The COVID19 pandemic is especially lethal for several reasons: it attacks the lower respiratory system immediately, and it is extremely contagious. While there is still a lot that the scientists do not know about COVID19, the general agreement is that it is spread through droplets that settle on surfaces and can remain contagious for up to 72 hours. Different surfaces have different time frames, however, and experts are not yet certain how long COVID19 can remain on fabric. What we do know is that ordinary soap and water can destroy the virus on the skin. And the same science applies to laundry.
The Science of Soap
Almost all viruses consist of three key elements: ribonucleic acid (RNA), proteins and lipids. There are no strong covalent bonds holding these units together, which means you do not need harsh chemicals to split them apart. The weakest part of the virus is the lipid or fatty layer. Soap dissolves the fat membrane and the RNA and proteins go their separate ways, no longer a threat. Laundry detergent works on the same principles. The surfactants (surface active agents) in laundry detergent have molecules that have two ends: one to attach to lipids (grease and dirt), and one to attract water. So during the wash cycle, the laundry detergent would work on the lipids in the COVID19 virus, breaking them down, and then rinse it all away in the rinse cycle.
Laundry Strategies to Combat COVID19
Knowing that simply doing your laundry can help prevent this disease gives you substantial power over it. While it is not necessary to do your laundry any differently from normal, you may choose to wash clothes at a higher temperature or use a detergent that specifies that it’s good on grease. Other key considerations to minimize the spread of COVID19 are these:
· Do not shake out dirty laundry. You may be in the habit of shaking out your dirty laundry before putting it in the machine. Now is the time to break that habit. Shaking your dirty laundry creates the potential for the COVID19 virus to travel from the fabric to your skin, or some other surface where it can remain infectious.
· Separate towels for household members. Each person should have their own hand towel and bath towel, and they should be washed more frequently than usual. The hand towel especially will be used more frequently because everyone should be washing hands multiple times a day.
· Cloth Face Masks and Gloves. The CDC is now recommending that everyone wear cloth face masks when out in public. They are also clear that you should not diminish the supply needed for medical professionals. It is easy to make or create your own cloth face mask. Similarly, cloth gloves don’t take away from the disposable gloves needed by medical professionals and protect you against COVID19 as well. It is important that you put these cloth face masks and gloves into the washing machine as soon as you enter the house after a public excursion. They need to be washed after every use.
· Wash some items on the hottest setting. Fabrics that have been in contact with bodily fluids should be washed at the hottest setting possible for the cloth. For instance, anything that has had vomit or feces on it (including diapers) should be washed on hot. Sports wear, too, should be washed in water as hot as the fabric can withstand. And of course, towels should be washed on hot.
Your washer is your ally in the fight against COVID19. It’s designed to deal with grease and grime, and COVID19’s fatty layer can be destroyed in your washer as well. Use it frequently to keep yourself and your family safe during this pandemic.
The particular strain of the Coronavirus known as COVID19 has created an unprecedented situation around the world. Here in the United States, the number of people with confirmed coronavirus cases tops 217,000 (as of Friday, April 3rd), more than China, Italy, or Spain. Thirty-eight states, Washington, D.C., and the territory of Puerto Rico have declared lockdowns, where residents are instructed to stay at home, nonessential businesses are closed, and only essential workers are out and about. Even states without lockdown orders have metro areas on lockdown, and a few states have ordered nonessential businesses to close without adding that residents need to stay at home. All told, about 90% of America’s population (297 million) are at home. And they’re worried.
The Science of Soap
In order to best protect yourself and your household, it is important that you understand what COVID19 is, how it is transmitted, and how you can fight it in your home. COVID19 is a virus made up of three different elements, and one of them is a layer of lipids (or fat). That makes it vulnerable because soap and detergents break down fats. Without this lipid layer to hold the virus together, it breaks apart. So hot water and detergent make the coronavirus inactive.
Your ordinary household dishwasher is the best method of delivering detergent designed to cut through lipids (grease) combined with water at high temperatures. Most standard dishwashers operate at 150º – 160º F and often have a sanitation final rinse cycle of 180ºF. Even the older models wash at temperatures of at least 120ºF. So your dishes, cutlery, pots and pans will be blasted with the best combination around to ensure any COVID19 virus disappears down the drain. Here are some pointers to get the best out of your dishwasher during this pandemic:
*Check your water temperature settings. In order for your dishwasher to use water as hot as it is designed to use, the temperature setting on your boiler must be set accordingly. Many people have boilers set several levels below the highest. Find out what your boiler is set for and adjust it if needed. You want really hot water in your dishwasher right now.
