Are You Ruining Your Appliances During The Holidays?

The holiday season is a blur of cooking, baking, and hosting, and there is no other time of year that our kitchen appliances are so front and center. But did you know that the way you use your appliances this holiday season could be ruining them? 

At Appliance Rescue Service in Dallas, Texas, we get a lot of service calls during the holidays and we want to help you avoid that predicament. Here are some common mistakes we see homeowners make when using their appliances during the holidays:

Mistake #1: Overstuffing the Refrigerator

You’ve got a lot of mouths to feed, so you’ve stuffed every nook and cranny in your refrigerator with food. While this may be okay for a day or two, be sure not to make this a habit for any extended period of time. When you overstuff the refrigerator, it makes the refrigerator work harder to keep everything at the desired temperature. Also, air cannot move as freely around the refrigerator, causing stress on the fridge and Dallas refrigerator repairs.

 

Mistake #2: Sending Everything Down the Disposal

A garbage disposal is a wonderful thing, but it’s not meant to take everything! Be sure you do not send any fats (think bacon grease), bones, potato peels, or fruit pits down the drain. All of these things are known to wreak havoc on your components and back up your drain. When in doubt, just put items in the trash can to avoid garbage disposal repair. 

Mistake #3: Cooking in your Microwave

Microwaves are excellent for quickly heating or reheating items, but you really shouldn’t use your microwave to cook an entire entrée. Many microwave manuals will say you can cook in your microwave, but extended heat times can cause cracking or popping and damage to the interior of your microwave. 

Mistake #4: Not Cleaning the Range Hood

Cooking that big holiday meal is going to require proper ventilation, and if your range hood is not properly cleaned, it can prevent air from flowing freely, creating stress on your appliance. Before cooking, be sure to properly clean any range hood filters and check for clogs in the exhaust ports.

As always, if you experience any appliance issues and need holiday appliance repair in Dallas, Texas, call us at Appliance Rescue Service! We strive to be the best appliance repair company in Dallas with quick turnaround times, honest, highly trained technicians, and excellent rates. 

Use All Your Appliances To Get That Meal Done At The Same Time

Ahhh – the challenge: getting everything on the table at the same time, piping hot and ready to eat. If you’re anything like us, we typically have one or two hot things, and the rest end up cold before serving. As the holidays approach, Appliance Rescue Service is here with a few tips on how to use all your kitchen appliances to get that meal done – and on the table! – at the same time:

1.    Plan Out Your Dishes and Cook Times.

It’s impossible to be cooking everything at the exact same time and having it all done at the exact same time. The key is to understand what can cook early and simmer, what can be prepared in advance, what needs to be done last, etc. Having a good idea of what steps go into each recipe – and which appliances are needed – will go a long way toward getting dinner on the table hot.

2.    Prep as Much as Possible in Advance.

Before you ever turn on an oven, cooktop, or microwave, plan to prep as much as you can in advance. This will prevent you from scrambling when certain steps – particularly chopping – take longer than you think they will! 

3.    Roasting is Your Friend.

When preparing a large meal, remember the value of your oven and how wonderfully easy it is to roast vegetables or meat as part of your meal. Roasting is great because most roasted vegetables are very hearty, meaning they are flexible if you need to take something out a little early – or leave it in a few minutes longer to stay warm. If your veggies are done roasting early, simply turn the oven off and leave them in there with the oven door shut to help them stay crispy and warm.

4.    Start Cooktop Dishes First.

When planning out your cooking order, plan to start dishes on the cooktop first. Boiling water can be time consuming, as can simmering. Plus – if you’re making a stew or soup, those are easy to leave simmering on low while you prepare other dishes.

Ready to host your big holiday meal? Make sure those appliances are ready too! Call Appliance Rescue Service in Frisco, Texas today to request a service on your oven, cooktop, refrigerator, range, dishwasher, or other kitchen appliances. We are DFW’s best appliance repair company!

How To Get Rid Of Bad Odors In The Microwave

Ever burnt a bag of popcorn in the microwave, and it smelled like that for weeks?

Or had a microwave dinner explode in the microwave and the smelled lingered?

It’s the worst.

Here’s the good news: there are ways to get rid of those stubborn, bad microwave odors, and Appliance Rescue Service in Dallas, Texas is here to show you how:

1.    Vinegar and Water

The last thing you want to do when trying to remove stubborn bad odors is to add new chemical smells to the situation. That’s why we love using all-natural products to get the job done! Start by trying a microwave safe measuring cup with half vinegar and half water. Microwave the mixture for 4 minutes, and not only will the mixture sanitize, but it will deodorize and absorb the scents as well. You can also try soaking a sponge in vinegar with a little baking soda, microwaving for 1 minute, then scrubbing the microwave with the sponge.

2.     Citrus

Citrus fruit is an excellent deodorizer and all-natural too! If the vinegar and water option doesn’t work, try slicing some lemon or orange slices and placing it in a microwave safe bowl with 1-2 cups of water. Microwave the mixture for 4 minutes, then let it sit for 12 hours. When you open the refrigerator, the microwave should be fresh and clean.

3.    Baking Soda

Most people have baking soda on hand, and in fact, baking soda is perfect for neutralizing odors and is a great all-natural cleaning product. Leave an open container of baking soda in the microwave for 12 hours to absorb bad microwave odors. 

Hopefully these tips help remove the bad odors and help make your microwave like-new! However, if you suspect a more serious issue is going on with your microwave and need microwave repair in Dallas, call us at Appliance Rescue Service – the #1 appliance repairman in Dallas, Texas. 

Who In The World Repairs The Appliances On An Airplane?

