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WASHING MACHINE REPAIR

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Belt Replacement

Look around the top rim of the drum to see if there’s a piece of fabric wedged in between the basket and the drum. Pull it out.

A piece of clothing stuck between the inner and the outer tub on your washing machine or a load that’s too large can stop the drum, which causes the drive belt to slip on the pulley and burn. So if your washing machine is running and you smell burning rubber, first shut off the washer and unplug it. Clothing tends to get stuck more often in Maytag washers, so that’s what we’re showing here. Check along the rim of the drum to see if there’s something stuck there (Photo 1). After removing the item, you should replace the damaged belt. Remove the two screws located on the bottom of the front panel and swing the bottom of the panel out to unhook it from the top. Then prop the front of the washer up on paint cans so you can reach the belts. Remove the belts by starting the edge over the pulley and spinning them off. The motor is spring-loaded, so the belts will come off easily. Take the damaged belt with you to the appliance parts store to get a replacement. Reinstall the belts in the reverse order.

Getting Lint Out

Every year, nearly 25,000 dryer fires cause millions of dollars in damage and hundreds of injuries, some fatal. Dryer fires start when built-up lint near the motor, gas burners or heating elements catches on fire. This fire can then spread to ignite lint in the vent pipe.

The best precautions are to empty the lint trap after every load, vacuum behind the machine regularly, keep flammables away from the dryer, and annually clean lint from inside the dryer cabinet and vent duct.

We show how to “de-lint” a gas dryer with a front access panel. Electric dryers have a heating element instead of a gas burner. If you have an electric dryer, or your dryer differs from the one shown, consult your manual for instructions on accessing the heating element or cabinet interior.

The most important step in cleaning the dryer is to remove any lint buildup around the motor and gas burner or heating element. Then clean out the vent duct with a 4-in. dryer vent cleaning brush (sold at appliance repair stores, or online).

If your dryer has a plastic vent ducting, replace it with a metal one. The plastic ducting itself can catch on fire and set the house ablaze.

Finding the Lint Traps
  1. Unplug the machine and turn off the gas valve. Pry the access panel loose with a big flat-blade screwdriver. Vacuum the inside of the cabinet, especially around the gas burner and motor. If you have a brush attachment for your vacuum, use it to loosen built-up lint.
  2. Disconnect the vent from the dryer and push a vent cleaning brush through the exterior vent hood. Otherwise, disassemble the vent and clean it by hand.

 

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

Phone lines

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

 

 

REPAIRING A GAS FURNACE

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Natural gas and propane burn cleaner than fuel oil, and most gas furnaces present fewer operational difficulties than oil burners do. In fact, the problems that affect gas furnaces typically involve the furnace’s thermocouple, the pilot light, or some component of the electrical system.

Gas furnaces and heaters have control shutoffs to prevent gas leaks, but they are not fail-safe. If you smell gas in your house, do not turn any lights on or off, and do not try to shut off the gas leading to the furnace. Get out of the house, leaving the door open, and immediately call the gas company or the fire department to report a leak. Do not re-enter your home.

 

Most natural gas furnaces have few operational difficulties. 

 

 

 

 

On some gas furnaces and heaters, a plug-type door covers the pilot light assembly. To gain access to the pilot burner, pull the door out of the furnace housing. On other units, remove the panel that covers the pilot and gas burners.

The pilot light controls, reset buttons, gas valves, and thermocouple are usually contained in an assembly at the front of the furnace. The furnace limit switch is located on the plenum (main chamber) or main duct junction on the upper housing of the furnace.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

REPAIRING AN OVEN

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Gas and electric ranges and ovens operate fairly simply, and they’re usually easy to repair, mainly because the components are designed for quick disassembly.

Most of the malfunctions that affect gas ranges involve the supply and ignition of gas in the burners and the oven. Most malfunctions that affect electric ranges and ovens involve faulty heating elements. In this article, we’ll discuss how the main parts should work on gas and electric ranges and ovens and how to service them regularly to avoid larger, more expensive problems. The first step is taking a peek inside to assess the problem.Caution: Before doing any work on a gas range or oven, make sure it’s unplugged, or turn off the electric power to the unit by removing a fuse or tripping a circuit breaker at the main entrance panel or at a separate panel. If there is a grounding wire to the range, disconnect it. Also close the gas supply valve to shut off the unit’s gas supply.