Steps to Take When Your Appliance is Recalled

Protect your home by knowing what to do when an appliance poses a safety risk

Did you know that 50% of homes are likely to have at least one product that’s been part of a recall? Over the past five years alone, more than 15 million appliances have been recalled. That’s a staggering number! If you ever find yourself in this situation, knowing what to do next is essential—especially if the recall is related to a safety issue. Let’s walk through the steps you should take if an appliance in your home has been recalled.

Why Are Appliances Recalled?

courtesy of OpenClipart-Vectors.

Recalls usually happen for one of two reasons: either a design flaw prevents the appliance from working properly, or the defect makes the appliance downright dangerous to use. These issues could range from something as minor as a faulty part to something as serious as a fire risk. Once a recall is issued, the appliance in question can no longer be sold and should not be used until it’s been repaired, replaced, or refunded.

What’s the Impact of a Recall?

The impact depends on the nature of the recall. In some cases, it’s a minor fix. Other times, it’s a serious safety concern that requires you to stop using the appliance immediately. Either way, a recall can cause some disruption, but it’s always done with your safety in mind. Addressing it promptly could help prevent potential accidents in your home.

Who Handles Recalls?

There are six different agencies in the U.S. responsible for managing recalls, each overseeing different types of products:

1. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) – The main agency for home appliances and general consumer products.

2. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) – Oversees food, drugs, and medical devices.

3. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) – Handles motor vehicle safety.

4. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) – Regulates things like pesticides and hazardous chemicals.

5. Department of Agriculture (USDA) – Manages recalls for meat, poultry, and eggs.

6. Coast Guard – Deals with boats and watercraft safety.

Courtesy of Cyber Rabbit.

As you can see, although they all handle ‘recalls’ only one of them deals specifically with home appliances. We point this out so that if you hear of a recall that isn’t coming from them, you should know to do more research. 

I Heard About a Recall—What Should I Do?

Let’s use a recent example: imagine you’ve just heard about a recall for Frigidaire appliances. Here’s what you need to do:

1. Check the CPSC Website
   Head over to the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s website and look up the recall. You’ll need the model and serial number of your appliance to confirm whether it’s part of the recall. They will always tell you where you should look to find your model number. 

2. Contact the Manufacturer
   Once you’ve confirmed that your appliance is included, get in touch with the manufacturer. They’ll give you instructions on what to do next. Depending on the recall, they may offer you a repair, replacement, refund, or rebate.

3. Refund vs. Rebate: What’s the Difference?

• Refund: You get your money back.

• Rebate: You get a partial refund or credit toward another product from the same company.

4. Keep Detailed Records
   Be sure to document everything! This includes dates, names of people you speak to, reference numbers, and any communication you have with the manufacturer. Keeping track of these details will help you if any issues arise.

5. Discuss the Recall with Your Household
   It’s important to talk with everyone in the house about the recall. Here’s why:

• Awareness: Make sure everyone knows not to use the appliance.

• Assess the Risk: Decide whether the issue is minor or major based on your needs. A broken oven light might be one thing, but a fire hazard is another.

• Make a Plan: Depending on the situation, you may need to change your routine. This could be as simple as planning alternative meals while waiting on a repair, or keeping a close eye on the appliance if you continue to use it.

Courtesy of StockSnap

Prioritize Safety When Dealing with a Recalled Appliance

Once you’ve confirmed that your appliance is part of a recall, the most important step is to stop using it immediately. Even if the issue seems minor—like a malfunctioning light or a door that doesn’t seal properly—there could be hidden risks that aren’t immediately obvious. Unplug the appliance or turn off its circuit breaker to prevent any accidental use while you wait for the repair or replacement. Safety should always come first, especially when it involves risks like overheating, electrical malfunctions, or potential fire hazards.

While waiting for a solution, consider the impact of the recalled appliance on your household. For example, if the issue is with your refrigerator or oven, you’ll need to find safe alternatives for storing food or preparing meals until the appliance is fixed. In cases where the recall affects something more critical, like a washing machine with a potential water leak, it’s essential to prevent further damage by keeping the appliance unplugged and notifying all household members about the issue.