Sitting in an aisle seat at 20,000 feet I find myself wondering, Who in the world repairs the appliances on an airplane? I guess more importantly, can you really call them appliances? I always envision them to be like the small kitchenettes in motor homes.

Oh. Crap. I did it again, didn’t I? Right. I suppose if I’m going to be making these visits over here, I should let you know a little about me. So, let’s get to that, shall we?

Well, my name is Todd. I’m a writer and author. One just means that I write as often as I breathe (and in truth would probably die if I stopped doing either of those things). And the other means that somewhere along the line I got paid for the first thing. At least that’s how I envision the blurred line between the two very similar words. My first two books could be considered Urban Fantasy. The one I’m working on currently is definitely more in the science-fiction realm. I grew up loving science-fiction, mostly because I always dreamt that one day the fiction would be a reality.

I’m still waiting on my jetpacks—I’m  looking squarely at you, Flash Gordon and Hanna-Barbara.

I know you’re asking yourself what is with these little random bits and baubles on the blog?  

Well, honestly, I think it’s really just to give you a break from the norm. How many other repair sites have a blog, let alone have random drive-by postings from some writer who really doesn’t know much at all about appliance repair? From my extensive online research into the subject, I can tell you, it’s not many. In fact, Appliance Rescue Service Dallas, this site you’re currently pursuing, may be the only one. In the whole wide world wide web.

It’s OK. The great thing about a company like Appliance Rescue Service Dallas  is that I don’t have to be an expert on appliance repair. They are. That’s why you call them. It leaves me free to write.

Which is what I’m doing.  On a plane. On the way to Denver.

I’m an IT guy by day. By night, I’m a writer as well as a pretty wicked dancer.

So, tell me, frequent fliers of fine appliancey-type blogs, what kinds of things do you long for from the realm of science-fiction? You know jetpacks are my jam. I’m also pretty keen on time travel. My current work in progress (which is referred to by many writers as their WIP) deals with time travel. There’s some time travel, some spicy romance action, some intrigue, and some suspense.

The cool thing about sci-fi is that as a writer, I can take something that exists today and think about the craziest evolution possible. Example. I’m sitting in a big metal tube hurling through the skies penning this little ditty on an iPad using a bluetooth keyboard. Think about that. 150 years ago when the first typewriters starting hitting the scene, THEY were the science fiction.

Now, take that typewriter from 200 years ago and you can see that sci-fi thread. How would that look?

Imagine a day when your typewriter fits into a bag. Sure, this baby was considered a portable, but could you fit it in any of your bags today?

In fact, picture the day when you will only carry the keys of your typewriter on a board. When the pressing of the keys will cause the letters to appear, almost quicker than you think them, on to an illuminated glass square that will also fit into your bag. Or even your pocket.


Sounds pretty miraculous, doesn’t it? I mean, sure, it’s just what I said it was, a bluetooth keyboard typing onto a tablet, but it’s still science fiction. As you look around you, take a moment and appreciate that the life you’re living was once science fiction. Computers that were once the size of entire buildings are now sitting on your wrist.  Not to mention, wrist-born communications that would make Dick Tracy jealous. What? You don’t know who Dick Tracy is? Oh man…you need to look that up. And NOT the Warren Beatty movie. Go old school, to the comics.


Alright, I think I’ve taken enough of your day.  Remind me to tell you next time about my love of typewriters. Like this little beauty.  It’s a Remington 10. Doesn’t she look like she belongs on a spaceship? Talk about your science fiction. Can you imagine telling the Egyptians or Greeks that there would one day be a device that would deliver uniform lettering on sheets of papyrus pressed thinner than they could dream of? I mean such nonsense might get you killed. But luckily, we have them. Typewriters. The wave of the future. But that, dear readers, is a story for another time.

Oh…and if you hurry, you can still scroll down and catch that blog post on the perfect way to bake cookies!!

Until next time, it’s your friendly neighborhood writer-man, signing off.

Have an awesomesauce day!!

-Todd, your friendly, neighborhood Writer-Man!

Prevent Dallas Refrigerator Repair with these Tips

Refrigerators can be one of the most costly appliances to replace – and to fix. But here’s the good news: most Dallas refrigerator repairs can be avoided if you just perform routine maintenance on your appliance. 

What type of maintenance should I do on a refrigerator, you ask? Here are a few tips from the experts at Appliance Rescue Service:

1.    Clean the Condenser Coils

If you’re going to do anything to prolong the life of your refrigerator, this is it! Refrigerator condenser coils are located at the bottom of the refrigerator, and could be in the front or back depending on the model. With a coil cleaning brush – or another stiff brush – gently brush the coils to release any dust, hair, or other debris that has set in on the coils. When the coils get dirty, it prevents them from properly releasing heat, which in turn, makes your refrigerator less efficient and can lead to damage over time. Plan to clean out the condenser coils once every 6 months. 

2.    Clean the Door Gasket

Have you ever stopped to look at your refrigerator’s door gasket? Chances are, it’s in need of a little TLC. The door gasket is your refrigerator’s line of defense against cool air leakage, but if the gasket is sticky or worn, then it won’t seal properly. Give your door gasket a good scrubbing with warm, soapy water and a sponge to prevent Dallas refrigerator repair.

3.    Maintain the Proper Temperature

Did you know that a temperature between 36 degrees and 42 degrees is optimum for your refrigerator? Anything outside of this realm, and your refrigerator might be working on over-drive, which can lead to repairs and replacement more quickly.

If you sense there is something going on with your refrigerator and are in need of a Dallas refrigerator repair, be sure to call the best appliance handyman at Appliance Rescue Service! Our team is focused on getting your appliance fixed as quickly as possible with quality parts and service every time.