Monday, August 31, 2009
Service Care launches a free service for customers
Service Care, as a service to our customers, has launched a free newsletter that will remind subscribers when it's time to perform maintenance on their appliances and electronics.
This will be a very low quantity of emails per year, the majority of which will be seasonal notices that will remind you to do the little things that you can do yourself to save yourself money, increase the life of your appliances, and help to avoid unnecessary service calls.
Of course, we are happy to perform all of these services, but many people will want to do this themselves to save money (especially in light of the current economic troubles).
We're hoping that many people will subscribe, and we assure that their personal information is very safe (see our Privacy Policy).
This will be a very low quantity of emails per year, the majority of which will be seasonal notices that will remind you to do the little things that you can do yourself to save yourself money, increase the life of your appliances, and help to avoid unnecessary service calls.
Of course, we are happy to perform all of these services, but many people will want to do this themselves to save money (especially in light of the current economic troubles).
We're hoping that many people will subscribe, and we assure that their personal information is very safe (see our Privacy Policy).
Labels: appliances, diy, electronics, Service Care
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Cable connector broken off?
It's tempting to assume that this is a simple solder job that you can do yourself, and maybe you can. But be aware of the following:
There's not a lot of room to work. The connector attaches to the tuner and it's a tight fit, and most likely you'll have to open up the end of the tuner itself... carefully.
Inside the broken off connector is a core of nylon, high heat will melt this quite easily. This kind of repair requires a delicate touch and experience with a soldering iron.
Be patient. This is not a quick repair. Too much heat for too long and you've ruined the connector and have to start over.
Most importantly, UNPLUG THE TELEVISION FIRST! Even if you do that, televisions can hold a terribly powerful electrical charge for many days. This much power can knock you down or even kill you. Stay away from the tube or any wires connecting to it. (If you're really nervous, and you don't know how to discharge the power, unplug the television for a week and still stay away from the tube.)
If you still want to fix it, please observe these cautions. If you live in Alabama and you don't want to bother with it, let us schedule you a service call or you can bring it in to our shop. Just be careful.
There's not a lot of room to work. The connector attaches to the tuner and it's a tight fit, and most likely you'll have to open up the end of the tuner itself... carefully.
Inside the broken off connector is a core of nylon, high heat will melt this quite easily. This kind of repair requires a delicate touch and experience with a soldering iron.
Be patient. This is not a quick repair. Too much heat for too long and you've ruined the connector and have to start over.
Most importantly, UNPLUG THE TELEVISION FIRST! Even if you do that, televisions can hold a terribly powerful electrical charge for many days. This much power can knock you down or even kill you. Stay away from the tube or any wires connecting to it. (If you're really nervous, and you don't know how to discharge the power, unplug the television for a week and still stay away from the tube.)
If you still want to fix it, please observe these cautions. If you live in Alabama and you don't want to bother with it, let us schedule you a service call or you can bring it in to our shop. Just be careful.
Labels: Alabama, diy, repairs, televisions
Friday, November 28, 2008
Should you fix it yourself?
We have no problem with those folks who want to fix their own television or appliance. Frankly, there's nothing we could do about it if we did, but we really admire your interest and your independence. We're the exact same sort of person.
We will occasionally even have a customer call us for a service call, get our diagnosis, then tell us no thanks. They will then find and order the parts themselves, and install the parts.
Hey, if this works out, more power to you, I say. You've got that pioneer, do it yourself spirit that makes America great.
However, be sure to consider the following:
If you do the repair yourself, you are the only person you can turn to for warranties on your own repair. Think about that for a minute.
If Service Care diagnoses the problems in your unit, and we order the parts and put them in, and it turns out we were wrong and it needs different parts... what happens? We take the parts we put in, find out what parts WERE needed, and fix the problem. It's that simple. All the responsibility is on us, not you. If the parts cannot be returned, we eat the costs, because we were wrong and that's the right thing to do.
Another scenario: If Service Care is putting an electronic control board in your unit, and we short it out during installation and have to replace it, who pays for the damaged part? That's right, WE do. All the responsibility is on Service Care. Frankly, that's part of what you're paying for when you have service. You're also getting Alabama's best warranty on services performed.
However, when you do the repair yourself, it's all on you, even if we did the diagnosis. That's right, if we tell you it needs a water pump or AV board, and you put it in yourself and it does not fix it, then your only warranty is with you. Why? Because we did not install those parts. We cannot warranty someone else's repair.
Most people understand that already, but some people believe that if we diagnose the repair, and the customer does the repair themselves, that we warranty the success of the customer's repair. Unfortunately, we cannot warranty any repairs but our own.
Honestly, I know that it's tempting to think you can avoid paying labor for a repair that you imagine is quite simple, but if you're going to do the repair, be prepared to accept the following:
It's also quite possible that we'll post some DIY stuff here on the blog, especially for simple problems that are easily corrected by the consumer.