*Remember that COVID19 can live on surfaces up to 72 hours. That means that stainless steel, glass, ceramics, and plastics could all harbor coronavirus for days. Putting all your dishes through the dishwasher wouldn’t be a bad idea. And put your used items through the dishwasher immediately after the meal. It’s not necessary to wait for the dishwasher to be completely full.
*Choose a grease-specific detergent. All detergents have lipid attacking qualities, so the brand of dishwashing detergent is not critical. However, some detergents advertise as particularly tough on grease. Using one of these may give you even more assurance that your dishwasher is dealing with COVID19.
If you do need to hand wash any of your dishes, use gloves and the hottest water you can stand along with a dishwashing liquid designed to cut through grease. It’s better to use the dishwasher, even for very small loads. At Dave’s Appliance, we want to support your family staying safe during this crisis. Using your dishwasher is a great way to do just that.
The purchase of a major appliance should be a well considered decision. When thinking about buying a dryer for your home, there are two basic designs: vented and ventless (condenser and heat pump). Before delving into the pros and cons of each, let’s gain a basic understanding of how they work.
All dryers work by transferring the moisture in the laundry into the air in the drum. Then the moisture in that saturated air has to go somewhere else. In vented dryers, it simply goes outside as water vapor, either through a vent built into an exterior wall or through a hose connected to the dryer and passed out a window. In a condenser dryer, that air goes into a separate chamber in the dryer unit where it is cooled to convert the moisture back into water that then collects in a reservoir, usually under the machine. The newest kind of condenser dryers use a heat pump that draws air from its surroundings like its counterparts but uses a different method to complete the drying process. It is sent through a heat pump where the cold side condenses the vapor into a drain pipe or tank and the hot side reheats the remaining air for further use.
The first (and perhaps only) consideration needs to be the set-up already in place in your house. If your home does not have a vent, or the prospective placement of your laundry isn’t near an exterior wall or window, you will need to look at ventless dryers. Their placement is more flexible, though regular condenser dryers still need to have plenty of air flow around them in order to function properly. If you already have a dryer vent in an exterior wall, then a conventional vented dryer may be your best choice. Or not. There are other factors to weigh.
Because vented dryers are so common, they are also the least expensive to purchase. You can get a vented dryer for approximately $300 to $1500. A condenser dryer can be anywhere from $600 to $2000. Heat pump dryers were only introduced to the U.S. market in 2015, and are the most expensive. They can cost $1300 and up. These are just initial costs, however. Over time, condenser dryers can save you money, especially the heat pump dryers. When there’s no vent to the outdoors, the energy efficiency of your home naturally increases. Also, the ventless dryer recycles the air it uses, thereby creating a potential savings (especially during Milwaukee winters).
The vented dryer has the shortest drying time, with typical loads going through a 60 minute cycle. Condenser dryers usually have dry times of around 75 minutes, and heat pump dryers take 105 minutes and longer. The reason that vented dryers work so quickly is the temperature of the air in the drying drum. It is extremely hot and blown vigorously. With the ventless dryers, the temperature can be lower, thereby increasing drying time. And also decreasing the wear and tear on your clothes.
Because of the differences described, ventless dryers are kinder to clothes. You may even find that you can dry some items that you needed to hang dry before. With condenser dryers, your clothes can last longer.
Heat pump clothes dryers use 40% to 50% as much electricity as a traditional electric dryer. In fact, some sources claim that they are five times more efficient than vented dryers, and double condenser
efficiency. Whatever the specific figures for your household, there is no doubt that they are the most energy efficient option.
With all of these factors at play, only you can decide which type of dryer suits your needs best.
The majority of washing machines in the U.S. are the top-loading type, including the newer GE models that don’t have the center-post agitator. Unsurprisingly, top-loaders are usually less expensive than front-loaders. However, because of other factors, front-loaders may well save you money in the long run. So if your major concern is the initial outlay, a top-loader would be your choice, while if you want long-term savings, a front-loader is best.