Finally, take extra precautions if the appliance is located in a high-traffic area or is used frequently. If the recall notice mentions fire risks or electrical hazards, make sure the area around the appliance is clear of any flammable materials. Stay vigilant and check for any additional signs of malfunction, such as strange smells, sparks, or unusual noises. Acting swiftly and staying informed are the best ways to protect your home and loved ones while you wait for the manufacturer to address the issue.

Be Proactive: Register Your Appliances

Even if none of your current appliances are on recall, it’s a good idea to register them now. That way, if something does come up, you’ll be notified right away. Registering appliances takes just a few minutes but can save you a lot of time and stress in the long run.

Appliance recalls can feel overwhelming, but taking the right steps will ensure your home stays safe. While Appliance Rescue Service doesn’t handle recalls directly, we’re here to help keep your appliances running smoothly. Whether it’s routine maintenance or handling repairs after a recall, our technicians are just a call or click away. Visit our website to schedule an appointment or give us a call if you need assistance with your appliances.

Website
Call ((214) 599-0055) 

Examples of Appliance Recalls

• Maytag Dishwasher Recall (2010): Maytag recalled over 1.7 million dishwashers after discovering that the heating element could overheat and pose a fire risk.

• Frigidaire Stove Recall (2023): A recall was issued for certain Frigidaire stove models due to a malfunction that caused ovens to overheat, creating a potential fire hazard.

• Whirlpool Wall Ovens Recall (2016): Whirlpool recalled certain models of its wall ovens due to the potential for the oven racks to fall when they were in use. While this didn’t pose a fire hazard, it could cause burns or injuries from hot dishes falling. The recall was minor, involving a fix to adjust the placement of the racks.

Additional Reading
Navigating the Frigidaire Refrigerator Recall

Kitchen Safety 101: Protecting Your Little Ones at Home
Kitchen Hazards Unveiled

DIY Repairs vs. Your Appliance Warranty: What’s the Real Cost?

Discover why DIY repairs might end up costing you more than hiring a professional.

We’ve all been there—your dishwasher stops draining, or your washing machine begins to leak water just as you’re about to leave for work. Thanks to the rise of online tutorials, it's tempting to say I'll fix it! After all all you need is a few basic tools and a video right?  So why wait for a technician when you can DIY? Pause the moment though before you grab that wrench. It's important to ask: is it really worth the risk? While talking repair on your own seems like a great idea in the moment, One missed step or unaccounted for fact, can end up costing you much more than you think. And your appliance warranty is only the start.

The Safety Net of Appliance Warranties

Appliance warranties are a safety net many of us don't think about right until we need it. The standard warranty you will get, should cover the cost of repairs and replacements for major parts and labor. This gives you peace of mind if something happens within a specific time frame. If for instance your refrigerator is compressor gives out within the warranty period,  you can save hundreds of dollars. Without that warranty? It comes out of your pocket.

A warranty will typically extend from 1 to 5 years depending on the manufacturer. Whether something broke in transit, came off the manufacturing line with something wrong, or it just breaks, that warranty is your lifeline. However warranties also come with strict rules that you have to adhere to. This includes that all repairs are done by licensed professionals. So this means that any DIY attempts can immediately void your safety net.

The True Cost of DIY Repairs

It's so easy to fall into the trap of DIY appliance repairs. You don't want to wait for someone else to have to come, and having to take time off from work in order to be there, and then pay them on top of it. We get that. Especially with online repairs promising it's a quick 5 minute fix and you get the rush of satisfaction knowing you fixed it yourself. 

However, many warranties explicitly state that if you attempt to repair the appliance yourself, it voids the warranty. So, even if you do repair the faulty thermostat in your oven, if you break another sensor in the process of doing it? Your warranty is gone and all future repairs are paid for out of pocket, and that's even if you should have had another four years under the warranty.

You're smart though, you wouldn't try replacing the thermostat in your oven. What about a hose on your washer though? Imagine that you're washing machine starts leaking. After all, in several of our articles we tell you to pay attention to the hoses on your washing machine and to replace as needed,  so you're just trusting us. But in this case, the issue isn't on the outside. It's not easily visible by eye, and all you know is that the washer is leaking. So you find an instructional video online, and you open up the machine. That's where you find a cracked hose. At this point the video has been great so you replace the hose, but you accidentally damaged a small sensor that's needed for telling if the drum is full or not. Well since you opened up your washer, you voided your warranty. This means that you're stuck with the repair bill for the sensor as well as the hose.

