5 Jun 2022 Refrigerator | Repair

Samsung French Door Refrigerator Icing up

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One of the most common complaints from customers who have a Samsung refrigerator is that it is icing up in the refrigerator section. If you’ve noticed that the refrigeartor section is not as cold as it used to be and you happen to see ice coming out of the back chutes, then your fridge is having this very common issue.

In our experience, there are 2 main reasons this happens, we’ll explore those situations and provide a viable solution.

Frozen Drain Tube

If you’ve noticed water under the deli drawer, then that means your refrigerator is not draining correctly. When this happens a giant ice block will form in the drip tray. Eventually the moisture that has accumulated will build its way up to the top of the evaporator and block the fan from rotating. Depending on how bad it is, you may need to let the refrigerator defrost on its own for 1-2 days in order to get the back wall off.

Frozen Drain Tube

This is an example of a frozen drain tube. The ice block shown to the left has probably been accumulating for months. It will eventually damage the evaporator cover and possibly the evaporator. You’ll want to melt the ice block and clear the drain tube.

Drain Tube Kit

Samsung has released a kit (pictured to the left) to help remedy this issue. The kit includes some insulating strips you put under the drip tray, an extra long drain heater, and most importantly new drain tubes that need to be installed in the back of the refrigerator behind the bottom panel.

Failure of Cavity Insulation

The dreaded Samsung ice ball has been a topic of debate for years. The general consensus now is that its a manufacturer defect where the insulation in the actual cavity is failing, causing excess ice buildup where the refrigerant lines are. As of now, we have not been given a definitive service bulletin from Samsung to remedy the problem, but there are a few things that can be done to treat the symptoms.

Samsung Refrigerator Ice ball

This is an example of what is going on behind the evaporator cover. This ice buildup is so bad it was blocking the fan from rotating.

The Fix

The only fix that has proven to be effective is to add an additional heater around the top suction line, as seen in the picture to the left. This heater is a much lower wattage than the main defrost heater. The extra heater provides just enough heat to melt the ice buildup around the evaporator fan motor, which keeps everything working properly.

The defrost thermistor is also changed just in case it has gone out of spec from being completely encased in ice.

This problem plagues a lot of Samsung refrigerator owners. It is a finicky problem as it may take months for the ice to come back. If the insulation failure gets bad enough, even the additional heater may not be able to handle the ice buildup, it will definitely help slow the process though. In some scenerios, the best course of action may be to replace the refrigerator entirely.

If you need your Samsung refrigerator repaired or inspected, you can always call or request on appointment online!

Request Service

25 May 2022 Dryer | Repair

Dryer is not heating, how to fix it

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One of the most common complaints on a dryer is that it is no longer heating. There are several reasons and we’ll explore some of the most common below. First we will discuss the parts that can fail which would cause a no heat complaint. Note that we are using a common, basic dryer for this example.

Parts that could cause a no heat compaint

Components located on the back of the dryer

Heating Element

Your heater can short to the cavity of the dryer or literally break in 2

High Limit Fuse

This is a safety fuse located on the heater housing. It is a one time use fuse. When it blows the dryer will turn on, but it will not heat.

High Limit Thermostat

This is a thermostat located on the heater housing. It is suppose to open and close when it reaches certain temperatures to prevent the dryer from overheating.

Operating Thermostat

This is the main operating thermostat for your dryer. Its main purpose is to regulate the temperature inside the dryer.

Thermal Fuse

This is another safety fuse located on the blower housing. This is a one time use fuse, when it blows the dryer will not start at all.

Dryer Power Supply Connection

Terminal Block

Your power cord is attached to the dryer using a terminal block like the picture to the left. If the connection is loose then over time it can burn up and lose power.

Power Cord

When the incorrect screws are used to connect the power cord, or the screws are not tightened all the way, eventually it will generate enough heat and burn up the connections. When this happens you will usually need to replace the cord, terminal block, and redo some wiring.

Dryer Timer

Mechanical Timer

Your dryers mechanical timer is the primary source of user input. Your dryer should have a timer chart located behind the back panel which will instruct you how to test your specific timer. If all other components check out, then this is your likely problem.

Control Board

Newer dryers have replaced the timer for a control board. The same concept still stands true, it is the primary source of user input. If all other compents check out, than the control board is the likely suspect.

How to Test These Parts

If you don’t have a multimeter then testing these parts is just a guessing game. The easiest way to test is to check continuity of each of the fuses/heating element. If you turn the multimeter to the OHMs setting, you will be able to put your leads onto each terminal and if the multimeter beeps then you know it has continuity (meaning it is good).

There are of course extraneous scenerios where further testing is necessary, but 99% of the time this is sufficient.

Case Study

Brand: Whirlpool / Kenmore
Model: 11068132414
Complaint: Not Heating
Initial thoughts: Shorted heating element or a blown thermal fuse due to clogged vent
Repairs done: Replaced heating element that had shorted (coil had burned into 2 pieces). Part # WP3387747

If you need your dryer repaired or inspected, you can always call or request on appointment online!

Request Service

25 May 2022 Dryer | Repair

Dryer Is Not Starting. What do I do?

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A dryer is an appliance that uses fairly simple components to dry your clothes. Everything boils down to using heated air to circulate through the wet clothes and dispelling moisture through vent tubing to the outside of your home. Inefficiencies in this system should always be repaired before they become larger issues.

Dryer not starting at all

· If you just moved or got a new dryer, make sure the cord is plugged in and the breaker is on and not tripped.

