Kelly's Korner - Baby, It's Cold Outside

Hey, All!

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving - we had about 25 people at my sister's, everyone talking at the same time, lots of good food and good times.

But I want to remind you of a few things:

It is still not advisable to use the self-clean feature on your oven - with less than a month till Christmas, if the computer boards go out, it may not be possible to get them fixed before Christmas.  Repair technicians are still fully booked and it may not be easy to get someone out to look at your appliances as fast as you want.

Furnace check-up:  It has been really cold here and I'm sure in other places.  If you haven't had a fall check-up on your furnace, get it done now.  Make sure that everything is running smoothly and you have a fresh filter in place.  (hint:  if you want your whole house to smell good, drip a few drops of your favorite essential oil on your filter - pine, lavender, cinnamon, etc. - and the smell will go throughout the house when the furnace is running).

Water pipes:  Now this is something that came to me in the middle of the night - make sure your garden hoses are unhooked from faucets and drained and stored for the winter.  Mine is not, but the #3 son is on it today!  Water freezing in the hose can cause weakening and burst hoses.  Also, wrap or get those styrofoam faucet cover doohickeys for the outside faucets.  A burst water pipe is NO fun!

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Don't forget your pets - if it is too cold for you to be outside, it is too cold for pets, too.  If you have dogs that sleep outside, make sure they have plenty of bedding out of the wind and wet.  And if it is freezing out, make sure their water bowl is not frozen.  It is tough this time of year for the wild creatures and they like to find warm places to sleep, too.  Make sure your crawl spaces are secure and not home to our furry and feathered friends.

Seems like there is always something to do, no matter what the season, huh?  Gutters to clean, leaves to rake - take care of your home so it can take care of you.

Have a great week!

Kelly's Korner - Home on the Range

Hey, All!

Chicken and Biscuit Casserole

Now that the weather is (FINALLY!) starting to cool down, dinner thoughts are turning to those warm and savory meals.  I know we have actually started using the oven again (the Traeger is still tops for cooking meat!) and now is the time to start looking at your stove again.

Take a look at your surface burners and drip pans (if you have them) - are they in good working condition?  Do your drip pans need to be replaced?  Most are inexpensive, but we will need you model number to look up the correct ones.  Beware of the ones offered in variety stores.  These will fit some, but not all, stoves.  If something is not working right, contact your favorite appliance repair technician to come and fix them.  The closer to the holidays, the busier they get, so get a jump on this.

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Check out your oven - does it need cleaning?  If you have a self-clean oven, run it now.  Self-clean ovens have an unfortunate habit of blowing computer boards and you do not want this happening right before cooking the holiday meals and treats.  The boards could be a factory order, or no longer available and it is way better to find that out now, rather than the week before Thanksgiving and having to go buy a new stove, right?

German Chocolate Cookies

Also, Facebook and the internet are crawling with some great recipes - now is a good time to check these out and use your family as guinea pigs to see if it is a recipe you want to serve during the holidays.  My #1 son made a wonderful wild rice stuffing that we paired with some pork loin and it was FABULOUS!  I will post the recipe as soon as he sends me a link to it.  Definately a keeper!  I also just found a recipe for German Chocolate Cookies that I can't wait to try - yum!

Have a great week!

Kelly's Korner - Dishwasher Dilemas

Hey, All,

Well, this seems to be the week for dishwasher dilemas.  Mine decided not to wash the dishes that are loaded in there!  Argh!  And a co-worker is moving into a new place and his isn't working either.

I have never worked on a dishwasher and may be calling a couple of my favorite techs for help, but I think that it may be the water valve.  I am not getting water into the machine - but it could be something else.  When you are having an issue with one of your appliances there could be a couple of different reasons it's not doing what it is supposed to.  That's why calling a qualified appliance technician is vital to getting your machine repaired correctly and with a minimum of time, trouble and expense.  If you are trying to do the repair yourself, you can by-guess and by-golly all the parts you want, but if that doesn't fix the problem, most parts places won't take them back if they've been installed.  Call a tech!

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W L May is also running a weekly special on some common dishwasher parts this week - the always popular Dwip Pan , rack maintenance vinyl paint (for those spots on your racks that have chipped away and are showing the wire), hoses, and a few other things.  Don't forget to pick up some dishwasher cleaner, too.  W L May sells several different cleansers for the dishwasher - these help clean mineral deposits and get rid of smells from food particles that may be not completely washed out of the pump and hoses.  Don't forget to clean the door, too, especially around the gasket area.  Make sure the gasket is in good shape and replace if needed or you might have some unwanted leakage.

