Refrigerators are one of the most popular and important appliances we own in our house.  It keeps our food cold and without it, especially in the summer, we’re left with food that will become rotten or stale.  Our drinks will become warm and our beer lovers will be left sipping warm suds.  This is not a good thing. There are a number of different refrigerator configurations available: Top-Mount, Bottom-Mount, French-Door, and Side-by-Side. The Top-Mount name refers to where the freezer is located.  In this case the freezer is located on the top of the unit. In the Bottom-Mount unit, the freezer is on the bottom. The side-by-side refrigerator is the most popular in Boise.  The freezer is usually located on the left hand side of the unit. The French-Door refrigerator is a combination of the Top-Mount and the Side-by-Side.  The refrigerator will be on top with two swinging doors and the freezer will be on the bottom, usually a pull-out drawer. Why the emphasis on where the freezer is located?  This is because the cool air in the refrigerator comes from the freezer via an evaporator fan.  The freezer is the “main” cooling unit which houses the evaporator and evaporator fan- motor to supply freezing air for the freezer and cool air to the refrigerator. So, what kind of repairs do make on refrigerators in Boise?  Well, here’s a few things we end up replacing – condenser fan motors, evaporator fan motors, blades, thermostats, compressors, control-boards, broken dispenser arms, ice-makers, [...]

Top-Load Washers – Washer Won’t Spin Worn Clutch A clutch is an interconnection between the drive motor and the spin tube on most top load direct-drive washing machines.  It is a mechanism that absorbs rotational energy from the motor and gradually transfers the energy to the spin tube. It is an integral part of most direct drive washing machines.  Without it, the motor would spin the inner basket quickly with no regard for the weight and/or water in the inner basket at the time.  We would not want the washer to spin at top speed if the basket is still filled with water – there would be a flooded laundry room. When the drive motor engages, it turns the outer part of the clutch at a high rpm.  The inner part of the clutch, which is connected to the spin tube, is not turning as fast. The clutch spring is initially compressed, thus lessening the friction between the inner and outer linings.  As the inner part of the clutch gains speed, the spring expands, increasing friction on the clutch linings, and causing the spin tube to gain more speed.  Soon both inner and outer parts of clutch are spinning in sync. Problems with the clutch include: Contamination of the clutch linings due to leaking transmission.  When this happens, the friction between the linings will decrease and the washer spin tube will have problems reaching the full spin speed. Worn clutch linings – In home laundry usage, washer clutch linings degrade frequently. [...]

Need Dryer Vent Cleaning?  I recommend Francis Burger from Boise Dryer Vent Cleaning.  He does a professional job at a reasonable price.  Here is his contact and website link below. Boise Dryer Vent Cleaning 208-713-1581 WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS TO HAVING YOUR DRYER VENT CLEANED? Helps to prevent dryer fires! Dries clothes quicker. No more aggravation waiting endlessly for a load to dry. Saves Money! Reduces energy bills by $8 to $24 a month in some cases. Extends the life of your dryer. less run time equals less wear and tear. Extends the life of your clothes. less run time equals less degradation of fabric. Prevents premature dryer breakdown resulting in expensive repair bills. Improves air quality in your home by preventing mold and mildew damage and possible carbon monoxide poisoning.

One very common repair I do in Boise, that I would say is one of my “bread and butter” jobs is replacing the lid switch in direct-drive top load washing machines.  A bad lid switch will cause symptoms such as the washer not spinning or stopping before the rinse mode.  While these symptoms are not all caused by the lid switch, the majority of them are. What can a customer do to check the switch on their washer?  I call it the clickity-click test.  It is not a technical test but it can narrow down the suspected part very quickly.  Take a screwdriver and slowly depress the lid switch mechanism and listen for a sharp crisp clicking sound.  If you do not hear the clicking sound the washer lid switch is most likely bad.  There is water vapor that gets into the switch mechanism and corrodes the contacts.  Technicians can verify a bad lid switch by using a ohm-meter.