We will occasionally even have a customer call us for a service call, get our diagnosis, then tell us no thanks. They will then find and order the parts themselves, and install the parts.
Hey, if this works out, more power to you, I say. You've got that pioneer, do it yourself spirit that makes America great.
However, be sure to consider the following:
If you do the repair yourself, you are the only person you can turn to for warranties on your own repair. Think about that for a minute.
If Service Care diagnoses the problems in your unit, and we order the parts and put them in, and it turns out we were wrong and it needs different parts... what happens? We take the parts we put in, find out what parts WERE needed, and fix the problem. It's that simple. All the responsibility is on us, not you. If the parts cannot be returned, we eat the costs, because we were wrong and that's the right thing to do.
Another scenario: If Service Care is putting an electronic control board in your unit, and we short it out during installation and have to replace it, who pays for the damaged part? That's right, WE do. All the responsibility is on Service Care. Frankly, that's part of what you're paying for when you have service. You're also getting Alabama's best warranty on services performed.
However, when you do the repair yourself, it's all on you, even if we did the diagnosis. That's right, if we tell you it needs a water pump or AV board, and you put it in yourself and it does not fix it, then your only warranty is with you. Why? Because we did not install those parts. We cannot warranty someone else's repair.
Most people understand that already, but some people believe that if we diagnose the repair, and the customer does the repair themselves, that we warranty the success of the customer's repair. Unfortunately, we cannot warranty any repairs but our own.
Honestly, I know that it's tempting to think you can avoid paying labor for a repair that you imagine is quite simple, but if you're going to do the repair, be prepared to accept the following:
- If you short out or damage a part during installation, it cannot be returned for credit. Parts companies are diligent (we should know) about refusing parts returns if there is any evidence that they've been used, installed, or damaged. Seriously, they look for little scratches on tabs and such.
- If you order the wrong part, it might not be returnable. We have some leeway with parts distributors on returning incorrect parts because we're a large account. You may be able to return them, but you'll face shipping costs and restocking fees that we might not otherwise be saddled with.
- If you successfully repair the unit, congratulations. But the only warranty you have on that repair is your own. If it fails next week because the part you replaced is being zapped by another part somewhere else, you'll have to repair it again at your expense.
It's also quite possible that we'll post some DIY stuff here on the blog, especially for simple problems that are easily corrected by the consumer.
Labels: Alabama, appliances, diy, parts, repairs, televisions, warranty
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Front loader washing machine makes a high pitch noise in spin?
This could be normal.
If you're used to the sound of the spin cycle in a conventional top loader washing machine, you're probably surprised at the slightly higher level of sound (at a much higher pitch) of the front loader. Generally, front loaders spin a lot faster, maybe two times faster, which leads to a higher pitched whirring sound during the spin cycle.
Assuming this is the normal spin noise, it's good that it spins so darn fast.
Why? Because it gets more of the water out of your clothes before they go in the dryer. Drying clothes in the dryer is a lot less energy efficient than spinning out water, so the better a job done in the spin cycle the shorter your dry time. (Plus, you save money on utilities, hooray!)
Now, not every noise is normal. The normal noise is the sound of the drum spinning smoothly at a high rate of speed. Any kind of grinding, tearing, squealing is probably a sign that the smoothness part of the spin isn't working out.
Frankly, if the noise or any other part of the washer's operation makes you worry, trust your instincts and call a servicer and have them check it out. If it is really loud you can probably demonstrate it to them on the phone.
We'll be happy to help in central Alabama.
If you're used to the sound of the spin cycle in a conventional top loader washing machine, you're probably surprised at the slightly higher level of sound (at a much higher pitch) of the front loader. Generally, front loaders spin a lot faster, maybe two times faster, which leads to a higher pitched whirring sound during the spin cycle.
Assuming this is the normal spin noise, it's good that it spins so darn fast.
Why? Because it gets more of the water out of your clothes before they go in the dryer. Drying clothes in the dryer is a lot less energy efficient than spinning out water, so the better a job done in the spin cycle the shorter your dry time. (Plus, you save money on utilities, hooray!)
Now, not every noise is normal. The normal noise is the sound of the drum spinning smoothly at a high rate of speed. Any kind of grinding, tearing, squealing is probably a sign that the smoothness part of the spin isn't working out.
Frankly, if the noise or any other part of the washer's operation makes you worry, trust your instincts and call a servicer and have them check it out. If it is really loud you can probably demonstrate it to them on the phone.
We'll be happy to help in central Alabama.
Labels: diy, front loader, noise, top loader, washers, washing machines
Washing machine "walks" during spin?
Is your washing machine walking, vibrating a lot, doing the shimmy-shammy?