Traditional top-loading washers have run times between 35 and 65 minutes, and the newer HE top-loaders have cycles from 60 to 80 minutes. Front-loader cycles are substantially longer, between 75 and 120 minutes. That’s because the laundry needs to rest in the shallow pool of water and detergent periodically rather than being immersed in water constantly.
Front-loaders are better at cleaning fabrics in general, and in getting stains out of clothes without pre-treating. That’s true even when compared to the newest models of top-loading machines. The reason is simple: front-loaders work with gravity. The clothes in a front-loading machine are pulled up by the rotation of the drum, then fall against each other as they come down. This tumbling action is much more effective than the twisting motion of top-loading machines. But you should think, too, whether you require intensive cleaning action. Are your clothes regularly very dirty? Do you hate pre-treating stains? If cleaning effectiveness is your main objective, the answer is easy; if not, read on.
Top-loaders work by filling the drum with water (and detergent) and then agitating the clothes in a twisting motion. There needs to be enough water in the drum to fully immerse all the material. In a front-loading machine, there is a shallow pool of water at the bottom of the drum and the clothes are dragged through it repeatedly by the action of the drum. Compared with a typical HE top-loader, front-loaders use about 5 fewer gallons of water per cycle, or around 2,000 gallons per year based on estimates for average use. That’s a lot of water you can save by having a front-loading machine.
Front-loaders are more energy efficient. Obviously using less water translates into less energy since that means less water needs to be pumped in (and out) and heated. Also, front-loaders extract a lot more water out of the laundry, so if you use a dryer rather than hanging your clothes out, that translates into an energy savings since you’ll need a shorter cycle on your dryer. Overall, front-loaders use less than half the electricity of a standard top-loading machine.
The maintenance of a top-loader is easier than that of a front-loader. Front-loaders have been known to smell, and unless maintained properly you can have a problem with mold in your machine. Front-loaders
have a tub-clean feature that should be run on a regular basis and some basic cleaning habits can mitigate this issue.
Finally, you should consider what design works better in your house. Front-loading machines are usually stackable, so your washer and dryer take up less floor space.
Think about all of your family needs when choosing whether to go with a front-loader or top-loader. Once that decision is made, you can begin comparing brands.
Examine coupler – it normally has a D shaped opening that fits tightly onto the motor shaft and you should look for cracks, discoloration or wear
If you identify any issues, you will need a replacement drive coupler.
The drive motor that powers the turntable is located in the floor of the microwave. If you have eliminated all of the causes above, you will need to check the drive motor. This is a more extensive undertaking and you may want to contact the experts at Dave’s Appliance. If you decide to tackle it yourself, then you should be prepared with a multi-meter and other tools.
Disconnect your appliance from the outlet
Remove drive motor – you will need to remove the cabinet in order to get at it, and then disconnect the wires and retaining screw
Test drive motor – using a multimeter set to the highest setting, test for continuity by touching the probes to the terminals; you should receive a reading of zero if your motor is functioning properly.
If your test results aren’t zero, or if your microwave makes grinding noises, then you may need a replacement drive motor. Dave’s Appliance can help.
February 26th, 2020
You know how important it is for wine to be maintained at a specific temperature, minimizing sediment disturbance and maximizing taste. So when your wine cooler suddenly stops cooling, something needs to be done, and quickly.
The first thing to do is determine which type of cooling system it uses. A compressor system is the same technology as a regular refrigerator; a thermoelectric system uses the Peltier effect to lower temperature. The compressor system uses a refrigerant and relies on mechanical energy while the thermoelectric system pumps heat out of the interior using electrical energy. Here are common problems and their solutions for each.
Compressor System Problems
If the fan in a compressor cooling system stops working, other elements can overheat. In time, that heat can transfer to the interior of your wine cooler. Repairing the condenser fan may be as simple as eliminating built-up dust and debris. If that is not the problem and it is still not spinning freely after thorough cleaning, the fan needs replacement. It is possible to do so on your own, though you may want to call the professionals at Dave’s Appliance.
If the evaporator doesn’t work, the unit won’t produce cold air even if the compressor is running properly at full capacity. The evaporator also uses a fan, and built-up dust and debris could be the culprit here too. Likewise, there may be some sort of ice blockage that would be apparent when you examine it. Repair may simply entail cleaning and letting the ice melt, then plugging it back in. If the blades of the fan are actually bent, it will need to be replaced.
