Tips for Preserving Food When the Freezer Goes Out

We rely on our freezer to preserve our food and keep it ice cold for weeks – and months! – at a time. But what do you do on that ill fated day when you need freezer repair in Dallas? Call Appliance Rescue Service and follow these simple tips to preserve your food longer!

Keep the Door Closed:

Opening the freezer door repeatedly to check on the food is a bad idea. Keep your freezer securely shut and only open it when it’s an absolute necessity in order to keep the cold air in and the seal in tact.

Stack Food Together:

If your freezer is not full, consider opening the freezer briefly and grouping frozen foods together so that they can better keep each other cold. Most full freezers will keep food for 48 hours; 24 hours for a half-full freezer.

Buy Dry Ice:

Dry ice will do wonders for keeping food in your freezer frozen! Buy some at your local convenience store and place it near the food to increase longevity.

Be Mindful of Meats:

If you think your meats may begin to thaw, consider placing them on a cookie sheet in the freezer or at least grouping them in one area. That way, the juices released during thawing do not run all over the freezer.

Install Appliance Thermometers:

Not sure what the temperature of your freezer is? An appliance thermometer can easily show you what is going on. A freezer must be kept at 0 degrees or below. After the appliance comes back on, anything that was over 40 degrees for over 2 hours will most likely need to be discarded.

As soon as you suspect you have a Dallas freezer issue, give the experts at Appliance Rescue Service a call! Or if you feel more comfortable, you can text or book an appointment online. Our team will get back to you promptly to setup a time to diagnose the issue and get your freezer up and running again in no time.

I Have a Leak in my Fridge...Now What?!

It’s the sight no homeowner wants to see. They walk into the kitchen, only to see a giant puddle originating from the refrigerator. Of course, it’s late at night and you don’t think Appliance Rescue of Dallas, Texas can get to you until tomorrow.

The best way to try to stop your leak in a pinch is to understand where the leak is coming from. Obviously, there are many makes and models of refrigerators, but here are a few common places that leaks come from in the refrigerator, which can help you diagnosis the issue:

Leak Location: Lower Front; Issue: Drain Line has Become Clogged on a Self-Defrosting Refrigerator

Unplug the refrigerator and remove the front guard on the lower part of the fridge. This will expose a plastic tray. Slide the tray out and search for the end of the drain line. Once you’ve located the line, put the end in an empty bucket to let remaining water flow out of the tube. Many times, the line can just get jammed with ice, so if you’re feeling froggy, take a look at the line and see if you see a chunk of ice blocking the path. Remove the ice, reinstall, and you should be back in business.

Leak Location: Bottom Rear; Issue: Water Line or Water Valve

If you are able, unplug the refrigerator, pull it out, and inspect the area around the water line. A leak could be coming from the line or the valve in the refrigerator.

Leak Location: Bottom Middle; Issue: Drain Pan Malfunction

Either your drain pan has a crack or is misplaced. Inspect pan for cracks and make sure it is installed properly within your refrigerator.

Leak Location: Interior; Issue: Drain Line from Defroster is Clogged

Many refrigerators drain on the inside of the refrigerator, typically behind the crisper drawers. Remove the drawers and inspect the area for the drain line. If possible, take a look in the line and see if you immediately notice anything clogging it up.

These are just a few of the refrigerator leak issues that we see at Appliance Rescue in Dallas. If you have a leak and need a refrigerator repair in Dallas, give the experts at Appliance Rescue a call today and our staff will be out there quickly to diagnosis the issue and get your refrigerator working properly in no time.

The Truth About Self Cleaning Ovens

It’s the holiday season. You want your kitchen to look perfect. You open your oven to find – to your horror! – that it’s caked in cooking grease and grime. What to do?

Self Cleaning Mode

Many ovens these days have a self cleaning function that works by heating your oven up to approx.. 900 degrees, and those ultra high temperatures then burn off any residue left on your oven from baking. The cycle typically takes about 3 hours, and during the process, the oven locks itself closed so that you cannot open accidentally. The beauty of the self cleaning cycle is that there are no harsh chemicals used – just heat. After the cycle is completed, you typically open your oven to find what looks like soot in the bottom. Just wipe it out with a damp cloth and your oven is as good as new.