This isn't just about your warranties though. Homeowner insurance policies don't always cover DIY repairs either. So this means that Financial risk can go beyond just the appliance. If our washing machine from our last example, continues to leak and damages your floor, you could be on the hook for that. Which then doubles your costs.

Safety and Hidden Risks

We've talked about your warranty and about your homeowners insurance, but doing DIY repairs can also put you at risk. Appliances like an electric dryer or a gas oven serious personal risks. If improperly handled, you can easily be shocked, start a gas leak, or a fire. There is a reason that we always say that if you don't have the proper training or if you're even a little uncertain, to call in a professional. 

A professional will have the proper training, to handle high voltage appliances. Professionals also have to know how to properly disengage gas appliances to safely fix them, without leading to gas or fire hazards.

What's more, many DIY attempts are due to misdiagnosed problems. It's easy to mistake one issue for another without professional training. This leads to improper repairs that not only can worsen the initial problem but they end up costing you time and money. And because it's difficult to get hold of the actual parts you need most fixes end up being temporary at best.

Why Professional Repairs Are Worth It

While DIY repairs may seem like a cost-effective solution at first, the risks involved usually make professional repairs the smarter choice. Licensed technicians are trained to diagnose and fix problems without causing additional damage. More importantly, hiring a professional ensures that your warranty remains intact, allowing you to take full advantage of any future coverage if needed.

Professional repair services also save you time and frustration. They also keep you from the potential of medical bills if something goes wrong. What would take one of us several hours to disassemble research and troubleshoot, is fixed by a technician in a fraction of that time. Certified professionals also have access to trademarked tools and original parts to ensure that the repair is done correctly the first time.

Conclusion: Protect Your Warranty, Protect Your Home

In the end, your appliance warranty is a valuable asset that you shouldn’t risk on a DIY gamble. While there’s nothing wrong with wanting to fix things yourself, the potential costs of voiding your warranty and causing further damage simply aren’t worth it. By trusting professional repair services like Appliance Rescue Service, you can rest assured that your appliances will be fixed correctly, keeping your warranty intact and your home running smoothly.

If you do have something that has gone wrong around your home, we hope you'll give us a call. You can reach us through our website or our offices where we will work with you to set up a time and date that fits your schedule. 

Website

Call ((214) 599-0055)

Additional Reading
Prepare Your Home for Fall: Essential Maintenance Tips

Household Hauntings: The Frightening Reality of Appliance Neglect

37 Reasons To Have Your Appliances Maintained Regularly

Signs Your Appliances Are Overheating—and How to Handle It

Simple steps to protect your home and appliances from overheating damage.

Appliances are the backbone of a modern home, working tirelessly to keep our lives running smoothly. But what happens when they start overheating? It might seem like a minor inconvenience at first—an extra-warm dryer load or food that browns too quickly in the oven. Yet, these small signs can indicate much larger problems brewing beneath the surface. Left unchecked, overheating can lead to serious malfunctions, costly repairs, and even potential safety hazards.

Understanding the early warning signs of overheating is crucial for maintaining the health of your appliances. By catching the problem early, you can avoid unexpected breakdowns and extend the lifespan of your household staples. In this guide, we’ll walk through common scenarios where overheating becomes a concern, showing you what might happen if you don’t address the issue—and how taking preventative steps can lead to a better outcome for your home.

Before: A Warm Back and Buzzing Noises

Picture a typical summer day in Texas. You reach for your fridge to get a cold drink and realize that the sides are feeling warmer than they should. You brush it off, thinking it's Texas. What else is new? However, you notice over the next few days that there are other things going on, and the heat hasn't diminished. Your milk is spoiling faster, and the food at the front of your fridge isn't as cold as it should be. You notice a persistent buzzing whenever you come into the kitchen. Then your energy bill arrives, and it's much higher than it should be, even though you're taking active steps to reduce your energy usage.

These are the classic signs of an overheating refrigerator. They all indicate that your fridge's compressor is working overtime and struggling to maintain temperature. If left unchecked, this can lead to a breakdown of the appliance.