Your thermostat is responsible for the supply of power to the condenser, evaporator fan, and compressor. The thermostat must be properly calibrated to ensure that your wine is preserved in the best possible way. Unfortunately, a defective thermostat can’t be repaired; you’ll have to replace it entirely. While it is possible to do this yourself, it is best to call in one of the experts at Dave’s Appliance. The procedure itself is complicated and the thermostat is just too important to rely on your own amateur efforts.
Thermoelectric System Problems
The Peltier modules conduct heat out of the cabinet in relation to the outside environment. If the room itself is too hot, the Peltier module can’t do its job properly. It is recommended that this kind of wine cooler should be kept in a room that doesn’t exceed 75ºF. The obvious fix to this situation is either to move the wine cooler to a cooler room, or to ensure that the room it is in never gets warmer than 75ºF.
Because of the way it conducts heat out of the system, a thermoelectric wine cooler needs clearance from surrounding objects. Make sure that it is positioned away from walls and other objects, and never place things on top of it. If it is a countertop cooler, don’t have it near the toaster or microwave, which generates heat.
Thermoelectric wine coolers also have a fan that conducts hot air out of the cabinet and it can easily disconnect. As with the compressor system fans, clean off any accumulated dust and debris. If it still doesn’t function, you may need to replace the fan.
Your wine cooler is an investment in keeping your wine at the optimal temperature. When it is malfunctioning, your wine is at risk. Dave’s Appliance can remedy the issue quickly and easily.
This method is the most basic, and if used regularly, it can prevent any nasty smells developing in your garbage disposal. Simply put a plug in the drain and fill the sink half full with hot water, then add a couple of squirts of dishwashing liquid. Swish it around, and pull the plug. Turn the disposal on as well so it sucks the soapy water into the mechanism quickly. The dishwashing liquid will disintegrate any built-up grease and the speed with which it goes through the gears will dislodge food particles.
Baking Soda and Vinegar
You may have heard that baking soda and vinegar, separately and in combination, can clean almost anything. That’s true for your garbage disposal too. Pour ½ cup of baking soda down your disposal, followed by ½ cup of white vinegar. It will bubble and fizz. That’s good; it means it’s working to break down the organic debris. Vinegar is a natural deodorizer and also kills bacteria. Let it do its work for about 10 to 15 minutes, then turn on the garbage disposal and run hot water down it. You should be aware, though, that because vinegar is acidic, if you use this method too often, it can damage the rubber parts of your disposal.
Ice Cubes And Kosher Salt
Throw a couple of handfuls of ice cubes down down your garbage disposal as it is running, and follow it up with a handful of kosher salt (or any kind of large flaked salt). Shards from the ice cubes being ground up can dislodge any stuck-on foods, and the salt will scrub the sides of the disposal’s upper tank.
Ice Cubes And Lemon/Lime Wedges
This is a variation of the ice cubes and kosher salt method. Put the ice cubes down the disposal first, and then throw in a cut up lemon or lime. The ice cubes do the dislodging work, and the lemon or lime wedges serve several purposes. They deodorize the disposal and give your whole kitchen a fresh smell. Also the citrus oil will coat the inside plate and rubber elements of your disposal helping to prevent future odor issues.
You can prevent organic material building up on your garbage disposal blades and the tank becoming dirty by using your garbage disposal properly. A lot of people turn it off as soon as the sound of the grinding stops. There could still be a great deal of smaller particles in the works and if the grinding stops, they stay there and harden onto the garbage disposal surfaces. If that happens every time you use your disposal, a nasty smell is almost inevitable. Instead, run your disposal about 10 – 15 seconds after the initial sound of grinding ends, and once you turn it off, continue running the water for another minute. That way, any particles are completely ground up, and your water heater is flushed too.
If none of these tips on how to clean your garbage disposal eliminate the odor, then you should call the professionals at Dave’s Appliance. It may be necessary to disassemble and clean each part, or it could indicate some other problem.
