Menno’s
Tech
Minutes
April 2011
A Monthly Article Being
Provided To Help Out
With Common Household
Appliances
By Menno Hochstedler
Repair or Replace?
FHG Family Nutrition
125 W. Fenn Suite 500 • LaGrange, IN 46761
(across from McDonald’s)
Hours: Mon. - Fri. 9-5 • Sat. 9-1• 260-463-2300
We now carry the full line
of Krause health products
We Carry:
Vitamins & Supplements
Health & Beauty Items
Bulk Teas
Sports Nutrition
Gluten-Free Foods
Essential Oils
Check out
our low prices!
Page 15
We have
infection Aid.
Every appliance that I can think of needs an outside
power source, be it fuel, electricity, or both. Spending some time to make sure things connected to or
around the appliance is not creating a negative factor
on how the unit performs, can save you from making
costly choices. Replacing an appliance with another
that had no fault of its own, will just put you back into
the same scenario or even worse if the new unit has
more protection built into the appliance. One of the
first steps to take would be to get out the installation
guide along with the user’s manual to see if anything
was overlooked up to the point of failure.
To elaborate, I will use some examples. For instance
when a dishwasher fails to perform to your expectations,
you might have a drain restriction, too much detergent
per wash, no final rinse in reservoir, or it may not have
been installed level. As for a dryer, you may be missing
one leg of power or gas restriction, contaminated intake
air or exhaust restriction. Washers have problems when
water supply is incorrect, or the unit is not level and
or on unsure footing. Refrigerators require correct
power all the time for a long service life, along with
an uncontaminated water supply if its hooked up to it,
and keeping the condenser (heat exchanger) clean is a
must. Freezers need the same things as well, plus space
around them when the condenser (heat exchanger) is
part of the outside freezer wall. Gas pressures need to
be correct for ranges, water heaters, furnaces, dryers
or anything using gas. Furnaces fail from simple things
like a plugged filter or improper grounding.
Unless you are jubilated when your appliance
finally gives you an excuse to get rid of it, you need
to make sure that everything that plays a part, checks
out OK before disappointment comes knocking from
the new appliance. And if there is no other course
to take, make sure that you follow the users manual
on the new appliance, since some habits might need
changing with the new machine. Information will
be the most valuable tool you have when it comes to
making a decision on either repairing or replacement
of your appliance. Just keep in mind that appliances
don’t install themselves yet, so added costs are likely
if you don’t do the installation yourself.
Phone: 260-463-4901 • Fax 888-439-6528 • The Hometown Treasure
Many times in my 27 plus years in this occupation
of appliance repair, I find people wishing they had
gone the route of repair verses replacement once they
have all the facts. I have tried my best to help folks on
the other end of a phone conversation; my input is a
direct reflection of the information I get from consumers needing guidance. The best gift my past employer
(Melvin Miller) gave me, was the chance to do what
I love to do most of the time. Too elaborate on the “I
love to do most of the time” part, the reason I spend
time writing articles and talking to people about their
appliances, is that I have a passion to help someone
make the correct choices. The part I don’t like is when
the end results end up wasting resources that folks
worked so hard for, then causing them to spend even
more to remedy their problem.