After: Cool and Quiet

Now, let's see what that scenario can look like when you take action. Noticing the signs, you unplug your refrigerator and grab a broom to clean off the condenser coils. The coils being covered in dust prevented your fridge from cooling itself. While you're back there, you decide to check the fan and find that debris was obstructing it, also keeping it from cooling. Finally you check out the air filter and notice it was just as dusty and was choked because the refrigerator didn't have ventilation space.

After plugging your fridge back in, the buzzing noise vanished! Even better, the sides of the fridge are cool to the touch, and your next electric bill has gone back to normal. Congrats, you have successfully prevented a major appliance failure.

Before: Microwave Shuts Down Unexpectedly

Picture this: you're heating up some lunch in your microwave. Halfway through, the microwave suddenly shuts off. You try to press various buttons and power it back on, but it doesn't respond. You notice that the kitchen is warm but surely that's just because it's summer. You know that there had been a faint of buzzing before it shut off, but you thought that might have just been the tray getting stuck. It does that sometimes. It's annoying because all you want is to eat your lunch and go back about your day.

Having your microwave shut down suddenly like this suggests that the microwave has overheated. That shutdown is actually an automatic safety feature that kicks in when your microwave gets too hot. There are a lot of different reasons that can cause this, from faulty components to block ventilation to running the microwave for too long. And if you had your microwave for several years, wear and tear take a toll, making overheating much more likely.

After: Smooth
Operation and Safe Heating

What happens if you take steps to prevent this though? After the microwave cools down you check around the sides of the microwave and notice that it's partially blocked by other appliances on your counter. You clear the space around it to ensure it has proper air flow next to you grab the vinegar and clean the microwave thoroughly paying extra attention to the vents to get rid of all the dust. Then you make a mental note, or if you're like us a sticky note, to not run the microwave for extended periods of time without breaks.

Making these adjustments and having taken the time to let it cool down, your microwave starts working again. And you avoid further unexpected shutdowns because I can breathe better too. Plus you've extended the lifespan of your microwave by keeping up with a little maintenance.

Before: Dishwasher Overheats and Fails to Clean Properly

You start your wash cycle and continue going about your nightly routine. You hear strange sounds coming from your kitchen. You put it off until the next morning when you notice it's not cleaning the dishes as thoroughly as it should. In fact it hasn't been for a few weeks. It also seems to have been running very hot at times steam has been billowing out and when you open after it finishes some of the dishes have been scalding hot. Eventually a warning light or an error code pops up. And still your dishes are coming out dirty and you don't know why.

These are all signs that something has gone wrong with your dishwasher and it's overheating. The most common cause for this is a malfunctioning heating element which might have shorted out. This can raise the water temperatures beyond normal levels. Another possibility is that the thermostat that limits The heat is no longer working. Which means your dishwasher can't tell how hot the water has become. Alternately if the thermostat is malfunctioning or positioned wrong, it might not shut off the heating element which then causes the appliance to overheat.

After: Efficient Cleaning with Proper Temperature Regulation

What happens though when you work to address these issues? All three of those issues will typically require a professional to get involved. You can do it yourself, but it is fiddly work, and often difficult to get to. However you go about it, you've fixed your dishwasher. You noticed that the appliances running smoothly, the the steam has stopped billowing out, and the noises have stopped. You can now go back to loading your dishwasher without worrying about burning your hands or dishes not coming out clean.

Before: Clothes and Dryer Overheating

It's the start of your weekend and you are determined to get things done. You started drawing cycle for the laundry you're doing and keep on grooving. And then when it finishes you come over and yank your hand back because you realize that the exterior is too hot to touch. You wait a few minutes and open it up and find out your clothes are also unusually hot. This isn't right and you start to worry. Even more concerning there is a strange smell in the air. These are signs that your dryer is very probably overheating. It's frustrating and worrisome because you are on a roll and now you need to figure out what to do about this.

Several different issues can cause overheating. The most common culprit is a reduction of the airflow

through your dryer. Unfortunately, that can also be caused by several different sources. This can be due to a blockage in the internal duct or a kink in the transition hose that links your dryer to the wall. You could also have a blockage in that transition hose. Another problem that can cause overheating is excessive lint buildup either inside of the dryer or the exhaust outlet. Finally the exhaust outlet could also be not opening fully. And if it's not blocked airflow it could be a faulty heating element, a defective cycling thermostat a broken or missing felt seal, or an obstructed blower wheel. These are all mechanical elements that could be causing a problem.

