​The Domesticall guide to minor problem solving with your appliances

The Common Sense Bit​

​Below is a fairly comprehensive list of problems that you may be able to solve without the aid of professional help. However, it is impossible to cover all likely problems that may be encountered. Please do not attempt any repairs which are beyond your capabilities, and NEVER remove panels, lids, covers etc, that may be hiding dangerously sharp or live parts, unless you are competent in the task you are undertaking. NEVER work on any appliance unless it is disconnected from the mains. This page is designed to give you a "helping hand", but common sense on the part of the reader must prevail. Domesticall accepts no responsibility for injury or accident caused by the lack of common sense applied by the reader. If the problem that you are experiencing is not mentioned on this page, you can contact Domesticall by using the methods mentioned on the "about" page.

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All Appliances​

​With the exception of refrigeration, it is never a good idea to go out and leave any appliance working. The idea of all labour saving or time saving appliances, is to free up time for you to do other things whilst they do the work for you. If anything goes wrong, for example, your machine begins to flood, or even catches fire (it can and does happen) while you are not there, the consequences can be very serious. Particularly if you leave an appliance running overnight while you are asleep. Unfortunately, some manufacturers encourage this practice by fitting delay facilities to their products, therefore allowing overnight use. Domesticall strongly discourages and advises against this practice for obvious reasons.  If in doubt, ask a fireman!​

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Washing Machines​

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Removing Re-deposition ​

In recent years, a problem has arisen where there is a complaint of  a drainy smell coming from washing machines.​

Another complaint which has become more frequent is that of mildew forming around the door seal. Both of these complaints are​

linked to the fact that manufacturers are advising lower washing temperatures, and/or the use of liquid detergents. Washing at lower​

temperatures can cause bacteria to build up inside your machine, and cause unpleasant smells. The use of liquid detergents can also ​

cause this problem, because most liquids do not contain any bleach. No bleach, plus low temperature washing, can also cause the ​

problem of unpleasant smells. In order to keep the inside of your machine clean, it is advisable to carry out an "idle wash". Set the ​

machine to a maximum temperature wash programme, add the normal amount of detergent, and allow the machine to go through ​

it's programme without a load. How often you should need to do this depends on the factors listed above, but you will decide as and​

when the "idle wash" should be carried out. If the problem of nasty smells is particularly bad, a solution of  two table tablespoons of ​

bleach, diluted in a pint of water, as well as the normal amount of detergent may help. If you do this, you MUST​  allow the machine to​

complete the "idle wash" process completely, including all rinses, in order to avoid  contamination of washing when it is next used.

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​My Washing Machine Won't Work!  

Is it plugged in and switched on? Is the machines On/Off switch switched on?

Is the door closed properly? Is the wall socket working? Try plugging something else in, ie a table lamp, to test it. Check the fuse. If

your appliance is plugged into a double adaptor or an extension lead, check that it is not faulty or pulling out of the socket. Is the water turned on? Make sure that fill hoses are not kinked. Have any of the facility buttons been accidentally activated? (little fingers are often guilty here). If your machine has a delay facility, has it been activated? Has the child lock been activated?​ If your machine has a removable filter, make sure that it is clean, and that there is nothing obstructing the pump impellor. Take care when removing filters, as there is a risk of any remaining water in the machine flooding onto the floor. Some appliances are fitted with a drain tube to help to drain most of the water prior to removal of the filter. If in doubt, check manufacturer instructions.  

 

​My Washing Machine Won't Heat!

Make sure the economy button has not been activated. See manufacturers instructions.​​

 

​My Washing Machine Won't Empty!

If your machine is fitted with a filter, have you cleaned it? (some machines are fitted with self cleaning filters). If the drain hose of your machine is fitted directly to the under sink pipe work, there may be a blockage at this point. Disconnect the drain hose and check. Make sure that the drain hose is not kinked. If you have had any recent work done involving the removal of your machine, (ie. new kitchen, floor, sink or taps fitted) make sure that any obstructions, such as blank ends etc, have been removed from the under sink pipe work by the kitchen fitter.​

 

My Washing Machine Won't Spin!