Your dishwasher does more than clean your dishes; it is an important part of maintaining your family’s health. One way it does that is by draining away wastewater through the air gap. When your air gap leaks, it indicates a problem. The last thing you want is for wastewater, with the bacteria it contains, to flow back into your dishwasher. You need to eliminate that air gap leak. In this post we’ll look at several ways of dealing with a dishwasher air gap leak.
New Garbage Disposal
If you have just had a garbage disposal installed, and suddenly your dishwasher is backing up all over the place, the likely culprit is the small insert where the hose connects to your garbage disposal. This knock-out insert should be removed at installation, but sometimes it isn’t. Obviously with nowhere to go, the wastewater goes everywhere. Simply disconnect the hose, hold a screwdriver against the insert and tap the end of the screwdriver with a hammer until the insert is pushed into the disposal tank. Once this blockage is removed, your dishwasher air gap should work perfectly.
The most likely cause of a dishwasher air gap leaking is a clog. Most of the time, you can make this dishwasher repair yourself. First remove the metal casing from the air gap and then take off the plastic top. Depending on your make of dishwasher, this plastic top may unscrew or it may lift off after pinching the sides. Once you have access to the air gap itself, check if you can see any material clogging any part of the air gap. If so, simply remove it with tweezers.
Blowing Clog Away
If no obvious clog is visible, try blowing the clog away. Simply place a roll of paper towels over the air gap and blow hard through your end of the tube. You’ll be able to tell how significant the clog is from the air resistance. Hopefully, a couple of powerful blasts will dislodge any clog. Finally, pour hot water down the air gap to deal with any greasy particles. If you can’t get any air movement or a clog is still present, you may need to snake it out.
Just like snaking other plumbing features, you can eliminate a clog in your air gap by forcing a tool through the pipe. Traditional snakes are too big, though, so you’ll need to use something else. A long bottle brush works well, or a length of cable. Push the tool through the larger hole at the bottom of the air gap outlet and work it back and forth as you progress. Be careful not to exert too much force as you could puncture the tube, creating an entirely different problem. Watch the drain in the sink or garbage disposal, and when you see the end of the tool emerge there, you know you’ve dislodged the clog.
Another strategy when your dishwasher is clogged is to vacuum the clog away. Take your wet/dry shop vac and put the hose end on the air gap outlet. Be sure the switch is turned to suction. Fill the sink or disposal area with hot water, then turn on the shop vac. The force of the suction should dislodge the clog. Allow about a gallon of water to run through after the clog is cleared, about 30 – 40 seconds.
Keeping your air gap in good working order is important for your dishwasher’s proper function, and more importantly, for your family’s health. If you have concerns about your dishwasher air gap leaking that you’re not comfortable dealing with, call the expert’s at Dave’s Appliance.
If you’re finding the food from your freezer has freezer burn, or isn’t properly frozen, you’ve got a problem. Likewise, if your freezer is leaking water, or has frost buildup, something is definitely wrong. There are some simple things that you can do before calling the professionals at Dave’s Appliance. Here are some common freezer issues and how you can do some freezer repairs yourself.
Frost buildup can be very annoying. It decreased storage space in your freezer, and it may trap odors, or encourage freezer burn. It may result from improper fridge position, poor seals, dirty coils, or clogged freezer drain.
Freezer Not Freezing.
If your food isn’t actually freezing, then you are at risk of illness, in addition to losing food. Check the coils. If they are clean, it may be a problem with the evaporator fan motor, or the starter may not be working right. Those issues will require one of the experts at Dave’s Appliance.
Freezer Runs Constantly.
If you’re hearing your freezer run all the time, then your freezer is working too hard. Check the temperature setting; it may be too low. Otherwise, it could be the condenser fan motor or evaporator fan motor. Those repairs need the expertise of Dave’s Appliance.
A clicking sound from your freezer means that you should call Dave’s Appliance. It may be a malfunctioning starter relay, or it could indicate that coolant is not moving through the coils properly. In any event, it is an issue that requires professional attention.
Freezer Leaking Water.
If it is only the freezer and not the refrigerator that is leaking water, it is probably a clogged or frozen defrost drain.
Frozen Defrost Drain.
If you’re uncomfortable removing freezer covers to expose the defrost drain, or are worried about what you may find once you do, just call Dave’s Appliance. In addition to the typical issues with the defrost drain outlined below, there’s the possibility that the drain strap may have fallen off or deteriorated. If so, Dave’s Appliance can fix or replace it.
