When the Washer Doesn’t Wash
Appliances are meant to make our lives easier. And more often than not, they do just that. But when they break down, our world can sometimes grind to a halt as we scramble to diagnose the problem, remedy the situation, or thumb through the phonebook to find an affordable appliance repair technician. And each appliance has its own quirks and foibles.
Take some of the most common problems with washing machines and dryers, for example. If your machine is simply not working, the first step is to make sure all your connections are solid. That includes both hot and cold water hookups, your electrical hookup, your ventilation, and your drain hose. Assuming they’re all connected, you then want to check for obstructions in any tubing. If everything on that end is working fine, you need to delve a little deeper.
Sometimes the problem is not lack of function, but decreased function. This can be from many different factors, but before you call the washer and dryer repair service, analyze your own behavior. Does your washer constantly imbalance? Try distributing your towels more evenly. Does your dryer seem to take an unusually long time to get your clothes dry? Try shaking out and unbunching each article of clothing before tossing it in the dryer (especially sheets).
Realize, too, that older machines will simply run less efficiently than newer ones. It’s just a fact of life. Assess the age of your machine, find out what it’s costing you, energy-wise, above what you feel it should be costing you. Compare that number to the cost of a new machine (along with all its energy costs). Is it worth it to keep the old machine around?
If your machine is belching black smoke or making horrible grinding noises, calling a repair service is always the best bet. And unless yours one of these common problems with washing machines and dryers, you may want to have your friendly neighborhood appliance repair company in your list of contacts anyway. Just to minimize the downtime if your machines ever do go on the fritz. More research here.