Have you tried turning it off and on again?

This simple advice is tried, tested, and true: your problem might go away if you turn it off and on again.

If something doesn't seem right with your appliance, turn it off or unplug it for a while and let it rest. Plug it back in and see if that fixed the problem.

Who knows, it may just fix everything!

Ignition Lighting?

Gas powered appliances depend on some sort of ignition process in order to work.

Often times these igniters can get covered with soot and buildup.

If your appliance isn't working, you might just need to clean the igniter. Regardless, once a months its a good idea to check on the igniter to see if it needs cleaning.

Fix the Move

Out of all the things on appliances, the things that are most likely to break are the things that move.

On most appliances, this means you should look at your fans and motors if something has gone wrong.

Some of these are a quick fix and you can do yourself. Others are rather labor intensive and difficult, and you should give us a call if you run into those problems!

Don't clean under you oven's knobs

While we all know a clean oven is a happy oven, you shouldn't clean under the knobs. The knobs to your oven are a part of an electrical system that tells the oven how much to heat it's coils.

When you put water on an electrical system, it could short circuit it, electrocute you, or both.

If a short occurs, then it'll be a service call for us to come out and fix it for you.

If its an electrocution, a hospital trip or funeral would be in your future.

The best plan of action: don't clean under your knobs!

A Gas Stove MUST

Gas stoves tend to live longer than their electrical counterparts by a couple years. However, they only do if you do this one thing to them:

CLEAN THEM!

Debris and spills build up can prevent the gas from burning the right way, and create more wear and tear on the stove.

When cleaning, make sure the gas is off and you take all the proper safety precautions.

Is the self clean cycle on your oven enough?

Having your oven clean itself is a very tempting chore to do, or in this case, not do. You can just switch it on and it takes care of itself, right?

Unfortunately, the self-cleaning oven feature isn't as effective as a good old fashioned scrubbing. It just can't be beat.

If you're wanting to put some elbow grease in, make sure the oven is unplugged and the racks are taken out. This might also be a good time to check to see if the seal on your oven is damaged.

This simple maintenance may help keep your oven staying hot for years to come!

Things to do before the repairman arrives

There are a few things that you should keep in mind before the repairman arrives at your house to fix your appliance. It will make life easier for both you and for the repairman.

Time
We tend to be pretty good about our appointments, but sometimes things run over or under time. Its a good idea to have some extra time before and after the appointment set aside in case this happens.

Know what's wrong
Be able to communicate how your appliance isn't working, and how it may be on the fritz. If you have the make and model of the appliance before you call us, we can be even more prepared.

Watch where you're going!
We might need to get some equipment in and out, and maybe even the appliance. Make sure there is a cleared path for us to get around.

Down, boy!
Make sure your animals are put away. it is safer for you, us, and them. We want to make sure there aren't any accidents!

Payments
Its a good idea to ask how much repairs might cost. If you ask us before hand, we would be happy to give you an estimate.

The 50% Rule

Your washer has broken down, do you repair it or get a new one? It can be a tough decision, but there's a rule of thumb that may help.

"The 50% Rule" states that if your appliance is 50% through it's life span, and the cost of repairing it would be equal to 50% of buying a new appliance, you should probably just buy a new one.

Luckily we have a wide selection of appliances at our stores if you are in need of a new one! Stop on down to check them out today!

Electric Range Not Working?

One common problem with electric ranges is the prongs. Sometimes they can get bent inwards and they don't handle the electricity right, which means the element doesn't heat up.

Luckily, this is an easy fix.

When the element is 100% cool, unplug it and take it out. This would be a great time to clean it if it's in need of a great scrubbing. Then bend the prongs (pictured red in the diagram) outward. This makes it much more likely that the element will be able to have the electricity flow through it and heat it properly.

Why Impulse Buy?

Salesmen at a big-box shop can be intimidating with their pushiness. They want to sell you the latest and greatest so they get their commission. They will practically try to sell you a washer and dryer that tweet out when your laundry is done. No one needs all those bells and whistles - just clean clothes.

We sell the tried and true products, and with great perks. We have a lifetime service guarantee and have a 90-day financing cash option! We also wont push you to close a sale.

If you're in need of a new large appliance or just a repair, give us a call or stop on by.

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.

The Month of Smells, Week 3: Oven

The last 2 weeks have chiefly dealt with appliances that include a water aspect. However, this week's is different; no water included. When cooking in an oven, some smells can linger and can affect future meals cooked in it. There's some very quick and easy ways to try to get those smells to no longer linger.

