FAQ & Tips

Dirty Washing Machine

Sometimes when you open the lid of your washing machine it seems strange to find that the clothes you've just washed have dirty marks on them. Washing machines are meant to make your clothes clean and it is a real contradiction to have the opposite experience.

Those dirty marks don't always mean you have a major problem with your machine so it is good practise to run some regular maintenance on your hard working washing machine.

Over time a build-up of dirt and excess washing powder can stick to the outer bowl of your machine. It is this scrud that can end up on your clothes during a wash.

To help remove this build-up of scrud from your bowl it is best to try running a hot wash without clothes through your machine. You may need to do more than one hot wash if it has been a long time since your machine had a cleansing hot spa.

If you are still finding dirty marks on your clothes then the outer bowl will need to be removed so it can be scrubbed clean with a brush. Let us know if you would like some help to clean up your dirty washing machine.

Electrical Appliance Safety

If you are attempting to fix your own electrical appliance it is very important that safety precautions are taken. Fiddling with electrical wiring without knowing what you are doing can place you at risk of causing a fire or electric shock. Electricity can be very dangerous and safety regulations in South Africa were created to keep households safe.

Many of the home appliances used today are very complicated and need specialized knowledge to repair them correctly. Never be complacent about repairing electrical appliances and always disconnect them from the power supply if you try to fix them. Attempting to modify an appliance or fit non-standard parts is not advised as this can cause your appliance to be a serious hazard to everybody in your home.

Although some appliance repairs may seem simple it is best to trust those with specialized skills and experience. Regular safety training is a requirement for these experts to hold a practicing license with the Electrical Workers Registration Board. Unless you know what you are doing we advise that you ask for help from qualified and trained electrical professionals. Electrical appliance safety is very important so contact us if you need help with any appliance repairs.

Oven Door Not Closing

An oven door that does not close properly can be caused by faulty hinges and this can make it difficult to maintain a consistent temperature for baking or cooking food. Oven door hinges or springs get a lot of use and can become tired, bend or break. This can mean your oven door drops open, will not stay in an upright position and is out of alignment or that the door ends up with a gap around the edges rather than forming a good seal. Although it is possible to continue using the oven it is not particularly energy efficient to keep using your oven with faulty hinges. When the hinges are damaged it can also mean the internal tracks that hold the hinges need to be replaced.

Before you start planning to cook your Christmas turkey it is wise to check and make sure your oven door is closing properly. If you have an oven door not closing or aligning correctly then it would be best to book in a service now. Don't wait until the turkey is defrosting!

Fridge Not Cold Enough

If you are finding your fridge not cold enough then the first place to check is the temperature control setting. Sometimes this can be accidentally knocked or has been played with and it just needs to be reset to the correct temperature setting. If the setting was wrong then simply adjust it and leave the fridge for about 6 hours so that your fridge has time to achieve the right temperature. During this adjustment time if you are concerned about your perishable food then it is best to relocate them to make sure they stay fresh.

If you have a thermometer it can be placed inside a glass of water in your fridge to check what temperature your fridge is actually achieving. This is the best way to determine if your fridge is cold enough as the ideal temperature for a fridge should be within 3 to 4 degrees Celsius.

If you find that your control is on the correct setting but your fridge is too warm then you can adjust the control one level at a time. A gradual change to the control is always the best way to determine where it should be positioned to achieve the right temperature. Each time you make an adjustment to the fridge controls remember to give the fridge time to cool down to the correct temperature.

If your fridge is not cold enough after you have checked the control then it is best to get a service technician out to fix the problem so that food stored in your fridge does not spoil.

Sink Disposal Not Draining

Sink disposals are very useful for quickly disposing of food waste by slicing it into small bits that can easily be washed away. A sink disposal not draining can be caused by food or foreign objects becoming clogged in the blades. Before you try to clean out the sink disposal always make sure that the unit is off by unplugging the switch. Never stick your hand inside a sink disposal that could accidentally be switched on as the blades will cause serious damage to your hand.

Once the sink disposal is safely disconnected from the power you can remove any food or foreign objects found inside it. Once cleared you should be able to see the blades move freely if they are touched. Check that the water has drained away and run a little bit of fresh water into the sink to check it is now draining properly. If this unclogs the drain then you can plug the sink disposal back in and check it will function properly.

If you find that your sink disposal only hums when you turn it back on then it is best to contact us and arrange to have a technician call out to fix it.

Dishwater Water Not Draining

Sometimes when the dishwasher door is opened you can find that the water has not drained away and there is water sitting above the filter of your dishwasher. It is best to check that your dishwasher has finished the cycle as it will not drain away the water until the end. Sometimes a wash cycle can be interrupted and this does not mean that you have a fault with your dishwasher.