I will let you all know what the problem and solution to my dishwasher dilema next week - cross your fingers!

Have a great week!

Kelly's Korner - In the Dark

Hey, All,

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We here in the beautiful Pacific Northwest just experienced our first storm of the fall season.  Thunder, lightning, wind, rain - we had it all.  And with all that, there were also power outages.  Luckily, I wasn't one of the powerless ones, but there were quite a few without for most of Saturday and into Sunday.


Now what does this have to do with appliances?  Well, let me enlighten you.  With all the electronics in today's appliances, power surges and outages can blow those boards faster than heck.  You may have your computer and TV on a power strip/surge protector, but is your microwave, refrigerator, stove, washer/dryer and dishwasher surge protected?

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For appliances that run on 110 volts (everything but your stove and dryer)  it is easy enough to plug these into a regular power strip/surge protector.  It gets a bit stickier with the 220 volt appliances - stove/oven and dryer.  For these I would recommend contacting a qualified electrician and seeing what he would recommend - do not try doing this yourself.  It could be a whole house surge protector, new breakers in your breaker box or something else.  The age and situation of your wiring will dictate what can be used, hence the certified licensed electrician.  When you compare the cost of the electrician and equipment installed versus the cost of repairing or replacing your appliances and other electronics, you will find that it is a very inexpensive investment.

Of course, there is the common sense way of shutting down electronics when there is a storm blowing through, but not very convenient for everyday life.  So add to your Fall to-do list a call into your favorite electrical company to come and have your home checked out.  You will definately save some bucks in the long run.

Have a great week!

PS:  Thanks to all the electricians that worked overtime and in rough conditions to get power restored to everyone!

Kelly's Korner - Dwip, Dwip, Dwip

Hey, All,

There is nothing more annoying and frustrating than a leaky faucet, right?  Drip, drip, drip, day and night until you just can't stand it anymore and call a plumber.  But what if you have a drip under your dishwasher or washing machine?  You may be able to hear it, but not figure out where it's coming from.  Or you may not hear it...disaster awaits!

You all have seen the way water can shape rocks and earth with the relentless power of rain, rivers and floods.  But a drip, time after time, can be just as destructive to your house.  Think about it - these drips from a cracked hose or pump, is seeping into your flooring, sub floor and joists and soaking up that water and setting up for rot.  Not a good image, huh?  The cost of having to replace all that (and with today's expensive flooring options) is enough to turn your hair white.

DWP24

So what to do?  Well, as usual, we at W L May have a solution!  Come on in and get aquainted with the Dwip Pan - no, I'm not being silly this time!  That's what it's called.  The DWP24 is 24" x 20 1/2" x 3/4" with a lip on 3 sides.  This will catch the drips and directs the water to the front of the machine where it will immediately become apparent that you have an issue.  And at an inexpensive $39.95 retail cost, it is very cheap insurance against a potentially monstrous repair bill.  And this is made right here in Oregon!

20752

Now for your washing machine, we also carry a washer drip pan.  The 20752 is a high impact plastic and is also a very inexpensive solution at $43.92 retail.  This pan measures 32" x 30" x 2" outside dimensions and has an optional 1" drain either out the bottom or the side.  Your washing machine fits comfortably inside no matter what style of washer you have, top load or front load.

So for a minimal cost you can save thousands on potential repair bills from undetected water leaks!  You might even check with your homeowners or renter's insurance companies and see if using these qualifies you for a discount.

Better to be safe than sorry!  And all you techs out there - I'd be pushing these at every service call!

Have a great week!

Kelly's Korner - Back to School Blues

Hey, All,

In just a few short weeks school will be starting all over the nation and that means it's time to get ready for the school schedule:  Regular bedtimes, more laundry, lunches and snacks, and everything else.

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So take the time this week to get your appliances ready:  Clean that refrigerator and freezer so you have plenty of room for the lunches and snacks.  Check to see that your dryer vents are clean and ready to go.  Get a service tech scheduled for preventive mainentence for all your appliances.  With school starting will come cooler weather (I sure hope!), so have your furnace gone over.

Start some meal planning that you can fit in around all your extra-curricular activities - it is really nice to have something brewing in the crockpot when you're short on time between getting home from work and chauffering the kids to their activities.