After: Efficient and Safe Drying

What happens though when you've addressed those issues? You start by inspecting your vent system and find that there was a kink in the transition hose as well as a tiny sock. Is that what happens to all of them? Maybe. You also had excessive lint buildup in the vent. You clear that out and straighten the hose making sure that the air flow is now unrestricted. Next you check the exhaust outlet on your roof and that's fine it's opening completely without issue. You also check out the various mechanical parts, relying on our Good Friend YouTube to see what you're looking for. 

With these changes in place your dryer goes back to normal. The air flow moves smoothly through your dryer and it stops overheating the sides and your clothes. You can now get back on the roll and enjoy the rest of your weekend, without worrying about your clothes catching fire.

Before: Overheated Oven and Undercooked Meals

It's a Sunday and you are excitedly trying out a new recipe for cookies is that you've been looking forward to all week. The recipe calls for them to come out soft and golden brown. However when you open up your oven you find their a dark brown, dry and crumbly. You start wondering whether it is you and did you follow the recipe correctly? But then you think that it happened last night too with the chicken you made, it was tough but also cooked unevenly. You also noticed that the oven is unusually hot even for summer. This could be a sign that your oven is overheating, which leads to poorly cooked food and safety concerns.

There are several issues that could cause your oven to overheat. You might have a broken temperature sensor that's not accurately measuring the internal temperature. A faulty thermostat can also fail to regulate the temperature properly. Damaged heating elements or a loose thermostat knob can also contribute to the problem. Additionally a blocked vent, a faulty cooling fan, or a malfunctioning selector switch can all interfere with airflow and temperature regulation

After: Perfectly Baked and Well-Maintained Oven

Some of these issues you can fix on your own. Let's tackle those first. You start by cleaning your oven thoroughly, removing any food residue and grease that could block any of the vents. Be it on top on the sides or inside, you scrub everything. While you're at it you look at your ovens manual to find and clean the cooling fan. You also look over the heating elements by hand to see if you can find any obvious damage. 

 For the rest of it, though, you need a professional who knows what they're looking for. Especially if you're dealing with a gas oven. So you call them and they look at your broken temperature sensor and thermostat to ensure that it's working properly. If there was any damage to your heating elements they go and replace those. They also check out the loose thermostat knob making sure it's placed securely, and repairing the selector switch if it was needed.

With these fixes, your oven goes back to working properly for you. Your cookie recipe comes out perfectly golden, and your dinner that night is not a dry husk. Taking care of your oven and addressing any issues swiftly ensures safe and delicious cooking every time you turn it on.

Keeping your appliances in check can make all the difference in ensuring they run efficiently and safely for years to come. Whether it's preventing an overheated dryer or tackling a malfunctioning oven thermostat, the right steps can turn potential disasters into minor inconveniences. But sometimes, despite your best efforts, professional intervention is necessary. That’s where Appliance Rescue Service comes in.

Our team of expert technicians is ready to step in when things get complicated. From diagnosing tricky overheating issues to providing long-term maintenance solutions, we’re here to help you keep your home running smoothly. If any of your appliances show signs of overheating, don’t wait—give Appliance Rescue Service a call. We’ll make sure your appliances are back in top shape, so you can focus on the things that matter most.

Website

Call: ((214) 599-0055)

Additional Reading

Wondering How to Clean Your Appliances Sustainably? Eco-Friendly Methods Unveiled

Don't Let Your Dryer Become a Fire Hazard

The Labyrinth of Limescale

Kitchen Safety 101: Protecting Your Little Ones at Home

Beyond Baby Gates: Safeguarding Every Corner of Your Kitchen

Babies are chaotic. When they start learning how to move their limbs, they will grab everything they possibly can and kick everything within reach. Once they gain mobility, it is an all-out war between you and the baby. No matter how much you love them, trying to keep them safe is difficult because safety is not a concept they understand. Therefore, your job is to baby-proof your entire home against anything they can get up to. That's where this week's article comes in. We are taking a look at your kitchen and the mischief your baby can find, whether you're looking or not.

Baby chewing on a utensil - Courtesy of Yan Krukau

Let's start when your baby is still non-mobile. At this point, you have to carry them everywhere. Unfortunately, they can still get hurt in your kitchen. All it takes is a kick or a flailing hand that grabs hold of a spoon and both you and the child are covered in something. If you're lucky, it's something that's cool or room temperature. If you're unlucky, it's something boiling, and you now have a burned baby.