• Fill a baking dish with an inch of water and put vanilla extract in it and turn your oven on low heat, while checking on it periodically
• Bake a citrus peel (orange, lemon, lime, etc)
• Fill a baking dish with lemon juice and turn your oven on low heat, while checking on it periodically
• Fill a baking dish with white vinegar and turn your oven on low heat, while checking on it periodically
• Scrub everything with a mixture of baking soda and white vinegar

What We Do

Besides being the best appliance repair service in the Treasure Valley, we also sell a variety of top quality appliances that come with a warranty and a lifetime service agreement. Here are some examples of what we sell:

washers

dryers

washer and dryer sets

top-down fridges

side-by-side fridges

freezers

ovens

If you're in need of any of these, come into our store to get the best deal in the valley!

Even cooking

When using your oven, ensure that the pans and trays don't touch each other. You want the air and heat to be able to circulate all the way around them unobstructed. By not doing this it prevents your oven from doing it's job properly.

Calibrate Your Oven

A properly calibrated oven is important for baking your food perfectly. An oven that isn't calibrated can over or undercook your food and cost you money and the loss of a great meal.

The first step is to get an oven thermometer. This one on amazon is just over $5. You will use this to determine how accurate your oven's internal thermometer is.

Place the thermometer you bought from amazon in the center of the oven, and turn your oven onto 350 degrees. Give your oven plenty of time to pre-heat. Once it is pre-heated, check to see what the thermometer says inside. After that, move the thermometer around the oven and see if there are pockets that are hotter or colder. If it's accurate, it might just be you burning those cookies!

If your oven's temperature is off, give us a call! We'll fix it right up for you. Contact us at 208-344-6700, or come see us at 607 N Orchard St, Boise, ID 83706!

7 Top Hints When Working on Your Appliance

1. Be aware of sharp edges
2. Tie back long hair
3. Wear proper safety gear
4. Unplug the Appliance
5. Work in well lit areas
6. Remove all jewelry
7. Lift with your legs, not your back

If you're unsure about doing any work on your own appliance, call us at 208-344-6700 or stop by at 609 N Orchard St, Boise, ID 83706

Too any Burn Brownies? Your Oven May Need Re-calibrating.

Are your brownies always turning out burnt? Your oven may need to be re-calibrated. Luckily, the re-calibration process is easy.

You first need to make sure your oven really needs to be re-calibrated. The tried and true method is to put a cooking thermometer in the oven and see if it says what you put the oven at.

If you don't have an oven, there's another way. Make 2 small cups out of aluminum foil and put a spoonful of sugar in each of them. Set the oven for 355 and put one of the packets in. After 15 minutes, increase the temperature to 375 and leave both for another 15 minutes. If the first cup's sugar is still white and the second melts and turns brown, your oven is calibrated. If both cups' sugar stay white, your oven is too cool. If both are brown, your oven is too hot.

If your oven needs re-calibrating, give us a call at 208-371-8676

Still Need a New Year's Resolution? Check Out This Checklist!

Cleaning and checking our appliances for problems can be a difficult thing to remember, but it is very important to do. If you're still looking for a New Year's resolution, doing that simple maintenance is a great idea! Here is a chart we made to help you remember to do it. Print it off and put it somewhere you'll be able to see it every could months!

Chore	Spring	Summer	Fall	Winter
Clean and check washer and dryer
Clean and check hose connections on washer and dryer
Clean and check dishwasher for leaks
Clean and check fridge for leaks
Check water heater for leaks
Clean and check seal on oven

Are you Cooking Christmas Dinner?

If you're cooking Christmas dinner, it might be a good time to check your appliances. Are they ready to handle the load of cooking for a whole family? If your appliances are up to the job, we can help.

Call us at
(208) 344-6700

Visit us at
http://www.expressapplianceid.com/

Or stop by at
607 N Orchard St, Boise, ID 83706

5 Tips to keep your kitchen in top shape!

1. Kid Drawers

Kids are just tiny people, and they need to eat too! Instead of having them talk to you every time they want a snack, put snack foods near the bottom of the fridge so they can reach them when they want them.

2. Clean/Dirty Dishwasher Magnets

This helpful magnet is one that can help a lot. It lets people know when dishes are ready to be put away or need to be loaded in. No more excuses of not knowing if the dishwasher was clean or not! Our favorite magnet can be found here.



3. Fridge Liners

If your kids are prone to making messes, lining your fridge with plastic might be a good way to make any accidental spills a quick clean up in your fridge!



4. Lock the Oven

Locking the oven when you're cooking is always a good idea. It helps prevent kids from getting in there and accidentally burning themselves.



5. Range Hood Vent Filters

These often forgotten about filters are not immune to needing changing! If you can't remember the last time yours was changed, its probably time to change it!