And don't forget to watch out for the tykes on the streets walking to school or waiting for the bus.  Please observe school bus etiquette and traffic laws.  We want to keep everyone safe!

Enjoy your last few weeks of summer and have a great school year!

Wednesday Weekly Stock: Dryer Kits, Venting, and Cords

Every week at W.L. may we have several items we feature as good parts to consider adding to your stock. These parts also have special pricing available. For pricing details, ask your account representative for more information. This week we return to the laundry room to look at a few things for dryers.

A clothes dryer is traditionally pretty simple technology. As a result, many dryers can keep working for years. After many years of use some of the softer and more involved with friction parts naturally will wear.

A dryer maintenance kit will offer several of those "high wea' items in one convenient package. The idea is, if you are in fixing one of the items in the kit, likely the other items included in the kit will also be showing signs of wear. It only makes sense to replace all of those parts while you are inside the machine making your repair.

Dryer maintenance kits offer a convenient grouping of related parts, which make the a great choice for the do-it-yourself crowd. It is usually true that the kits a re less expensive than buying the parts included individually. From a marketing perspective, maintenance kits can also help persuade consumers to allow full maintenance servicing (which, as we already mentioned, is probably a good idea anyway), when the initial call may have been for only one of the parts in the kit.

4392065

Whirlpool, for years, has offered a few dryer maintenance kits, depending on the size of the dryer being serviced. For 29" dryers built after 2007 the kit is part number 4392065. The kit includes a belt, idler pulley and a pair of support rollers with clips. You also get instructions which if you are professional repair person you probably will not need.

4392067

On smaller 27" Whirlpool dryers made after 2007 a different kit is used. Like the kit for the 29" units, this comes with a belt. Differences include 4 instead of 2 support rollers. Also the idler is pulley only. No idler arm included. The part number for this kit 4392067.

5304461262

Electrolux also provides maintenance kits for it's dryers. The Frigaidaire (and related brands) dryers produced from 1992-2001 use kit number 5304461262. Included in the kit is a rear drum bearing kit. The kit also provides new upper and lower felts for the front of the drum. To round out the kit a belt, idler pulley, high temp advesive, lubricant and instructions are included as well.

5304457724

Design changes on the 2002 Frigidaire dryers prompted changes to the kit. For models 2002-present, the kit to use is part number 5304457724. This has the newer style of front bearing as well as the lower front felt, rear drum bearing kit, idler pulley, belt, adhesive, lubricant, and instructions.

DVC202

The kits we have been looking at so far have to do with maintaining the mechanics of the dryer. For a dryer to work properly, however, not only do the mechanics have to be in order but you need good air flow. 

Air flow can be impeded by lint build up in the vent hose. Not only will this cause your dryer to perform poorly, but it can also present a very real fire hazard. In fact, lint build up is the number one cause of dryer fires and dryer fires themselves are one of the most common causes for home fires.

To reduce the risk of fire, it is recommended that you clean your dryer vent lines periodically. Many service companies offer this service. W.L. May Company stocks a kit that make those service calls easier and also is consumer friendly. 

Linteater is the name of the product and its part number is DVC202. Included in the kit are 2 line clearing brushes in 2 1/2" and 4" sizes. You get 4 36" flexible rods to connect to those brushes on one side and your cordless drill on the other. Also in the kit is a blockage removal tool, adapters for both a vacuum and the dryer and instructions on how to make it all work. This really is a great product.

E4E

Installing a dryer sometimes requires more than elbow grease. Sometimes it requires an actual elbow-for the vent line. When that happens the E4E comes into play. This is a 4" hard pipe elbow for dryer vent lines.

CS400

Working with the ducting also may require some duct hose clamps. We stock both worm screw and pinch types of clamps. The pinch clamps are part number CS400. These can be purchased individually, but for stock you might consider getting a bundle of 50, that's how they come from the manufacturer.

WX09X10002

The lastitems we are looking at, but far from least important, is power cords, or pigtails. For a 4 foot 3 wire 30amp the pigtail part number is WX09X10002.

WX09X10018

In some jurisdictions, building codes require using a 4 wire power cord. The 4 foot 4 wire 30 amp cord is in stock under part number WX09X10018.

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Kelly's Korner - Now What?

Hey, All,

Well, holidays are done, the Super Bowl is over and not much till look forward to till Memorial weekend.  The winter blahs are setting in.

