Tips to make your repair go quicker

There are a couple of things that can make our job helping you a lot easier. Let's go over them!

Brand

Knowing which brand your appliance is helps us narrow down what the problem may be, and how we can correct it. Certain brands operate in certain ways, and if we know which one it is, it makes it that much easier for us to fix it!

Model

Knowing the model further narrows down what the problem may be. Like with brands, certain models tend to wear out in very specific ways.

How to Get Your Microwave Sparkling!

Microwave Cleaning Supplies:

• Lemons
• Apple Cider Vinegar
• Water
• Microwave safe glass bowl or measuring cup

What you need to do:

• Gather Lemons, Apple Cider Vinegar (white vinegar works great too) and water.
• Chop up a couple of lemons, place in a microwave safe measuring or bowl.
• Pour in about 1/4 cup vinegar, then fill the rest with water.
• Place it in your microwave and turn on for a couple of minutes. About 3 to 4 minutes depending on your microwave. You want the water to get hot enough to create a steam.
• After it’s done, DON’T OPEN THE DOOR. Let it sit for 10 minutes or so. The steam will lift the dried on food.
• Using a clean damp sponge, wipe it clean.

Now you have a sparkling clean microwave that should also smell nice and fresh. Enjoy!

Managing Appliance Costs

We depend on our refrigerators, stoves, washing machines, hot water heaters, air conditioners, microwaves and the rest to help us maintain our lifestyles. Whether we need to install new appliances or repair existing gadgets, the money spent generally falls into the category of "sound investment." How much you'll pay depends on a number of factors:

Brand and Quality of Appliances

In the past five years, we've all become much more sophisticated in our appliance-shopping strategies. We compare prices with a few mouse clicks. We also can go beyond low price tags and look at quality. What do reviews say about that brand of toaster oven? What kind of problems have arisen for owners of that refrigerator model? A few minutes of research can quickly make it clear that paying for quality brands can save you big bucks in the life of an appliance. That research can also suggest what brands charge way more than the value of their products. If you're buying appliances as part of a major renovation, your contractor can be another source of information, guiding you to the best values.

Size of Appliances

Many appliances get more expensive as their size and capacity increase. Washers, dryers, dishwashers, refrigerators, microwaves and even trash compactors will often go up in price as their size and capacity increases. But understand that bigger isn't always better. Take into account the size of your family or the number of guests you serve as well as the available space you have for the appliance.

Appliance Energy Efficiency

Appliances that use less water and power and have a higher energy efficiency rating are often more expensive. But these are often the better value, earning you back that investment over time with lower utility bills. Look for the Energy Star, an international symbol that tells you an appliance meets exceptional efficiency standards.

Power and Water Needed for Appliances

When installing new appliances, it's important that you have enough electricity and water to run them, and that the power and water are located in the right places. If you need to increase the electricity or move the locations of plumbing or wiring to accommodate the new appliances then the cost of installation will increase accordingly.

Appliance Repairs

The cost of fixing your appliances will vary greatly from the type of appliance and the extent of the repairs needed. When you purchase your appliance, it's important that you consider the length and coverage of the warranty. Many appliances are covered for just a few months. Others are covered for a lifetime. When your repair is covered by a warranty, it sometimes is only honored if you return the appliance to the manufacturer for the repair. Make sure you check the details of the warranty before calling a repair professional. Some appliances will cost more at the point of purchase but carry a longer or more comprehensive warranty and therefore may be a better buy overall.


For more helpful tips like these

Call us at

208-344-6700

Visit us at

www.expressapplianceid.com

Stop by at

609 N. Orchard, Boise

Business hours:

M-F: 8-6; Sat 8-5

Protect-N-Shine is a great product that prevents smudges, fingerprints, and build up on your appliances. Watch their demonstration video!

If you have any questions,

Call us at
208-344-6700

Visit us at
www.expressapplianceid.com

Stop by at
609 N. Orchard, Boise

Business hours:
M-F: 8-6; Sat 8-5

10 DIY Maintenance Tips : Part 2

We all have that fear. Your washing machine breaks in the middle of a cycle, flooding your laundry room. Your refrigerator shuts down after you just restocked with groceries. Or your oven stops working just before a large holiday meal. What many people don't realize is that these and other major appliance malfunctions can be avoided with just a little TLC.

