HOME > San Francisco APPLIANCE REPAIR

We repair all brands/models (view the complete brands list we work on) for major appliances, such as washers, dryers, refrigerators, stoves, ovens, microwaves, dishwashers, wine coolers and disposals. We are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and there is no extra charge for the weekend or night appointments.

We serve all of San Francisco county including Westland, Trenton, Garden City, Livonia, Harper Woods, Highland Park, Northville and many more San Francisco surrounding areas. View the list of our service areas.

We have been in Apppliance Repair business for eight years. Take a look at what some of our previous clients have had to say about us. For immediate San Francisco appliance repair service call us 24/7 out our toll free number:

888-665-5149

You can also can contact us by the email. Just send us your name, a brief description of the problem and your contact information.

Please read these preventative and easy-to-repair tips. However if your problem cannot be resolved with our easy tips, consider calling us for an appointment. We will be happy to help.

REFRIGERATORS, FREEZERS, AND AUTOMATIC ICE MAKERS

Refrigerators are relatively simple appliances, and as such they generally provide a long service life. Seldom do they require either major repairs or extensive maintenance. One standard procedure, however, is quite important: You must keep the working components of your refrigerator clean. Remove the dust and dirt that collects around and beneath the appliance frequently. A household vacuum cleaner makes such maintenance a simple task. Be sure to vacuum the condenser coils; it is essential that no unintended "insulation" comes between the refrigerant and the surrounding air.

A refrigerant is a substance that can remove heat. There really is no such thing as "added cold"; cold is, by definition, the absence of heat just as the color black is not really a color but rather the absence of light. A refrigerant cools by circulating through an enclosed area and absorbing the area's heat. When the heat-laden refrigerant leaves the enclosure, it carries off that which had made the area warm. As a result, the temperature inside the enclosure goes down.

The refrigerant is able to accomplish this task because of a simple law of physics. That is, when a substance evaporates or boils meaning, when it changes from a liquid to a vapor it absorbs heat from its surroundings. For example, as water approaches its boiling temperature on a hot stove, it absorbs heat until at 212 degrees the water is transformed into steam. Since water has such a relatively high boiling point, though, it is an impractical refrigerant. What is needed for food refrigeration is a substance that evaporates at a much lower temperature.

All refrigeration appliances operate in much the same manner. To provide the cooling effect, the refrigerant circulates through the system. The most commonly used refrigerants have a low boiling point at atmospheric pressure (minus 21 degrees Fahrenheit for R-12; minus 42 degrees for R-22). The low boiling point means that these refrigerants can change from' liquid to gaseous states and vice/versa a relatively low pressures and temperatures.

The idea behind all refrigeration appliances is to keep the heat-removing substance in a liquid state until it gets to where the cooling or heat absorption is to take place. Then the refrigerant is allowed to vaporize, pulling heat from the surrounding air as it does so. The vaporized cooling substance is carried out of the sealed chamber, reduced to a liquid once again, and the heat is discharged outside the refrigerator.

The entire refrigeration system is a closed loop of copper and steel tubing filled with refrigerant. The compressor is nothing more than a pump to circulate the refrigerant through the loop. In a typical cycle, the compressor pumps the vaporized refrigerant to the condenser, which is the coil of tubing located under (or on the back of) the cabinet. At the condenser outlet is a capillary tube, a tiny piece of copper tubing which acts as an orifice and creates a pressure differential within the system. In the condenser, the refrigerant cools enough to condense into a liquid. It enters the capillary tube as a liquid, but when it goes into the low-pressure area of the evaporator, the refrigerant immediately begins to vaporize and absorb heat. This heat-laden vapor goes back to the compressor, and the cycle is repeated once again.

Evaporation is the liquid-to-vapor cycle, during which the refrigerant absorbs heat and thereby cools the surrounding area. Since the refrigerant vaporizes at a very low temperature, there is no problem in the evaporation stage. The difficulty comes in returning the refrigerant to a liquid so that it can be sent into the sealed cabinet again to vaporize and absorb more heat.

It would be impractical, of course, to try to reduce the refrigerant below its already extremely low boiling point. Fortunately, another law of physics saves the day. If enough pressure is exerted on the refrigerant, it will change back from a vapor to a liquid even though the surrounding temperature is considerably higher than its boiling point.