So what to do?  Well, now is a good time to get all those little projects you've been wanting to do done.  Get started on spring cleaning.  Call your favorite tech to come give your appliances a checkup.

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Usually, February, March and part of April is a slow time for repair technicians - people are doing their taxes and don't want to spend any money until they find out if they are getting money back or not.  But now is a good time to call and get on your tech's schedule.  Maybe you are not having any real problems, but it doesn't hurt for them to come and do an all appliance checkup - have your furnace looked at, too!  It has been running all winter and probably could do with a filter change.

Home and Garden shows are going to be starting up and if you are earmarking some of that tax return for new appliances, now is the time to start doing your research and figuring out what you want to buy.

Clean out a closet a weekend.  If you are not buried under snow and you have a few nice days, get out and start doing some preliminary yard work.  Get your lawnmower and other yard power tools cleaned up and tuned up for when the real work starts.

Beat those blahs by getting you nest in order for the busy summer seasons - I've started mine!  So get some good music on, marshal your family, assign tasks and clean on!

Have a great week!

Kelly's Korner - How to Find a Good Appliance Repair Company

Hey, All,

So you go to put a load of clothes in your washer, load up the clothes, add detergent and turn it on and NOTHING!!  Or you go to pull a pint of ice cream out of the freezer and everything is melted or defrosted.  What do you do?

Do you try to fix it yourself?  Call Mr Fixit next door?  Or call a professional appliance repair company?  If you are sure of your repair abilities and/or of your personal Mr Fixit, then fine, but what do you do if it's beyond your abilities?  Yellow pages?  Google?

Your best sources would be friends and neighbors - check to see who they use. They will give you an honest opinion on the experiences they've had.  Angie's List is another.  If you use Google, Yahoo, or the Yellow Pages, it is buyer beware!  Do some thorough checking on a company before you call them.  It is probably a good idea to do this in a non-emergency situation so you are not panicked when an appliance does break down.

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Some questions to have answered are:

• Do they take debit/credit cards?
• Ask questions about their charging system - do they charge a service call no matter what?  What is the total amount of the repair going to be?
• If they have to come back to finish the repair, is that going to be an additional charge?
• How long have they been in business?
• Are they insured in case something gets broken or damaged?
• What is their guarantee on parts and labor?
• Ask for references
• What kind of training have the techs had - are they factory authorized to work on your appliances?

I did a previous blog about questions that a servicer needs to ask, so take a quick look at that and have all the information ready when you call - it saves a lot of time on both ends.  Also, make sure that the area that the tech is going to be working in is clean and cleared out - he more than likely will have to move the appliance out to work on it.

Having a good appliance repair company on call is a great idea - not only will they come out for the emergencies but will recommended preventative maintenance calls and products to help your machines run better - cleaners, filters, etc.

Have a great week!

Friday Morning Videos: Simple Tips For Kitchen Appliances Avoid Costly Repairman

Don't let the title scare you away. This video has a lot of good appliance maintenance tips you can share with your customers.



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Kelly's Korner - Keeping your cool.

Hey, All,

I don't know about you, but I live in the Pacific Northwest because I like the rain - weird, huh?  It seems that this summer has been hotter than ever and I can't wait for some cooler weather and some rain.  Air conditioning is not something standard in the homes here as it is in other parts of the country.

So what do you do to beat the heat?  Heading to the coast every night after work is not an option, and while there are plenty of rivers and lakes around, getting there after work leaves little time to enjoy before dark sets in.

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If  you have air conditiong of any kind - whole house, heat pump or window shakers - a few basics of maintenance will help keep your cool.  Check your filters - these being clogged by dust, hair and whatever will reduce the efficiency and make your unit run harder and head it towards failure.

If your unit is outside, remove any grass, weeds, leaves or anything that may be restricting air flow.  If you haven't already, scheduling a maintenance call might be in order.  The air conditioning companies are usually pretty booked during heat waves taking care of emergencies so you may have to wait several days.  Might be a good idea to schedule yearly checkups on your heating and cooling systems so you don't forget and run into trouble.  Ask your tech what basic things you can do to keep things running.

And if you don't have A/C?  Well, there are some ingenious ideas out there on the internet - I saw one the other day using a 5-gallon bucket, ice and a fan - hmmm...personally, I don't have A/C and I rely on a plastic wading pool, wet clothes and fans.  But, whatever your method is of keeping cool during the heat, have a great summer!

