. As Roger said, it looked like something out of a cartoon by Dr. Seuss. It was playful, twirly and funny. There was a little note next to the cake that said – Enjoy!
We had no idea who made it, and no one wanted to cut into it first and ruin the design.
I know it happened on a Tuesday morning, because we were having our Marketing meeting. Who made the cake?
Raina came forward. We should have known that the cake was hers, it certainly had her lively personality stamped all over it. She and her husband, Tim, were looking for a fun project and decided to give cake making and decorating a go. They were so good at it from the first try that we all encouraged them heartily.
We cut into the cake and it tasted as good as it looked.
A few days later we found another cake in the lunchroom – this one was made in the shape of Sylvester the cat. Tim made Sylvester, and sent it to the good people at RepairClinic to enjoy. Employees looked, laughed, marveled and then attacked. Sylvester was gone before I went to the lunchroom for my second cup of coffee.
But it was the cake number three that blew us all away. Early one morning, Raina brought in a shimmering, green cake in a shape of a huge margarita glass. She even had a straw sticking out on one side.
People from all departments came to see the margarita glass cake. Cameras appeared in the lunchroom, flash lights were brightening the start of our day, and the morning acquired that sparkly and elegant feeling usually reserved for festive afternoons.
We can’t wait to see what Raina and Tim come up with next!
June 21, 2010
RepairClinic.com Summer Barbecue
RepairClinic.com Summer Barbecue and Fun Day
Last week, we celebrated the beginning of summer with a company barbecue and family fun day at RepairClinic.com.
After all the downpours and extreme weather we were having in Michigan lately, we were all a bit nervous. But the morning was pleasant, sunny and dry. Perfect for a barbecue.
The tent was already up when I arrived, and people were arranging tables and chairs. Two huge bouncies we had rented out for the afternoon fun with the kids were being inflated. I had stopped at the flower shop and picked up dozens of jewel colored African violets. Wrapped in green and white tissue paper they added charm and elegance to our gathering when I placed them on white tablecloths.
The grills were being fired up on the side of our building, and Lisa, Ryan, Tracy, Shielda and Veronica were ready to start grilling when Raina arrived with the meat.
Alana stopped at the bakery to pick up the desserts – an amazing selection of delectable little pastries, fruit tarts, chocolate brownies, carrot cake slices and napoleons.
When employees started lining up at 12:30, everything was set up and ready. I placed a perfectly done piece of steak on my plate, potato salad on the side, and green salad with dried cherries. Prizes were given, employees recognized and Larry informed us on the progress of the latest projects and initiatives. I quietly listened as I tasted a delicate fruit tart with light cream and tangy kiwi and raspberries.
After the employee luncheon, we started cleaning up and preparing for the arrival of our friends and families. The bouncies were ready. We brought out the food, the ice cream cart full of goodies, and lots of cold and refreshing drinks.
The balloon guy was setting up when the first families arrived. Children lined up and I don’t think that guy got a break for a second the entire afternoon. We had two caricaturists doing portraits and each had a long list of patrons. Music was playing in one corner of the tent and children danced with full balloon headgear. Others were racing up the large bouncies, sliding down, then racing up again. People talked and some introduced new colleagues to their families. I visited with the little children and held the new babies. Everyone took pictures.
No one wanted to go home at the end of the afternoon. Children asked their moms and dads if they could come again tomorrow. And, I don’t think I was the only one who slept like a baby that night.
June 14, 2010
Dehumidifier Maintenance Parts and Advice
Dehumidifier
Even though summer doesn’t officially start until June 21st, hot weather has already arrived in most of the country, and with it high humidity levels in the atmosphere.
High humidity is not only unpleasant, but can cause mold and mildew to grow inside your home. A number of health risks (allergies, infections, respiratory problems, etc.) are associated with mold in the air. Insects, including clothes moths, fleas and cockroaches flourish in areas of high humidity. For healthy air, relative humidity in most homes should be 30 to 50%.