You can prevent this by making sure pot handles, and utensils are turned towards the inside of your stove if you are working at the stove while holding your little one. You can also look for clips that will clip to the side of a pot and hold a spoon or spatula in place to keep little hands from grabbing and pulling. 

Another major issue is stove knobs. They click, they turn, and they push! To a baby, it's the best thing in the world whether they're in arms or crawling and standing on their own. To keep little ones from lighting themselves or anything on top of the stove on fire, there are a couple of different methods you can use. If it is a temporary issue, you can just remove the stove knobs. Most stove knobs will pop off of a central rod very easily for cleaning. Toss them all in a dish outside of baby reach, and you're good to go. Some families are perfectly happy doing this as a measure until the child is big enough to be left on their own; others aren't. Use it at your discretion. The next option is a cover. There are knob covers that will clip over the top of the knob and can be very easily opened when you need them, but they are a little more complicated than most babies can figure out.

And other than pulling at paper towel rolls or any hanging things, that's about it if your baby is in your arms.  But like all things, babies grow. 

Once your baby is mobile, you need to do more than just make it so they cannot push or pull things. Now, you need to be concerned with everything.  

Baby climbing over a baby gate Courtesy of Jep Gambardella

Most people will start with the straightforward baby gate. If a baby can't get into the kitchen, they can't cause problems. You also don't have to baby-proof anything else within the kitchen. However, your blogger would like to point out a number of children in her acquaintance who figured out how to climb over baby gates at a far more rapid pace than is usually thought possible. So, in the interest of keeping your particular small human safe, we advise considering further steps. The baby gate should be the first line of defense but not the only line.

What about cabinets and drawers? As your child starts to explore, like we mentioned, they'll want to pull on things. At first it might be simply a matter of pulling as they figure out how to get up and things accidentally coming open. But very quickly, that turns into repeating to see if they can do it a second time. And once they've figured out the precise mechanism of it, they'll want to keep doing it because there are things hidden behind the door or drawer. There are latches that can be attached to your drawers and your cabinets. These are great for keeping small children out. Some varieties have clips, some varieties have magnets, some varieties are the DIY version, and just have a rubber band. Take your pick. Our point here is just to keep your child out of pots, pans, food boxes, and cleaning supplies that might be on their level. These latches can also work on your refrigerator. The model you have will inform you how best to apply them. 

As a side note, if you have the space, we advise moving your cleaning supplies entirely out of reach of small children. While many of us store our cleaning supplies under the kitchen sink, even cabinet latches are capable of failing. Given the poisonous nature of most cleaning supplies better to keep them entirely out of reach.

Baby getting into a drawer Courtesy of PNW Production

The next thing to consider is the oven door. Whether you have a stove and oven combo or an oven that stands on its own, the door handle for an oven is a great place for little hands to reach and grab and then use it to lever themselves up into a standing position. Once again, the latches that we mentioned earlier are a great way to keep the oven from being opened. However many of them still have a small amount of give to them. While this is acceptable for a cabinet, an oven that is on can easily lead to burns if little fingers get in between. Another option to double up protection is to put high-backed chairs in front of the oven. If they can't get to the oven, they can't open it. 

Finally, understand that no amount of baby-proofing will stop the force of nature that is a baby. The best thing that you can do is to prevent what you can and stay aware of your child or make sure that somebody is paying attention once they gain mobility. If this isn't an option, consider setting up a separate area enclosed within the kitchen so that you can keep an eye on your little one without them getting out.

As we conclude this guide to baby-proofing your kitchen, we hope you've found valuable insights to create a safer environment for your little ones. Remember, a secure home is a happy home.

If you have additional baby-proofing tips or want to share your experiences, join the conversation on our Facebook page.

It's essential to recognize that malfunctioning kitchen appliances pose a threat not only to babies but to everyone in the household. Vigilance and regular maintenance are key to preventing accidents.

At Appliance Rescue Service, we understand the importance of a functional and safe kitchen. For all your major appliance repair needs, reach out to us at (214) 599-0055 or visit our website. We're here to ensure your appliances are in top-notch condition, promoting a secure and comfortable home for you and your loved ones.