Have you underloaded your machine? Most modern washing machines will not spin if the load can not be balanced. Unbalanced loads are caused by washing or spinning single items, or items that become extremely heavy when wet. Examples are towels, jumpers etc. Empty the machine, and put it onto a spin programme. If it spins, it is probably the load that caused the problem.  Remedy: Put more in when loading your machine, and try to wash similar items.

Most modern washing machines will not spin if they can't drain away. See My Washing Machine Won't Empty!​

 

My Washing Machine Leaks!

Make sure that the machine is emptying properly. If not, see My Washing Machine Won't Empty!. Check hot and cold fill hoses at BOTH ends (some machines will be cold fill only). Make sure the drain hose is not split or damaged by rodents. Make sure that the stand pipe is not leaking or blocked. Leaks from the dispenser usually indicate that the machine is not emptying properly, (dispenser leaks can appear to be leaking from the door) although this can also be due to high water pressure. If so, adjust the water pressure to the machine by partially closing the supply taps to the machine. Do not adjust at the mains water incoming stop tap, as this will affect the water pressure to the whole house. Make sure that the detergent dispenser drawer is clean. Remove the drawer and clean the dispenser body. Leaks from the door can be caused by a build up of limescale on the door glass where the door seal and the door glass meet. This can stop the door seal from forming a good seal against the door glass. Remove limescale from the door glass with a scourer or a descaling agent. ​

 

My Washing Machine Fills And Empties At The Same Time (or sticks)!

The drain hose could be pushed too far down the stand pipe, causing the machine to syphon. Lift the drain hose and secure the end above the water line of the machine.​

 

My Washing Machine Door Won't Open!

Make sure the machine has drained. If not, the door may be locked. See My Washing Machine Won't Empty!​

 

The Fabric Conditioner Goes Straight Into The Machine!

Do not overfill the fabric conditioner compartment, as this can cause premature dispensing. Using a concentrated fabric conditioner will help this problem. Keep the conditioner compartment clean.   Note: Neat fabric coditioner can cause staining on garments.​

 

My Washing Machine Jumps Around!

Contrary to popular belief, the most common cause of this problem is not​ due to overloading the machine. Nor is it likely, though not impossible, that the machine is at fault. In order to work properly, the machine needs to balance the load prior to spinning it. It can not do this if it has been badly loaded to begin with, eg it has been loaded with one large bath towel and a few smaller items. The bath towel is likely to make the load unstable. Therefore, the cause of this problem is more likely to be that the machine has been underloaded or badly loaded in some way. The most common cause of this particular problem, is the washing of bath mats. Most domestic washing machines are not equipped to cope with these. It is advised that they are not washed in a domestic washing machine. However, this problem may be overcome, by adding one or two large towels in order to maintain a balance.

Using the half load setting will not alleviate this problem. Other items that commonly cause this problem include sheets, woollen jumpers and jeans. In fact, any garment that becomes very heavy when saturated. Items should be loaded into the machine separately, and not forced into the machine in a tangled lump. Load sheets from the centre first. The arms or legs of garments can wrap around other garments, making it impossible for the machine to untangle them. Take care when loading.​ Do not use your washing machine to wash trainers or any other footwear, it is not designed for such use.

 

My Washing Machine Moves Around!

A common cause of appliances moving around has come about in recent years with the increasing popularity of wooden and laminate flooring. In this case, the machine will slide around on occasions due to the fact that the feet cannot gain a grip on the floor. This can be a problem with smooth floors of any kind, eg tiled floors. A square of rubber backed carpet placed under each foot may help here.

