Tag Archives: Complete Appliance Repair

10 Awesome Dishwasher Tips

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Here on the Complete Appliance Repair blog, we want to help you make the most of all of your appliances. Whether that means helping identify a needed repair, or walking you through a simple repair you can do on your own, we’re here to help. We also want to help you maintain and use your appliances in the best possible way. So today we’re sharing 10 awesome dishwasher tips with you!

10 Awesome Dishwasher Tips:

    1. Remove food

The first of 10 awesome dishwasher tips is to remove as much food as possible before putting your dishes in the dishwasher.. Just take a second when you’ve finished eating to scrape the food into the garbage or down the disposal. This will help you to avoid getting less food caught in your dishwasher filter.

      1. Pre-rinsing

Pre-rinsing is a personal decision based on your dishwasher and the type of detergent you use. Some detergents are made to remove residue, and others aren’t. Find what works for you! Generally you plan to rinse oily dishes. It’s also a good idea to pre-rinse if you’re not going to be running your dishwasher very often.

        1. Detergent

Like tip number two, this is going to be a based on your personal preference.  There’s no right or wrong answer, just try a detergent and see how it works for your dishes and your dishwasher.

        1. Loading

Of the ten awesome dishwasher tips we have for you today, this one is probably the most 10 awesome dishwasher tipsawesome and most under-appreciated. How you load your dishwasher makes a big difference when it comes to cleanliness. Plates should be loaded on the bottom rack with the dirty side facing in. Try to stagger your large and small plates. Pots and pans also go on the bottom facing down. Your cutlery goes in the cutlery holder facing up, except your knives if you’re worried about cutting your hand. Cups, glasses and bowls go on your top rack facing down so they don’t collect water. Plastic containers and large utensils also go on the top rack. Bigger items like baking sheets, platters, or cutting sheets sit on the sides or back of the bottom rack. Never block the detergent or water dispenser, and avoid overloading your dishwasher.

        1. Rinse agent

A rinse agent helps to dry your dishes and reduce water spots. It also helps to rinse away any excess detergent and food residue. You may use a rinse agent of your choice or you can try using vinegar instead which will work just as well.

        1. Dishwasher no’s

There are a few things that should never go in your dishwasher and are much better off being hand washed. The first are your good knives. Putting them in the dishwasher can make them dull and rusty. You should also keep your insulated cups, and silver, gold or silver/gold plated items out of the dishwasher. Delicate crystal should always be hand washed.  Don’t put disposable plastic containers or aluminum in your dishwasher, and you should never put your cast iron and non-stick cookware in either. Wash your wooden utensils by hand to avoid splitting the wood.

        1. Load as you go

Make life easier on yourself and load your dishwasher as you go. Instead of moving your dishes from the table to the counter to the sink to the dishwasher, go straight for the dishwasher! It’ll keep your kitchen less cluttered and make cleaning up a snap.

        1. Use the correct cycle and detergent

You might think more detergent means cleaner dishes, but that is definitely not the case. Too much soap means buildup on your plates and in your dishwasher. Use the recommended amount of detergent and use the correct cycle. Doing so will save your water and keep your dishwasher efficient.

        1. Make good habits

Following all of these 10 awesome dishwasher tips will set you up to form good habits. But you should also specifically develop a good ritual when it comes to running your dishwasher. For example, you can run the dishwasher at night and unload first thing in the morning. Or start it as you leave the house and unload when you get home from work. Whatever you decide, stick with it!

        1. Run hot water first

Last but not least, run hot water in the sink for a few minutes before starting your dishwasher to get hot water flowing. That way the water in your dishwasher will start out nice and steamy!

Hopefully these 10 awesome dishwasher tips make your dish cleaning experience more effective and efficient. If you suspect your dishwasher needs a repair, don’t hesitate to call Complete Appliance Repair today!

 

Repair Vs Buying Refrigerator: How Do I Know?

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Refrigerator Not Cooling?

Imagine one of your worst nightmares has come true ­– your refrigerator is not cooling! Would you know what to do next? The first thing you will probably wonder is how quickly you’re going to be able to get it working again so you and your family can continue to eat perishable food. A refrigerator is something you can’t go very long without!

Then you’ll probably wonder how much it is going to cost, and whether or not it is worth the refrigerator not coolinghassle. Today we’ve got some tips for you that will help you navigate your refrigeration repairs, and decide when it’s time to call it quits.

If your refrigerator is not cooling, there are a few things you can do to troubleshoot before calling a repair company. First, make sure your fridge is properly plugged in. You’ll also want to check the thermostat to make sure it wasn’t accidentally turned down. Check the gasket, or seal on your refrigerator for tears or cracks where cold air may be escaping.

Next, check the condenser coils, and if your fridge has one, the condenser fan. If these parts are dirty, it will make it difficult for your fridge to work properly and efficiently. They should be cleaned every three months, otherwise they can become bogged down with dirt, dust and hair. Check out tips for removing dirt, dust and hair here.

If you’ve done these things and despite your best efforts your refrigerator is not cooling, it’s time to call an appliance repair company. Choose someone like Complete Appliance Repair and Service, who’s professionals will work quickly to get your refrigerator up and running again.

But what if your refrigerator is going to require more work than you thought it would to start cooling again? When it comes to replacing your refrigerator, you should consider a few important things; cost, age and type of fridge, as well as energy efficiency.

Cost

A good rule to follow when it comes to repairing vs buying is the cost. If the repair costs more than half the price of buying a new fridge, you should probably consider getting a new appliance all together.