If it's on a pedestal, you can check to make sure the pedestal feet are all touching the ground and locked in place, and you can't rock the unit back and forth with your hands. There should be connecting bolts locking the washer to the pedestal, make sure they are tightened.
If it's not on a pedestal, check the feet on the washer. Got all four? Good. Try to rock the unit with your hands. It should be level, no rocking. If not, you've got a problem with the feet. They should all be in contact with the floor and locked into place.
Next, make sure your shipping bolts were removed when the washer was installed. 99 percent of the time, the installer gets this right, but if not it can make the washer get crazy on you, make a lot of noise and movement, and quite possibly cause damage. Unfortunately, if the shipping bolts (all or some of four, usually, in a square shaped configuration - 1 near each of the four corners and around the drum) are still in the back, you should probably call a local servicer to remove them. It's up to you, but there might be more wrong with it if it's been run a while with shipping bolts in.
If it's not the bolts, it might be your floor.
Quick test, and you might want to be alone when you do this (because of the silly factor), stand next to the washer and bounce on your toes. You can get your arms involved if you really want to test your floor. If you hear glasses clanging together in the kitchen cabinets, it's definitely your floor. If your washer shakes a bit in response to your bouncing, your floor might have a bit more "flex" than some other floors. Don't feel bad, you're in a big group of normal-floor people with this kind of floor.
Try getting a solid single piece of 3/4 inch plywood that is big enough for both the washer and dryer to sit on (feet and all) with room for the hoses and cords. Get some help, and slide the board under the two appliances (or lift them out of the way, and put it on the floor). This should act as a stiffer surface for the washer, some of which spin at very, very high speeds nowadays to get the water out.
Yes, they spin much faster than your old washer did (that's why the dryer normally works a lot faster, less water in the clothes to dry out).
If you've not got shipping bolts and your floor is solid and secure, then it's time to call a servicer for your appliance.
We'd be happy to help if you're in central Alabama.
If it's on a pedestal, you can check to make sure the pedestal feet are all touching the ground and locked in place, and you can't rock the unit back and forth with your hands. There should be connecting bolts locking the washer to the pedestal, make sure they are tightened.
If it's not on a pedestal, check the feet on the washer. Got all four? Good. Try to rock the unit with your hands. It should be level, no rocking. If not, you've got a problem with the feet. They should all be in contact with the floor and locked into place.
Next, make sure your shipping bolts were removed when the washer was installed. 99 percent of the time, the installer gets this right, but if not it can make the washer get crazy on you, make a lot of noise and movement, and quite possibly cause damage. Unfortunately, if the shipping bolts (all or some of four, usually, in a square shaped configuration - 1 near each of the four corners and around the drum) are still in the back, you should probably call a local servicer to remove them. It's up to you, but there might be more wrong with it if it's been run a while with shipping bolts in.
If it's not the bolts, it might be your floor.
Quick test, and you might want to be alone when you do this (because of the silly factor), stand next to the washer and bounce on your toes. You can get your arms involved if you really want to test your floor. If you hear glasses clanging together in the kitchen cabinets, it's definitely your floor. If your washer shakes a bit in response to your bouncing, your floor might have a bit more "flex" than some other floors. Don't feel bad, you're in a big group of normal-floor people with this kind of floor.
Try getting a solid single piece of 3/4 inch plywood that is big enough for both the washer and dryer to sit on (feet and all) with room for the hoses and cords. Get some help, and slide the board under the two appliances (or lift them out of the way, and put it on the floor). This should act as a stiffer surface for the washer, some of which spin at very, very high speeds nowadays to get the water out.
Yes, they spin much faster than your old washer did (that's why the dryer normally works a lot faster, less water in the clothes to dry out).
If you've not got shipping bolts and your floor is solid and secure, then it's time to call a servicer for your appliance.
We'd be happy to help if you're in central Alabama.
Labels: Alabama, diy, servicer, washers, washing machines
Monday, November 24, 2008
How to replace the water filter in your Whirlpool Side-by-Side Refrigerator
You should ALWAYS be careful when working on your own appliances. If you feel uncomfortable, don't do it. If it involves getting near electricity... be careful. Oh also, be careful. Did I mention be careful? Seriously, you've got to have serious respect for electricity...
Fortunately, you shouldn't be anywhere near the dangerous stuff when replacing the Whirlpool SXS water filter... I'm just saying. This stuff can kill you if you're not careful.
Anyway, on the the fun:
First, as far as the indicator light goes: Green equals good filter, Yellow equals order another filter, Red equals (you guessed it) stop using this filter and by-gum put another one in it.