Have a great week!

PS:  Don't forget the pets!  Keep them in a cool location and make sure they have plenty of clean, cool water - throw a couple of ice cubes in when you are refilling your own beverage!

Kelly's Korner - 5 Ways to Help Your Refrigerator Stay Running in Hot Weather

Hey, All,

Well, summer has arrived with a vengeance here in Portland with temps up in the 90's!  For someone raised on the coast with constant wind, fog and mild temperatures, I don't deal well with all this warmth.  Yesterday's thunderstorms were a welcome break.

You know what else doesn't do well in hot weather?  Your refrigerator.  It works extra hard to keep things cool.  And nothing is worse when it's hot out than to have a broken refrigerator.  Here are some helpful hints to help keep it running.

1.  KEEP THE DOOR SHUT!!!  I know it feels really good to open the doors and let that cool air wash over you, but your refrigerator is not an air conditioning unit.  The more the doors are opened and closed the harder it has to work to keep things cold.

2.  When you do have the doors open, do a quick check of your door seals.  Clean them off and check to see there are no holes or tears in them.  Stick a dollar bill between the seal and the cabinet - if it slides out easily, replace the seals.  Call your favorite repair technician to replace these for you, or call W L May with your model number if you think you can do this yourself.

3.  Keep your freezer and refrigerator full.  I know this seems weird, but your fridge doesn't work as hard keeping things cold or frozen if it is full.  Don't stuff it - and if it seems a little empty, fill some jugs with water and keep in there for drinking and cooler ice (freeze jugs of water, ice tea or other favorite beverage and use in your picnic coolers - will keep your food cool and save space with the drinks.)   Cool food and liquids to room temp before putting them in the fridge and make sure they are covered. Replace your filter if you have one, also.

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4.  Clean underneath and behind your fridge and the coils.  Dust and dirt will make the compressor run more.  Also check to make sure there plenty of clearance behind it for air circulation. 

5.  If you have a refrigerator in a garage or outbuilding that gets really hot you might think about NOT using it and unplugging it, or find someway to cool that area.  That compressor is already running hot and high temps could make things go kaboom.  And with your neighbors turning on air conditioning units or fans, flucuations in power could happen, so make sure that your refrigerators and freezers are on surge protectors.

If you have any concerns about your refrigerators or freezers, get on the phone now with your appliance repair company.  Summer has them booked solid with refrigeration issues and you want to get any issues taken care of as soon as possible.

Have a great week!

PS:  Please remember that the Portland W L May will be closed on Saturday July 19 for the big move to get parts over to our new location at NE 9th and Burnside.  We will be open in our new location on Monday, July 21.

Kelly's Korner - Winterizing

Hey, All,

BRRRRRR!!!!!  It is soooo cold!  I saw on the news Saturday night that the average temperature ACROSS THE COUNTRY was 14.5 degrees!  Way too cold for this lady!

So if you haven't checked (and it may be too late now but not for later) start checking your appliances that may be in an unheated garage, back porch, basement or outbuilding for any cracks and leaking.  And maybe get some heat in there to bring it up above freezing.


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Washers:  Check your incoming water pipes, fill hoses, water valve, pump and other hoses.  Slowly warm these up and check for leaks.  As you know, water expands when frozen and can bust those parts to pieces.  If you have cracks and leaking and aren't up to the task, call your favorite appliance repair company and have them come check things out.

Refrigerators:  If this has an icemaker or is in an unheated garage you may be facing some of the same issues with freezing.  Check fill lines, valves and if it is still running.  Frigidaire brands have what they call a "garage kit" 5303918301 that are for older Frigidaire refrigerators that have difficulities operating in areas that drop below 34 degrees.   This heater kit will NOT work on Frigidaire refrigerators manufactured prior to 2001, on side-by-side or counter-depth models, or on models with electronic controls.  Unfortunately, no other brands have a kit like this so check that second refrigerator.

Also, don't forget your animals, both wild and domestic.  Make sure their water supply is not a block of ice and that their food isn't frozen.  If they sleep outside, either bring them in or give them extra sleeping materials (blankets, straw, etc.) so they sleep warm, too!

I am on vacation from December 13-26 and I will have a last minute shopping tip for next week, but won't be back on the blog until next year.

So from me and mine to you and yours have a safe and happy holiday season!

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