Is this the best option?

For most, the self cleaning cycle will work like a charm. However, there are some caveats. First off, we’ve seen some issues in the past with the high heat temps actually causing issues to key elements in your oven, causing you to call a Dallas oven repairman asap. Why? One of the big reasons is that many newer ovens have hidden heating elements beneath the upper and lower oven cavity. Sometimes the self cleaning mode just makes the oven too hot, and those fuses pop and bust.

Another point to be aware of? Some research suggests that Teflon coated items in the oven can release odorless fumes that are harmful to animals.

A Safer Way to Clean

Since most oven’s these days have hidden cleaning elements, one of the easiest ways to clean the oven is with a little baking soda and water! Rub baking soda and a little water inside the oven to make a paste. Let it sit and the wipe off with a damp cloth. Easy as that!

Having issues with your oven? Remember you can always call your friendly Dallas appliance repair at Appliance Rescue! 

Maintenance Tips for your Dishwasher

During the holiday season, your dishwasher runs on overtime. Huge holiday meals and lots of company means a dishwasher is running 24/7. It’s a season when you do NOT want your dishwasher to break! Avoid dishwasher repair in Dallas with these tips from Appliance Rescue:

Do a Pre-Rinse:

Your dishes don’t have to be spotless when they go in the dishwasher, but make sure you wash off the majority of the food to prevent the filters in your dishwasher from becoming clogged with food particles.

Run Hot Water:

A dishwasher runs most efficiently when the water is nice and hot from the get-go. Before starting a load of dishes, run the warm water in the sink until it’s hot. This will ensure that hot water immediately flows to your dishwasher when the cycle starts – getting dishes cleaner.

Freshen with Vinegar:

About one a week, run an empty dishwasher with a cup of vinegar poured into the bottom of the dishwasher. The vinegar will freshen and clean food particle buildup.

Clean the Dishwasher Trap:

Make it a habit that every time you refill the rinse aid, you clean the filters. Remove the filters and rinse off any buildup. Look in the trap below and see if there are any chunks of food that need to be disposed of as well.

Don’t Overload:

As is the case with most appliances, don’t overdo it. If there are too many dishes stuffed into the dishwasher, the sprayer may not be able to clean each in full.

Use these tips this holiday season to keep your Dallas dishwasher repair free! If you do run into any issues, given Appliance Rescue in Dallas, Texas a call today! An expertly trained technician will be there in no time to diagnose the issue and giving you all the details in writing before proceeding with the repair. We’re your honest, reliable appliance repair company.

3 Keys to Maximizing your Refrigerator's Potential

So what do we use our refrigerators for, anyway? Isn’t the goal to keep food fresher, longer?

If you want to keep food fresher longer- and maximize the life of your refrigerator – then consider these simple, every day tips from Appliance Rescue in Dallas, Texas:

·      Clean the Compressor Coils:

Compressors, or evaporators as some manufactures call them – are at the heart of the functionality of your refrigerator. Check your manufacturer’s owners’ guide to locate the coils, then use a coil brush – available at most appliance shops – to clean them with ease. It only takes a few minutes, but by cleaning the coils you are helping the refrigerator run more efficiently and last longer. A good rule of thumb is to perform this step every 6 months.

·      Give Your Refrigerator a Good Wipe Down:

At least once a month, wipe down the inside of the refrigerator with a damp cloth to remove gunk and spills that may have built up. Pay close attention to the door gaskets, as they are frequently overlooked, but should they get sticky and dirty, they may not seal as well, leaking air and causing lapses in performance.

·      Don’t Overload the Refrigerator:

Refrigerators are designed to be filled with delicious goodies, but don’t overfill it. A key to freshness and efficiency is the proper air flow within the refrigerator. Not to mention – an inefficient refrigerator means higher utility bills.

·      Worried you have an issue? Call Appliance Rescue! If you are concerned that your refrigerator is not operating at it’s optimum efficiency, give our team of refrigerator repair experts in Dallas a call today! We will come out and give youa complete estimate with no surprises before any work is begun. Our goal at Appliance Rescue is to be the best appliance repair company in the Metroplex, with top notch customer service and quality work.