· If you have a gas dryer, make sure the gas shutoff valve is on

· Door switch. A broken door switch will prevent the dryer from starting at all. The best way to check the door switch is to unplug the dryer, press the door switch, and check for continuity with a multimeter

· Thermal fuse. Dryers have various thermal fuses. The fuse that is located on the blower housing will prevent the dryer from coming on if it is blown. This is a one time use fuse and will have to be changed to fix the dryer. You will also need to determine why the fuse was blown to prevent it from happening again. The most common reason is a clogged vent, but other reasons could be a shorted heating element or bad operating thermostat/thermistor.

· Broken belt. When the belt breaks, the idler pulley will fall and engage the belt switch. This switch is there to prevent the motor from starting when the belt is broken.

· Burned up power cord/terminal block. A burned-up power cord is a common occurrence if the cord was installed too loose. A loose connection builds up heat, and will eventually burn up. Unplug the dryer and check the terminal block to make sure that everything is attached securely.

· Timer/control board. Depending on what type of dryer you have, a shorted timer or control board can prevent the dryer from starting at all. You will have to refer to your specific wiring schematic to determine the best way to test these components.

To get the most out of your dryer, it is important to pay attention to early signs that your dryer isn’t working properly. Long dry times is the biggest indicator that you need to clean the vent. Unusual noises usually mean something is starting to fail and should be addressed before it turns into a bigger issue.

If you need your dryer repaired or inspected, you can always call or request on appointment online!

25 May 2022 Washers

Top Load Washer Is Not Working. What do I do?

KG Comments are off for this post.

Every type of washer works on the same principle, however top loads vs front loads fail in slightly different ways. We’ll specifically be talking about top load washers in this article.

25 May 2022 Dishwasher | Repair

Bosch Dishwasher Not Heating

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What to do when your bosch dishwasher isn’t drying

Bosch Dishwasher model shx5av55uc/22

A dishwasher’s cycle is essentially the same whether you have a $400 basic model or a $1,500 luxury brand.

Dishwasher fills with water ⇒ rinses dishes ⇒ drains ⇒ fills up with water ⇒ heats water ⇒ rinses dishes ⇒ drains ⇒ dries

The cycle we’ll specifically be talking about is the drying cycle. When your dishwasher doesn’t dry, it is usually not heating the water either. When this happens, not only are the dishes wet at the end of the cycle, but food particles won’t wash off the dishes. Mold/mildew will also start to form inside the dishwasher over time.

On this particular dishwasher, the complaint was that the dishes were not drying and food was being left on the dishes.

Case Study

Brand: Bosch
Model: shx5av55uc/22
Complaint: Not drying, black midlew building up on inside of dishwasher
Initial thoughts: Either the control is not sending power to the heating element, or the heating element is shorted
Ultimate repair done: Replaced heat pump, part # 12008381

On this model the heat pump is a common failure part, so that is a good place to start. In order to test the heating element you have to gain access to the heat pump which is located directly in the center of the bottom. Depending on your specific model you may have to uninstall the dishwasher and tilt it on its side.

Once you gain access to the dishwasher heat pump you’ll be able to test the internal heating element. You will need to take a multi-meter, turn it to the ohm setting, and put your leads on the 2 right terminals. The element SHOULD read 10ohms. If your multimeter says the element is open, then you know that you have a defective heating element and changing the heat pump will fix your problem.

Bosch Heat Pump, part # 12008381

On this particular dishwasher, changing the heat pump was the only problem and after the repair everything is working to factory specs.

If you need your dishwasher repaired or inspected, you can always call or request on appointment online!

Request Service

25 May 2022 Refrigerator | Repair

Whirlpool French Door Freezer Icing Up

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What to do when it looks like it snowed in the freezer

It doesn’t matter what kind of refrigerator or freezer you have, every brand operates on the same principles. When you see snow looking ice (called rime ice) in the freezer, then somehow warm air is seeping into the compartment. The most common explanations are:

On this specific call, the customer had recently had her freezer door gasket changed by another company. What they forgot to do was use a heat gun to mold the new gasket to the door. Because they forgot to do this, there was a 1/2 inch gap at the bottom letting warm air in at all times.

Eventually, so much ice had built up it was preventing the door from closing all the way, further worsening the issue.

Case Study

Brand: Whirlpool French Door
Model: WRF992FIFE00
Complaint: Snow type ice building up in freezer
Initial thoughts: Something is blocking the door from closing or gasket is torn
Repairs done: Gasket installed by prior company, was not molded with heat gun to door. After heating gasket / making adjustments / melting all the ice, issue was solved. Refrigerator gasket part # W10884296

If you need your refrigerator repaired or inspected, you can always call or request on appointment online!

Request Service

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Author: KG

Samsung French Door Refrigerator Icing up

Frozen Drain Tube

Frozen Drain Tube

Drain Tube Kit

Failure of Cavity Insulation

Samsung Refrigerator Ice ball

The Fix

Dryer is not heating, how to fix it

Parts that could cause a no heat compaint

How to Test These Parts

Dryer Is Not Starting. What do I do?

Top Load Washer Is Not Working. What do I do?

Bosch Dishwasher Not Heating

What to do when your bosch dishwasher isn’t drying

A dishwasher’s cycle is essentially the same whether you have a $400 basic model or a $1,500 luxury brand.

Dishwasher fills with water ⇒ rinses dishes ⇒ drains ⇒ fills up with water ⇒ heats water ⇒ rinses dishes ⇒ drains ⇒ dries

Whirlpool French Door Freezer Icing Up

What to do when it looks like it snowed in the freezer