The compressor is the segment of the cooling system designed to squeeze the refrigerant back into liquid form. After the refrigerant emerges from the evaporation cycle, it is sent to the compressor. Then, it is moved to the condenser where the heat absorbed during evaporation is discharged outside the refrigerator. The combination of the increased pressure (compressor stage) and the lower temperature (condenser stage) turns the vaporized refrigerant to liquid refrigerant, setting the stage for another evaporation cycle.

When the refrigerant moves from the condenser to the evaporator, it finds tubing of a much greater diameter. The larger tubing means less pressure, and with less pressure, of course, the boiling point drops. The result is that the refrigerant begins to absorb heat and to vaporize. This cycle is continuous. Vapor to liquid, liquid to vapor absorbing heat, discharging the heat outside the refrigerator, and recycling to vaporize and absorb more heat.

If the evaporation cycle were permitted to go on without interruption, the temperature inside the refrigerator would go all the way down to the boiling point of the refrigerant. Therefore, all refrigerators include a thermostat to turn the compressor on and off in response to the temperature levels inside the refrigerator. When the unit is cold enough,

The thermostat shuts down the compressor. As result, the refrigerant cannot change from a vapor a liquid, thereby halting the cooling cycle.

The thermostat consists of a long tube filled with a gas or liquid (often the same refrigerant as that used in the cooling system). This sensing tube is sealed at one end, and it has a bellows attached to the opposite end. The tube's contents expand, and contract with variations in the temperature surrounding it, is causing the bellows to do likewise. This movement, in turn, actuates a switch which turns the compressor on and off to maintain the correct temperature.

Most refrigerators, and many freezers today are called frost-free. Actually, frost develops these refrigerators and freezers just as it does in a others; but in frostless models, a clock-timer a high-wattage electric heater to defrost the evaporator coil. This defrosting action is done on a regular basis (usually every twelve hours takes B total of about twenty minutes. Some frostless refrigerators rather than use electric heaters, have electrically operated valve which allows hot gas to flow into the evaporator coil from the compressor when the timer initiates the defrost cycle.

Most self-defrosting refrigerators have 2 drain pan located underneath to catch condensed (defrost) water from the evaporator. You should cleen the pan at least once every six months to eliminate the foul odors from the decayed food particles which drip down with the defrost water. Manual-defrost refrigerators must be defrosted at least twice a year, but you should defrost as soon as the frost thickness approaches one-quarter of an inch. Otherwise, the frost begins to act like insulation, forcing the refrigerator to consume extra energy.

CLOTHES WASHERS

To understand how an automatic clothes washer operates, you must familiarize yourself with the function of three basic components: the timer, the motor, and the solenoid.

A timer is nothing more than a group of switches that turn electrical components on and off. These switches are moved by a cam which is rotated by the timer's motor drive. Timer motors are called synchronous because they are timed to the unvarying cycles of current in the power supply. It is not possible to use the synchronous motor's movement without modification, however. The motor's movement is relatively slow, too slow to handle the number of contacts that must be sequenced or opened and closed together. Therefore, an escapement mechanism is attached to the synchronous motor. Though nothing more than a gear train with a spring mechanism, the escapement mechanism moves the timer cam in jerks rather than in a slow smooth movement. The jerking action causes the contacts to open and close rapidly, increasing their life and providing proper sequencing.

The second primary component is the motor. Usually a split-phase or capacitor type, the motor is generally reversible. The machine's design utilizes a special spring in the transmission to turn the motor in one direction for agitation and in the reverse direction for the spin cycle.

The third essential component is the solenoid. A solenoid is a coil of wire, formed to concentrate the magnetic force that surrounds individual wires when current flows through them. Depending upon the type and size of the windings and the amount of current involved, the magnetic force exerted can be quite strong. The solenoid uses this force to move an armature or plunger. In this way, the solenoid transforms electrical energy to mechanical motion. Solenoids can control many phases of appliance operation, and they are used for several different purposes in automatic washers.

As soon as you start your washer, these three components — timer, motor, and solenoid —take over and carry the appliance through its complete cycle. Turning the timer to the starting position energizes a solenoid in the water-inlet valve. This valve is located at the point where the hose enters the washer; in fact, the hose is attached to the threaded portion of the valve. There is one solenoid for the hot water and one for cold water. When the timer turns the hot water solenoid on, a plunger inside the valve pulls away from an opening to allow the hot water to flow through. When the timer energizes the solenoid, a spring returns the plunger to its original position, and water pressure from the line provides the force to close the valve. In the cold water line, the same process takes place when the coil is energized. When you set the washer for warm water, both hot and cold solenoids are energized, and both water-inlet valves open. The passageways inside the valves are sized to provide the proper proportion of hot and cold water required for warm water washing.