These filters operate about a year, and 500 gallons on the models that have the replacement indicator. The sensor operates both on usage and on time of use. So if you're not using it a lot, and a year goes by, you will still get a signal to replace the filter. Whether you do or not is up to you, but you probably should if you're just getting trickles of water through the door and the icemaker isn't producing. Both are signs of filter clogged up with yuck and muck. (Oh yeah, if your refrigerator doesn't have the cool green-yellow-red indicator, just replace it every 6-9 months or so... once again, if the water doesn't flow, the filter has got to go).
Look at the front of your Whirlpool Side-by-Side refrigerator, and nod your head knowingly...
Now look down, and notice the strange round knob amidst the otherwise horizontal lines of the toe panel at the very bottom of the refrigerator (the knob will be below the freezer side).
See it? Great. Now turn that knob one quarter turn counter-clockwise (lefty loosey). This does two things. It is supposed to block the water inlet and outlet valves temporarily, bypassing the filter. It also allows you to pull out the filter.
Yep, just pull it out. It's normal for a small amount of water to trickle out when you pull it out of the filter housing. If it's continuous, or a lot, there's something wrong with the filter system itself. Try putting the filter back, and turning back clockwise one-quarter to the right. Then either call a service center or study a little harder for the somewhat more complicated water filtration system.
Most likely, you'll have a tiny little trickle of water when you pull out the filter, and that's all. Next, take the knob off the old filter, and put it into the new one. There's probably a cap on the end of the new one that's not on the old one. Pull that off. Push the new filter back into the housing and turn the knob one quarter clockwise.
The last step is to run about a gallon or so of water through the filter until the water is clear. You've got to purge the lines of air, and wash out any residual loose carbon dust and whatnot in the water filter. Trust me, you'll enjoy your first glass of water much more after this step. (Oh, be warned, you might get spurts of air & water when you're doing this, it's normal, normally. Again, just purging the lines of air).
To reset the Red indicator to Green, press the light switch 5 times in 10 seconds. It should reset. If not, you've got an operational failure in the control board. Probably.
That's it, hope that helps.
We're happy to come out and do it for you, if you don't want to mess with it, but I'll bet you've got the stuff to handle this one. I know you do. Of course, you just may not want to, and that's cool, too.
Fortunately, you shouldn't be anywhere near the dangerous stuff when replacing the Whirlpool SXS water filter... I'm just saying. This stuff can kill you if you're not careful.
Anyway, on the the fun:
First, as far as the indicator light goes: Green equals good filter, Yellow equals order another filter, Red equals (you guessed it) stop using this filter and by-gum put another one in it.
These filters operate about a year, and 500 gallons on the models that have the replacement indicator. The sensor operates both on usage and on time of use. So if you're not using it a lot, and a year goes by, you will still get a signal to replace the filter. Whether you do or not is up to you, but you probably should if you're just getting trickles of water through the door and the icemaker isn't producing. Both are signs of filter clogged up with yuck and muck. (Oh yeah, if your refrigerator doesn't have the cool green-yellow-red indicator, just replace it every 6-9 months or so... once again, if the water doesn't flow, the filter has got to go).
Look at the front of your Whirlpool Side-by-Side refrigerator, and nod your head knowingly...
Now look down, and notice the strange round knob amidst the otherwise horizontal lines of the toe panel at the very bottom of the refrigerator (the knob will be below the freezer side).
See it? Great. Now turn that knob one quarter turn counter-clockwise (lefty loosey). This does two things. It is supposed to block the water inlet and outlet valves temporarily, bypassing the filter. It also allows you to pull out the filter.
Yep, just pull it out. It's normal for a small amount of water to trickle out when you pull it out of the filter housing. If it's continuous, or a lot, there's something wrong with the filter system itself. Try putting the filter back, and turning back clockwise one-quarter to the right. Then either call a service center or study a little harder for the somewhat more complicated water filtration system.
Most likely, you'll have a tiny little trickle of water when you pull out the filter, and that's all. Next, take the knob off the old filter, and put it into the new one. There's probably a cap on the end of the new one that's not on the old one. Pull that off. Push the new filter back into the housing and turn the knob one quarter clockwise.
The last step is to run about a gallon or so of water through the filter until the water is clear. You've got to purge the lines of air, and wash out any residual loose carbon dust and whatnot in the water filter. Trust me, you'll enjoy your first glass of water much more after this step. (Oh, be warned, you might get spurts of air & water when you're doing this, it's normal, normally. Again, just purging the lines of air).
To reset the Red indicator to Green, press the light switch 5 times in 10 seconds. It should reset. If not, you've got an operational failure in the control board. Probably.
That's it, hope that helps.
We're happy to come out and do it for you, if you don't want to mess with it, but I'll bet you've got the stuff to handle this one. I know you do. Of course, you just may not want to, and that's cool, too.
Labels: diy, refrigerators, water filter, Whirlpool
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