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AVOIDING UNNECESSARY APPLIANCE REPAIRS

Keep your refrigerator condenser clean.

The condenser is what keeps your compressor from overheating. Most refrigerators have a fan motor which moves air across the condenser which cools your compressor. Lint and pet hair gets sucked into the condenser. When it builds up and restricts the air flow, your compressor overheats. Compressor replacement is the most expensive repair on a refrigerator. Clean your condenser regularly to help prolong the life of your compressor.

 

Never overload your washing machine.

If you want your washing machine to last, don’t try to get your laundry done so quickly. Heavy loads and off-balanced loads put a strain on the moving parts of your machine and wear them out prematurely. It’s better to do smaller, evenly balanced loads.

 

Keep your dryer and vent line free of lint.

Cleaning the lint screen on your dryer before every load should be a habit but that’s not enough. Lint builds up in your dryer vent line over time. When your vent line starts to get restricted, more lint backs up into your dryer which creates a possible dryer fire. The inside of your dryer and vent line need to be vacuumed out periodically. You can prevent dryer fires with regular cleaning.

 

Rinse the excess food off of your dishes before placing them in the dishwasher.

Even though you may have seen commercials that say you can be lazy and leave the food on your dishes, there are still risks to your appliance. The food has to go somewhere and it commonly gets clogged up in the pump and spray arms, necessitating a call your appliance technician.

 

Avoid using the “self clean” feature on your oven.

The oven reaches such high temperatures during the self-clean cycle that the extreme heat causes parts to fail. A large percentage of oven repair calls occur right after someone has used the self-clean feature. If you just keep your spills wiped up when they happen, you won’t need to use the self-clean feature and risk health issues and repair costs.

Call Absolute Appliance Repair NOW if you have any problems with your appliance!

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(415) 831-1259 San Francisco
(415) 388-0690 Marin County
(650) 525-0512 South SF / Daly City / Pacifica

CONVENTIONAL vs. CONVECTION – oven comparison

CONVENTIONAL vs. CONVECTION Oven Comparison

If you are in the market for a new oven, there are two types that you can choose from conventional or convection. Consider the pros and cons before investing your money. Knowing and assessing the differences between the two will help you make the right choice that will work best for your needs and budget.

Heat Source

So what’s the difference (CONVENTIONAL vs. CONVECTION) ? Technically, all ovens cook by convection, where the hot interior air does the cooking. Standard or conventional ovens use natural convection and radiant heat to cook food. The burners heat the air inside the oven and transfer the heat to the surface of the food. With convection ovens, an insulating layer of air that is cooler than the overall interior of the oven surrounds the food. Convection ovens have an additional heating element and an extra motorized fan, which blows heated air throughout, diminishing the cooler air next to the food. A convection oven has upper, lower and back heating sources.

Internal Temperature

Regulating the internal temperature is easier with convection ovens because the fan circulates the hot air continuously. The third heating element located near or around the fan in the back of the oven heats the air to a uniform temperature before it enters the oven cavity. The balanced heat circulation prevents hot spots. Conventional ovens tend to have hot spots. Food on the bottom rack tends to overcook or burn because it is close to the heat source. In similar fashion, placing food near the top of the oven often overcooks it because it is close to the upper heat element. Furthermore, the rising heat tends to accumulate at the top. Placing food near the center of the oven will yield better cooking results.

Cooking Time

Foods cook much faster in convection ovens. Convection cooking speeds up the chemical reactions of food during cooking. Baked goods release steam quicker, roasted meats render fats sooner and sugars in vegetables caramelize faster. A convection oven cooks food 25 percent faster than a conventional oven.

Cooking Quality

Convection ovens cook food more evenly compared to conventional ovens. Meats cook faster with more juice retained inside. Convection ovens cook meats with deeper flavors, crispier edges and are tenderer inside. In some cases, cooking with conventional ovens can result in drier meats, with a burnt outer part and not cooked well inside. Convection ovens can cook different foods evenly in different pans on different racks at the same time without transferring tastes, while conventional ovens cannot.

Types

Conventional ovens come in two types — range and deck. A range oven, also known as the general-purpose oven, is a part of a cooking system. It usually has a stove on top and an oven at the bottom. Some models may come with an incorporated microwave or convection oven at the center. A range oven may use electric or gas heat source. Deck ovens save space. They can be freestanding or built-in. Deck ovens may use electric or gas heat source. You can choose from single, double or triple deck ovens. Convection ovens may come in a range or deck along conventional ovens to allow cooking preferences. There are also portable or countertop convection ovens that you can buy if you have a conventional oven but would like to use a convection oven to cook small amounts of food.

Price

Most convection ovens are pricier than conventional ovens; however, consumers find they quickly recoup the higher initial cost from the energy savings achieved with faster cooking time.

Call Absolute Appliance Repair NOW if you have any problems with your oven!

Phone lines

(415) 831-1259 San Francisco
(415) 388-0690 Marin County
(650) 525-0512 South SF / Daly City / Pacifica