As the washer tub fills to the proper level, the timer actuates another switch to halt the water flow. In most cases, this switch is mounted to the rear of a diaphragm. On the opposite side of the sealed diaphragm unit, a tube runs to a pocket near the bottom of the tub. As water rises within the tub, the weight of the water exerts increasing pressure upon the air trapped within the tube. When the water reaches the proper level, this pressure is sufficient to allow the diaphragm to move the switch contacts. As a result, the contacts controlling the water-inlet valve open, the contacts controlling the motor circuit close, and the machine begins its wash cycle.

The vast majority of modern automatic washers use an agitator to force the detergent and water solution through the fibers of the clothing fabrics. Washer baskets and agitators are designer to provide good water movement; it is the water movement — not the friction between the agitator and clothing — that accomplishes the cleaning. That is a good point to remember when you are loading clothes into the washer. Regardless of the type of agitator, water should circulate freely in the tub, and the clothing should be able to move well in the water. If you can see active motion, then you know that your clothing load is suitable. On the other hand, if your clothing gets tangled in a pile with little evidence of good movement between water and clothing, then you know that you have an overloaded condition in your washer. Remove the excess clothing to obtain good cleaning results.

Following the wash cycle, the machine must remove the soil- and grease-laden wash water. Some machines, primarily those that have a perforated basket (holes in both sides and bottom), pump the water out before the basket starts to spin. Washing machines that have a solid basket start spinning while the water is still in the tub. Centrifugal force pushes the water up and over the top edge of the basket.

There is a difference, by the way, between a basket and a tub. The basket is the inner part in which you place the clothing. The tub is the outer part which you seldom see. It may be the inside of the cabinet, or it may be a separate container; in either case, however, it is the tub that holds the water until the machine pumps it out through the drain line.

After the washer pumps the water out — or after the wash cycle, depending upon the type of mechanism — the machine enters its spin cycle. The basket begins to revolve faster and faster until the clothing is forced against the basket's sides. Most washers spin between 500 and 600 rpm (some go as high as 1200 rpm), and the centrifugal force that is generated causes much of the water to leave the fabric.

A second fill period with clear, clean water follows the initial spin cycle. The second fill period is called the rinse cycle, and during it the clothes are agitated briefly before the water is again pumped away to flush any remaining soap and soil. During the initial spin cycle and briefly again after the rinse cycle, water is sprayed into the machine to help remove the detergent and grime. After these rinsing cycles are completed, the washing machine tub spins for several minutes just prior to shutting off. The powerful spinning action is designed to eliminate as much moisture from the clothing as possible; your clothes are then ready to hang on a line or to be placed in the dryer.

Several interesting mechanisms, depending upon the washer make and model, are used to provide the agitating and spinning actions. While all the machine. Most manufacturers recommend a minimum height of 34 inches, and most plumbing codes dictate the same. If your standpipe is less than 34 inches, you can extend it with a plastic pipe of slightly larger diameter; merely clamp the plastic extension pipe tightly to the existing standpipe.

If your washer should develop a leak, you can often trace the source after the water has dried by looking for detergent stains on the underside of the machine. Leak repairs usually involve replacing or tightening a hose clamp or replacing a part.

CLOTHES DRYERS

The clothes dryer consists of a cabinet surrounding a motor-driven drum. Clothing placed inside the drum tumbles through air which has been warmed by a heater and pulled into and through the drum by an exhaust fan. These three basic components heat, air flow, and tumbling action must be present for a clothes dryer to operate properly. Actually, the clothes dryer is a very simple appliance. When it is operating properly, it can dry your clothing quickly and safely, but the appliance must be kept in proper operating condition and it must be used correctly.

The motor that drives the drum is usually located at the base of the dryer. You can get at it by removing either the front panel or the rear service panel, but be sure to unplug the dryer before attempting any motor service or repairs.