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Tumble Dryers

 

Tumble Drying - General

Over drying causes garments to give off lint. This in turn can clog up your tumble dryer, and under certain circumstances, lint can even catch fire. For this reason it is important that you do not over dry garments. It is equally important that the filter is checked, and if necessary, cleaned,  after each drying cycle. A blocked filter will begin to cause a build up of lint inside your dryer. Additionally, poor drying performance can sometimes be attributed to blockages in either the inlet or the exhaust of the dryer (not condenser dryers). If either becomes blocked or obstructed, the safety thermostat will cut off the supply to the heater. The dryer will then blow cold, or may even stop altogether. On some dryers, these thermostats do not reset, and  have to be replaced. This can be expensive. Make sure that the inlet is not obstructed. Make sure that the outlet hose is not blocked and that the wall vent is clear. Do not place carrier bags etc on top of the dryer, they can fall down the back and will be drawn towards the inlet. Do not attempt to dry excessively wet items.​

My Tumble Dryer Wont Work! - See My Washing Machine Won't Work!​

 

Condenser Drying

Condenser dryers continuously circulate and heat the same air. For this reason it is important that the lint filters are kept clean. If not, the dryer will overheat and the safety stat will operate. On some dryers, these thermostats do not reset and  have to be replaced. This can be expensive. Check that the reservoir is empty before use.

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Dishwashers

 

General​

Where wash results are poor but your dishwasher is otherwise performing properly, there are a few checks you can carry out yourself​

before calling for help. The general rule is that if your dishwasher is going through it's programme as it should, then you are probably ​

doing something wrong. The exception here being that some dishwashers will go through the wash programme if there is a heater ​

fault. In this case, the load will be cold at the end of the wash.​ Firstly, make sure you are using the dishwasher properly by topping up ​

the salt and rinse aid compartments. If you live in a soft water area, your dishwasher will still require salt occasionally to keep it ​

working properly. After filling the salt reservoir, it may take several washes before you begin to notice any improvement. Make sure ​

that the rinse aid dispenser is set correctly. Too much rinse aid gives the crockery a greasy feel. Too little leaves run marks. Clean ​

filters and make sure that the spray arms are not blocked, and are free to rotate.

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My Dishwasher Won't Work!  - See  My Washing Machine Won't Work!

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My Dishwasher Won't Empty!  

If there is a removable pump cover, and you have removed it to clear any debris, make sure you replace it before you try the appliance. The appliance will not empty with this cover removed.  See also  My Washing Machine Won't Empty!​

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My Dishwasher Leaks  - See   My Washing Machine Leaks!​

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My Dishwasher Fills And Empties At The Same Time (or sticks)!​

The drain hose could be pushed too far down the drain hose, causing the machine to syphon. Lift the drain hose and secure above the ​

waterline of the machine. If the dishwasher sticks during the heat cycle, it may be that it is sticking due to a build up of suds inside ​

the machine. This can happen when you wash items that have been used to serve food high in protein, eg turkey, chicken, cheese,

eggs (especially egg whites) etc. These items should be rinsed before dishwashing. Protein causes an increase in suds, and suds can ​

stop your dishwasher from working properly. If it is one of the older dishwashers, move the timer one click forward and see if the ​

dishwasher finishes it's cycle. If your dishwasher is a more recent electronic one, and you can not index the timer manually, you could​

try putting a bar of soap in the top basket (soap kills suds) until the suds disappear. Remove the soap as soon as the suds have gone. If ​

you take this plan of action, make sure you switch the machine off, either at the socket, or on the appliance itself, to avoid the risk off

being splashed whilst opening the door. If the problem is a build up of suds, the dishwasher should continue through it's cycle. If it ​

continues to stick, there may be a problem with the heating circuit.

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My Dishwasher Is Noisy! ​

Make sure that there are no loose objects such as cutlery, dishwasher fresheners etc, obstructing the spray arm as they rotate. Small ​

items can fall through the lower basket and obstruct the lower spray arm. Make sure that tall items of crockery etc, are not catching ​

the spray arms as they rotate.

 

Cookers

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My Oven Won't Switch On!​

Make sure that you have not accidentally switched the timer into the automatic mode.

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Domesticall: Tel Northallerton: 01609 771606 or Mobile​: 07971 117127

 

                                                              

 

 

 

 

 

 

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​mum temperature programme, add the normal amount of detergent and allow the machine to go through it’s wash without a load. It is recommended that an idle wash be carried out at least every 3 months in order to keep the inside of your machine in good condition. If you live in a hard water area, it is advisable to use a descaling agent as you carry out the idle was

This is just a place holder.