Proper maintenance of your freezer will eliminate a lot of the usual problems, so here are some things to check.
Refrigerator position. The refrigerator needs to be positioned away from the wall slightly to allow enough room for the air to circulate. The heat from the compressor needs to have sufficient room to dissipate.
Temperature. Sometimes the temperature setting becomes inadvertently moved. Your freezer should be set to 0º to keep food properly frozen. It’s a good idea to keep a thermometer in your freezer to monitor the temperature.
Freezer door seals. The seals of the freezer should be clean and in good repair. Simply use soapy water and then apply a thin layer of petroleum jelly to maintain the seals.
Coils. The condenser coils can become dirty and dusty. Use a vacuum to clean the debris off.
Defrost drain. The defrost drain may become clogged or frozen. To deal with this situation, unplug the refrigerator and remove freezer covers so you can get at the drain. Then pour hot water down the drain until it is dripping into the drain pan under the refrigerator. That will deal with any ice, and may dislodge a clog. If necessary, use soapy water with some ammonia.
Observing the maintenance advice above can eliminate or fix a lot of freezer issues. If not, just call Dave’s Appliance, and we’ll set it right.
You rely on your refrigerator every day, and a malfunction could mean losing all the food in it. Refrigerator repair isn’t necessarily an automatic call to the experts at Dave’s Appliance; there are some simple things that you can do to eliminate problems. Even simple repairs require care and attention to detail, though, so if you aren’t a do-it-yourselfer, just call the professionals at Dave’s Appliance.
Why is my fridge leaking water?
One of the most common problems with refrigerators is the appearance of water on the floor near the fridge. Most people assume that the fridge is leaking water. Sometimes that’s the case, but sometimes it’s not. Refrigerators are designed so that condensation accumulated in the interior of the fridge drains through a drain hole and then into a drain pan underneath where it evaporates. So the first thing to do is to figure out the cause of the water. Here are some common ones, and the refrigerator repairs for them.
Refrigerator isn’t properly positioned.
If the refrigerator is completely level or tipped slightly forward, the water may not be able to flow into the drain. All you have to do is adjust the front legs so that the refrigerator tips back slightly. That tilt also makes the door swing closed after you turn away from the refrigerator. Be careful when adjusting your refrigerator, though. It is designed to be nearly level, and tipping it too much can create significant problems with other systems.
Refrigerator isn’t sealing properly.
When your fridge doesn’t seal properly, it runs constantly causing excessive condensation on the coils, and water overflows the drain pan. Check the rubber door seals on your fridge and freezer to make sure you’re getting a proper seal. If you find a problem, wash the seals with warm water and soap and apply a thin film of petroleum jelly.
Drain pan is cracked or damaged.
Your leaking refrigerator may just have a cracked or damaged drain pan. Remove the drain pan from underneath your fridge where it is located. If it has a crack or is otherwise damaged, contact Dave’s Appliance about getting a replacement as soon as possible.
Why is my food frozen instead of chilled?
Another common problem is when food is freezing instead of cooling. Most often, you can determine the reason for this problem and perform the refrigerator repair yourself.
Temperature gauge set wrong.
If the milk is suddenly frozen, then the most likely cause is that the temperature gauge has been accidently bumped and is set too low, or too cold. That’s easily rectified. Just set the temperature to medium or 5. If you can designate an actual temperature, set it to 40º.
Freezer seals aren’t sealing.
If the freezer is part of the refrigerator unit (either above or below) rather than a side-by-side design, it may be that the freezer seals are not functioning properly. The same techniques outlined above for dealing with the seals of the fridge doors will fix this problem, too; warm soapy water and some petroleum jelly.
The coils are dirty or dusty.
If the coils on your fridge are dirty or dusty, then the compressor needs to work harder and longer to keep the freezer temperature constant. When this happens, the refrigerator can overcool and freeze food and drinks.
These are some simple refrigerator repairs that you can execute yourself. If the trouble persists or your fridge problem isn’t described here, it’s best to call Dave’s Appliance. And if you think your fridge might be leaking refrigerant rather than water, call Dave’s Appliance immediately. Refrigerant is a toxic material and you need to address this issue as quickly as possible in order to avoid subsequent health risks to you and your family.