Thank you for entrusting us with your appliance care. Stay safe and secure!

Additional Reading

10 Kitchen Hazards to Avoid this Holiday Season

Why Does My Oven Keep Flipping the Circuit Breaker? 

Bugs of Summer: Fleas, Lice, Ticks and Bed Bugs

Household Hauntings: The Frightening Reality of Appliance Neglect

 Don't Let Your Home Become a Haunted House

We’re a day late, but still very much in the spooky spirit at Appliance Rescue Service HQ! We’ve waited all year long for our favorite holiday, and we’re back with some of the terrors that can plague your home. Now join us as we dive into a haunted Halloween story that could take place in your very own kitchen. 

It's a dark and stormy night, as any good Halloween should be. You are baking away in your kitchen, looking forward to handing out goodies for the few brave trick-or-treaters. All is quiet in your home, and it’s looking to be a good night. 

 When you start smelling smoke, you think it must be the cookies you have going in the oven. But no, your oven isn't up to temperature yet, and the cookies are still in front of you. You open up the oven, thinking maybe there's something burning on the bottom, but no, there's nothing there, and yet the smell of smoke is getting stronger. 

You rush around looking for the source, and you keep coming back to your oven. That's when you notice there's a flicker coming from behind. Your wiring finally gave out and caught fire during the preheating stage. 

You rush to turn off the oven and grab your emergency fire extinguisher that you keep handy. Nothing else caught fire; nothing else has been damaged, except for the back of your stove and a bit of your wall. But the smell is gone; the fire is gone. 

You take a deep breath thanking heaven that it's not as bad as it could have been. Except now you hear a dripping. Drip drip drip. You take a deep breath and hope that the trick-or-treaters will forgive you because it seems like there's yet another problem. You start to search, and you find that this time, there is an issue with your dishwasher. It's a matter of your dishwasher valves having given out. You can't unplug it. You aren’t even sure where that plug is. 

So you rush to grab towels from your linen closet and throw them on the floor in front of it, praying that the damage won't be too bad and that you can catch it all in time. What else could possibly go wrong, you moan to yourself. 

Except it's Halloween, and that's a question you should never ask. As you kneel on the floor, picking up soaking wet towels to toss into the wash, there's a rattle, a rattle and a shake, and a vibrating unholy sound that is one part screaming metal and one part rattling of the chains of the Damned. 

You rush to your laundry room to find that it has rattled itself away from the wall and is even louder when you're standing in front of it. The clothes inside of it are perfectly fine, but you're not so certain about the wall. In rattling its way forward, your dryer has shaken down everything from the wall above it and is currently playing tug-of-war with both the electrical outlet and the vent housing. At this point, all you can do is pray that the lint catch has been cleaned recently and that it doesn't catch on fire as well. As you step forward to try and shove the dryer back into place, or maybe unplug it you, you slip. 

Your feet go out from under you, and you land smack on your back, feeling like you’ve been horribly maligned by someone designing a scene for one of the Final Destination movies. You stare up at the ceiling and notice that there are spots of mold creeping across your ceiling. Had they been there long? Were they the reason that this whole night had kicked off? Just one long hallucination induced by black mold? 

We hope you enjoyed that haunted tale, but take heed of the dangers that it represents. As taking care of your home and it’s needs means it will take care of you as well.  Other than the sounds that your dryer might make having been kicked up a little for narrative embellishment, everything we pointed out as a potential failure point for a non-maintained appliance can actually happen. All of these are issues that can occur in any home with any appliance. All of these spooky instances can and do happen in your home when appliances aren't cared for properly or regularly. Some appliances, like your oven or your dishwasher, might be able to get away with only yearly maintenance checks. Others, like your refrigerator, your dryer, or your ice maker, require more frequent checks, typically every 6 months if not every three. 

Appliance Rescue Service offers just that. We can work with you to set up a recurring maintenance schedule so that you don't have to worry about these issues. We review your appliances from top to bottom, looking for issues before they become hazardous to you or your home. If you're interested in finding out more about how we can work with you to ensure your home keeps running smoothly, you can give us a call at  ((214) 599-0055), or reach out to us through our website. We will work with you to set up a time that fits best with your schedule.

Additional Reading
Halloween Horrors in Your Home 

37 Reasons To Have Your Appliances Maintained Regularly