There are simple appliance maintenance tasks that you can do on your own, with little investment (time or money) and no prior experience. Here are the last five of ten easy DIY tips for maintaining your appliances.

6. Fix rusty dish rack tines. Rust on the tines of your dishwasher racks can adhere to and ruin your dishes and silverware. To solve this issue, purchase a tine repair kit, and use a sealant to adhere the replacement tips over any rusty or chipped tines. Let dry for at least 24 hours before running the dishwasher.

7. Clean and deodorize your garbage disposal. Turn the disposal off and look down the drain for any large, stuck items. Use tongs or another tool--not your hands--to remove blockages. Pour a mixture of ice cubes and salt, or vinegar down the drain. Run cold water over it for 10 seconds, and turn on the unit. To remove odors, place a handful of citrus peels in the disposal, run cold water, and turn it on.

8. Clean your dryer exhaust. Lint in the dryer exhaust not only reduces appliance efficiency, it is a fire hazard. To clean, loosen the clamp and pull the exhaust off the back of the dryer. Remove large clumps of lint from the tubing and the hole in the back with your hands, or if you can't reach, gently scrape with a straightened coat hanger. Vacuum and reattach.

9. Inspect washing machine hoses. Most washing machine floods are caused by leaks in the hose. Check the hoses that connect to the back panel on your washing machine for any cracks, leaks, or weak spots on the hoses. If you find any deformities, replace the hose. And at minimum, replace the hoses every five years.

10. Clean your air conditioner filter. Clogged or dirty filters restrict air flow, reducing energy efficiency as well as the appliance's lifespan. As a result, filters should be cleaned every two to four weeks. To clean the filter, remove the front panel of the unit. If a reusable filter is in place, vacuum it to remove as much dirt as possible. Disposable filters can simply be replaced.

Follow these quick and easy repair tips to keep your appliances running like new.

How to clean Stainless Steel Appliances

Just like wood, steel also has a grain. These are the very faint striations that can be found on the surface of your appliance. An entire sheet of steel will have the same direction grain. That said, an appliance will usually have other steel pieces attached, such as handles and knobs. These other pieces may have a different direction grain, so make sure you are aware of this.

Will your appliance be ruined if you do not clean in the direction of the grain? Nope. Nothing dramatic will happen! Only that If you wipe perpendicular to the grain, more cleaning residue (mixed with any grime already on the steel) may get deeper into the tiny little crevices of the grain. For optimal shininess, its best to go with the grain. This rule applies to any cleaning agent you use on any piece of stainless steel.

What you'll need

• 2 non-abrasive cleaning rags. I went with 100% cotton because it has almost absolutely no residual lint. However, in the past, I have used run-of-the-mill paper towels, which worked ok (they do leave some lint)
• Dish soap. Here I used "Dawn"
• Baby oil or any mineral oil
• Stained steel

Cleaning

Mild and quite loveable, dishsoap is amazing in fighting grime off dishes...and appliances! Who knew? This step will clean excess oils off the steel, and make polishing much more enjoyable!

1. Apply a small amount to your cleaning rag. Rinse with a small amount of water, just enough to make your rag damp
2. Wipe along the grain line of your appliance. For extra stubborn fingerprints, you may need to go over the area a few times. 
3. When thoroughly finished cleaning an area, dry any water marks with a dry towel.

Polishing

This is the rewarding part. 

1. Put a *small* amount of mineral oil or baby oil on your second rag. Really, a couple of drops will be more than sufficient!
2. Similar to cleaning, follow the grain of your steel, and move in either direction. 
3. Polishing the steel in this way will give you optimal results.

You're done! Enjoy your shiny appliance!

Microwave Maintenance

Bill Krier, president and CEO of highly the rated Broad Ripple Appliance in Indianapolis, recommends cleaning your microwave regularly to remove food particles.

“Even though it’s stuck on there, the microwave is going to keep heating the food pieces,” he says. “After time it’s going to get hard as a rock.”

Krier says microwaves heat food particles at high temperatures, which can then burn the top and sides of the microwave. He recommends cleaning the inside of the microwave with glass cleaner.

To remove stubborn food bits, boil a cup of water or white vinegar in the microwave to loosen the food particles, which you can then easily wipe off with a sponge.