If the wash cycle has been completed but your dishwasher water is not draining away then it is best to check that the filters are not blocked by food or foreign objects. Sometimes glad wrap or chunks of food can end up in the dishwasher and block the filter which stops the water from draining. The best way to check is to carefully run your hand across the filters and pick out any objects. After any food and foreign objects are removed you can try to use the dishwasher again.

If you clean the filters and you still have problems with the dishwasher water not draining away then it's time to call in the appliance experts. Let us know if you need any help to make your dishwasher function properly.

Clothes Dryer Not Starting

If you find that your clothes dryer will not start there are a couple of quick checks you should do to determine where the fault may be coming from. The first place to check is that the socket your clothes dryer is plugged into has power. The easiest way to test this is by plugging another small electrical appliance into the socket. If the other appliance springs to life then the fault is specifically with the clothes dryer.

A clothes dryer not starting can sometimes be caused by the door not closing properly. Most clothes dryers have a built in safety feature that will stop it from operating if the door catch is broken, not in alignment or does not connect with the internal door switch. Check that the dryer door connects properly when it closes and it is not obstructed by any of the clothes inside.

If you have a clothes dryer not starting and there is not a minor issue with the door closing properly then you are best to call us for help.

Oven Not Heating

If an oven appears to be on strike and is not heating up at all there are a couple of quick checks you should do to determine where the fault may be coming from. First it is best to check your fuse box to make sure that the fuse has not been tripped. If your oven display is working but the oven will not heat up it could be caused by the auto function or self-cleaning mode.

Check carefully that the oven clock has not been bumped off the manual setting and reset it if you find the auto function selected. If you have a self-cleaning mode on your oven then read the instruction manual for your oven on how to revert it back to a normal cooking mode. Most ovens are fairly simple to reset back so that they will function correctly.

If you have an oven not heating up and the cooking mode is set correctly then you should seek help from a registered electrical technician. SA regulations specify that repair work on an oven should always be performed by qualified and registered electrical technicians. If you have an issue with your oven please contact us for professional help from our team of registered electrical technicians.

Loud Noisy Washing Machine

Trying to ignore the loud sounds that come out of a noisy washing machine is difficult and it is better to check out why these annoying noises are happening to make sure that serious damage is not occurring in your hard working washer. Do not be concerned by the normal washing machine noises that happen during a wash or spin cycle. Loud thumping, squealing, clicking, sploshing, scraping or squeaking sounds should be investigated further.

Disturbing noise that can come from a washing machine may be caused by clothes shifting to one side of the bowl and causing the load to go out of balance. While smart washing machines will try to fix this fault during the cycle it is easier to redistribute your clothes evenly around the bowl when you hear a loud banging noise and then restart. If your washing machine frequently goes out of balance during a wash cycle it would be best to get an expert to check it over for you.

If you have a loud noisy washing machine then it is best to seek professional help before the problem becomes more serious. Contact our friendly team if you would like assistance with your noisy washing machine.

Washing Machine Not Filling

If you find your washing machine not filling with water after you have tried to start it the best thing to do is check a couple of areas that may be causing the problem. The first place to check is that your inlet hoses are connected to your faucets and the washing machine. If your hoses are connected properly then make sure that both the water faucets for hot and cold are in the open position. If one or both of them are closed then turn them to open. Some washing machines require both hot and cold taps to be open even though you only want to run a cold wash.

When the water supply is open but your washing machine is still not filling the next place you should inspect is the hoses that lead into your washing machine. Make sure that the hoses are not twisted or kinked as water will not be able to flow past easily and this will stop your washer from filling with water. If you find a kink in the hose and it does not want to straighten out then you should replace the hose with a new one.

Although you may be able to manually fill your washing machine with water it is best to seek professional help if these simple steps have not resolved the issue. Contact our friendly team if you would like a new hose for your washing machine or need further assistance.

Washing Machine Not Spinning

Soaking wet clothes will take a really long time to dry. If you find that your washing machine did not spin the heavy bulk of water out of your clothes at the end of the cycle then you should first check that the clothes are not sitting to one side of the bowl. If you find the load sitting unevenly around the bowl this will cause the machine to become unbalanced when spinning out. There can be banging noises before it stops. Try to re-position the clothes evenly around the bowl, close the lid and retry the spin cycle.

When some washing machines spin the lid will lock to prevent accidental access to the machine while the bowl is spinning fast. This safety feature can also stop a washing machine from starting the spin cycle. If re-positioning your load of clothes has not worked then check that the lid is closing properly and nothing is obstructing it. Examine how your washing machine lid sits when it is closed too. If a lid becomes bent or damaged it may not be clicking into place and that will prevent the spin cycle from activating.

There are many other reasons that can cause a washing machine to stop on the spin cycle. If you have a washing machine not spinning and the easy checks above have not solved the problem then you should contact our friendly team of experts.