Dehumidifier is a small appliance that extracts moisture out of the air. This is how it works: by using a fan to pull ventilation over two sets of refrigerant-filled coils (one cool and one warm,) saturation vapor pressure of water decreases, causing the water in the air to condense and drip into a collecting bucket. Different dehumidifiers have various levels of effectiveness in removing moisture during the same period of time. Dehumidifiers vary according to tank size, water removal, humidistat accuracy, energy efficiency, noise and frost control.
Maintenance advice for your dehumidifier from RepairClinic.com:
- Get your dehumidifier ready for the cooling season. Check to see that the humidistat is set correctly. If it is set too high (low humidity), the unit may run continuously, which is unnecessary. Hygrometer is a very useful tool that helps you determine the correct setting for your humidistat.
- Clean your dehumidifier water container.
- Replace your dehumidifier filter. RepairClinic.com has several to choose from in our dehumidifier accessories section.
- If you need a part for a broken dehumidifier, RepairClinic.com has parts for any unit.
Have a cool and pleasant summer!
June 7, 2010
RepairClinic.com Walking Program
RepairClinic.com Walking Program
RepairClinic.com is the kind of company that encourages its employees to take care of their health. Our Health and Wellness committee, STAND (Stepping To A New Direction) has started a walking program this June and the response has been overwhelming.
This is how it works:
- All employees are invited to join the walking program
- Everyone who participates receives a free pedometer to track their steps and a free t-shirt
- Participants should log their steps every day into an Excel spreadsheet or on a log sheet
- The program runs through the month of June
- Participants are encouraged to walk 4,000 steps a day the first week; 6,000 steps a day the second week; 8,000 steps a day the third week; 10,000 steps a day the fourth week
- Names of participants will be placed in a bowl and drawn randomly for prizes every Monday through June.
Prizes will be rewarded throughout the program, but the real gift to all participants will be more movement and physical activity.
I have been taking steps just to make the numbers on my pedometer higher. It is amazing what a difference that little measuring instrument makes. And, my competitive nature is showing signs of life. I really want to try and make those goals. Honestly, it’s not even that hard.
June 1, 2010
Advice from RepairClinic – Summer Food Safety
Summer picnic in Serbia
Every summer, people get sick with food poisoning.
By following a few simple food and hygiene safety rules, you can avoid any discomfort and enjoy the hot months of summer.
- Keep cooked and raw food separate during preparation in order to prevent contamination of foods that will be eaten raw.
- It is best to buy cold foods (meat, poultry, fish, dairy, etc.) right before checking out at your grocery store. Always separate raw meats and poultry from other foods in your cart (to prevent leakage and cross-contamination.)
- Cold foods should be placed into the coolest part of your car. If you live further than 30 minutes away, bring an ice cooler for storage.
- Once home, place cold foods in the refrigerator right away. Meat and poultry that won’t be used in one or two days should be frozen.
- Use your refrigerator for slow, safe defrosting of meat and poultry.
- Cooked food should reach safe internal temperature. Whole poultry -180 degrees F; chicken breasts – 170 degrees F; hamburgers – 160 degrees F; Beef, veal and lamb steaks – 145 degrees F. All pork – 160 degrees F.
- Meat thermometer should be cleaned carefully between temperature checks to prevent contamination.
- During the summer months, food should not sit out at room temperature for more than one hour.
- When preparing any food, but especially meats, keep all surfaces clean. Frequently wash your hands, cutting boards, counters and utensils. Make sure that the wash cloths and towels that you are using to dry your hands are clean.
- Never reuse (or serve as relish) marinades that have come in contact with raw meats, chicken or fish.
- Never place cooked food on the same platter that held raw meat.
- When preparing meals or recipes that use mayonnaise, refrigerate them as soon as you can, and keep cold until serving.
- While at the picnic or beach, keep coolers in the shade. Keep lids tightly closed and avoid frequent openings.
- Use one cooler for drinks and another for food. This way, the cooler containing perishable foods won’t be opened and closed constantly. Replenish the ice as it melts.
- If you have spent a long day in the heat, it is best to throw away leftovers. Don’t take chances.
Your best policy is to use common sense. If you are in doubt, be extra careful!
Gracious Living - Day by Day 