Age

Generally, large appliances like your refrigerator should be replaced every 10 to 15 years. If your refrigerator is built in, it’s going to be cheaper in most cases to repair rather than buy a new one. But if your refrigerator is a side-by-side, it could be worth it to replace if you start having problems after five years. If you have problems with a bottom freezer, or top freezer refrigerators, consider replacing after seven years.

Efficiency

Repairing on old fridge might be cheaper than buying a new fridge, but a new fridge could save you on your monthly utility bills by being more energy efficient. If your fridge is especially old, this would be something worth crunching the numbers on.

If you’re still having a hard time deciding whether to replace your fridge or buy a new one, call an appliance repair expert like the ones at Complete Appliance Repair for a consultation.

 

Hard Water is Harder on Your Appliances Than You Think

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Hard Water is Harder on Your Appliances Than You Think

Chances are you’ve come in contact with hard water; that white-encrusted faucet, dull hair, or spotted dishes and glasses.

Hard water isn’t hard to find. But what is it exactly? Soft water is free of minerals. For example, rain is soft water. When it falls and passes through rock, sand and soil it picks up minerals. While it’s generally not harmful to your health, the same can’t be said for your appliances.

The minerals in hard water that you should be most aware of are calcium and magnesium. Hard Water on PipesWhen these are heated up, they leave the water and encrust on your shower head as a mineral deposit.

Not only is it an eye-sore, but it can slow the efficiency of your appliances. For example, the hard water buildup in your water heater is a poor conductor of heat, making it much harder to heat the water. Hard water can also wear your appliances faster.  These problems continue into your pipes. Hard water builds up and can create clogs, reduce flow, or increase stress on pipes and fixtures.

If you have a problem with any of your appliances, Complete Appliance Repair is here to help you get your dishwasher, microwave, dryer and more into tip-top shape. But there are also small things you can do to avoid unnecessary repairs. You can start by treating for hard water.

Vinegar

Vinegar is one way to remove some of the hard water build up you may have. Hard water is mostly made of calcium, which is highly reactive with acids like vinegar. Soaking faucets or other fixtures in hot, natural vinegar will dissolve calcium deposits in about an hour. Distilled vinegar will also clean your dishes and remove that white film or spots.

Other cleaning solutions

There are products available made specifically to remove hard water deposits. Lemi-Shine is one for example, and used to keep your glasses spot free. Soap and hard water build up are a bad combination, and can lead to tough-to-remove soap scum. To remove this, try one-part apple cider vinegar and three parts filtered water to remove.

Remove pipe buildup

It’s also important to remove buildup in your pipes to avoid slow water flow or draining issues. You can do this yourself with a few simple steps. First you’ll want to fill pots of water, shut off your water, and empty your pipes. Then you can use a chemicals treatment or a mixture of vinegar and baking soda to clean buildup from your pipes. Wait for the solution to do its job, then pour boiling water down each drain. You can find detailed step by step instructions for this here.

A more permanent solution

While the above mentioned methods are effective, they are anything but long-lasting. If you have a hard water problem, you may want to consider installing a water treatment system. A whole-home softening system is the only way to completely eliminate hard water from your home and keep your appliances running more effectively and without build-up.  For any of your installation needs, don’t forget to get in touch with the professionals at Complete Appliance Repair.

 

Utah Appliance Replacement Parts and Service

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When you need appliance replacement parts and service, you can’t trust just anyone. Household appliances are marvels of modern convenience, but they’re also expensive. Having a major appliance out of commission is more than just inconvenient — it can Appliance Repaircost you money for lost goods as well as repairs. An outage of your refrigerator, for example, can result in hundreds of dollars in spoiled food. In the Salt Lake City area, Complete Appliance Repair and Service is your go-to solution when appliances go on the fritz.

The Importance of Replacement Parts

Replacing broken appliance parts requires training, experience and the knowledge that it’s best to use only parts that meet or exceed the manufacturer’s standards. If you’ve ever tried a DIY appliance repair, you understand how confusing it can be to identify what’s wrong and what you need to repair it. Complete Appliance’s technicians know how to quickly troubleshoot the problem, but they also have a wealth of parts-supplier resources to help locate and obtain the parts required — even if your appliance is old or obscure. In fact, tracking down hard-to-find parts is their specialty. Every repair call is treated with urgency, ensuring that your problem will be fixed in short order.

But What if My Appliance Can’t Be Repaired?

Have you ever had a stove or washing machine that was beyond repair, the technician throwing his hands up and leaving you with nothing but a bill for the service call? That won’t happen with Complete Appliance Repair and Service. They not only offer parts replacement and repair services, but if there’s just no fixing your machine, they also sell new appliances of all types at competitive prices. If you prefer to go shopping for your new refrigerator or dishwasher yourself, Complete Appliance will be happy to handle the installation for you and guarantee your satisfaction.

Routine Maintenance for All Your Appliances

They say that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, and the professionals at Complete Appliance couldn’t agree more. Annual maintenance service can prevent unexpected outages and premature appliance failures. Having regular maintenance service performed on your washing machine, for example, can help prevent catastrophic water damage from broken hoses or failed couplings. The experienced technicians can instruct you in basic DIY maintenance too, helping you save even more.

Your home appliances represent a significant investment. Before you trust their care to just anyone, contact Complete Appliance Service and Repair. As a locally owned family business, they have earned a spotless reputation in the Salt Lake City area. They consider the residents their neighbors and pride themselves on providing a level of service that is unrivaled in their industry. Ongoing training ensures that their technicians are well-versed in the latest technology and safety standards, and they won’t rest until you’re happy with the results. When the unpleasant time comes to seek out appliance replacement parts and repair service, trust your investment to the specialists at Complete Appliance.