In the of a gas dryer, be sure that the gas line is turn off before you open up the appliance or pull it away ferrite wall. The motor drives a belt, which in newer dryers completely surrounds the outside drum. Many of these belts have an odd appear almost flat like a rubber band. If you look a belt closely, however, you can see that it has number of grooves on one side to give the belt gripping power. Near the point where the belts attached to the small motor pulley, a spring-load wheel (called an idler) maintains tension on the belt as the drum turns. Since the drum itself acts as a very large pulley and the motor has a very small one, tremendous speed reduction is obtained. Most drums rotate at around 50 rpm, any faster and centrifugal force would tend to hold the clothing against the side of the drum rather than allowing it to tumble.

The dryer's heat source can be either electric heating element or a gas burner. In either case, the heat source is usually located within a boa that has both an inlet and an outlet. Air flows in through the box where it is heated, and then it is blown into the drum by a fan. Since the drum is a sealed container when the dryer door is closed, the exhaust fan must pull air through the opening and into the heater box to replace that expelled by the fan. The heated air flows into the drum, where it absorbs moisture from the clothing, and it is then exhausted to the outside of your home through the vent. The heat level is quite important. Heat must be controlled at the proper temperature for the type of clothing that is in the dryer.

GAS RANGES

In a gas range, the heat for both the surface burners and the oven emanates from an open flame the fuel may be either natural gas or one of several types of bottled gas, but the operation in either case is the same. The gas burner operates by combining the fuel from the supply line with the correct proportion of air for burning that is thorough and clean. The fuel enters the burner assembly through an orifice, which is simply an opening sized to provide the proper amount of gas flow. The gas stream pulls air in through an open shutter behind the orifice, and as the mixture flows on through the burner tube to the burner itself, the air and gas mix thoroughly. By the time it reaches the burner, the air/gas mixture is ready to meet the pilot or the burner flame. Burning then occurs with an odorless and soot-free flame. Air must be mixed with the fuel supply in the proper proportion to provide a clean-burning and efficient flame. You can judge the quality of the air/fuel mixture by observing the flame. If the flame is yellow, you know that there is insufficient air; if the flame tends to pull away from the burner, you know that there is too much air. You can regulate the quantity of air by adjusting the shutter, which is located at the point where the burner meets a pipe near the front of the range. Merely loosen a screw, adjust the shutter to render the correct flame, and then retighten the screw.

How do you adjust an air shutter?

Close the shutter until the flame turns yellow, and then open the shutter slowly until the yellow tips of the flame just disappear. You should see a distinct cone-shaped flame with soft blue tips. The flame is hottest at the points of the tips, and coolest at their base.

The heat output from each surface-unit burner is usually regulated by a separate control valve. This valve opens and closes an internal passageway, allowing more or less gas to flow through the orifice. The amount of gas that flows through the orifice automatically adjusts the air mixture; a smaller amount of gas flow allows a smaller quantity of air to enter the air shutter.

The oven thermostat on many gas ranges operates exactly like the thermostat on most electric ranges. A sensing tube runs from the thermostat into the oven chamber. Inside the tube, a liquid responds to heat changes by expanding or contracting, which in turn opens or closes a switch within the body of the thermostat. The switch controls an electrical coil, called a solenoid, located on the gas line. The solenoid, consisting of coils or wire that is wound around a central armature or plunger, concentrates the magnetic force generated by the electricity flowing through the wires. When the coil is energized, the plunger moves, opening or closing the gas line to the oven burner as required maintaining a specific temperature setting. Some oven thermostats operate directly on the gas line, moving a bellows arrangement to open or close a disk which, in turn, permits or blocks the flow of gas through the line, some of these valves modulate that is, they open or close the gas line gradually rather than instantaneously. A modulating valve reduces any temperature overshooting, and it helps maintain a more constant temperature level.

You can adjust the thermostat of a gas range if the temperature within the oven varies by more than 25 degrees from the setting on the knob. To check the oven temperature, place an accurate thermometer in the center of the oven cavity, and allow the oven burner to stabilize for 30 minutes. If you find a great disparity between the thermometer-e reading and the knob setting, remove the thermostat: knob and look for an adjusting screw. You may find the screw within a hollow thermostat shaft, or you may find it on a movable scale at the rear of the knob skirt. Move the screw or scale until the setting on the knob corresponds with the actual oven temperature.

If you need professional assistance for your appliance repair needs, call us 24/7:

888-665-5149

Or send an appointment request online at appointment@San Franciscoappliancerepair.net To do so, please specify your name, address and a brief nature of the problem. Once we receive your request we will contact you as soon as possible.