Keeping your home in the best shape possible can seem like a constant effort, but a bit of DIY knowledge goes a long way in preserving your property – and your wallet. With the right tools, many common household problems can be fixed without calling in professionals. Not only will you save on repairs, but you’ll also build essential practical DIY home repair tips, know when to tackle jobs yourself, and when to call in the Essential Repair experts.
Essential Tools for Home Repairs
Every homeowner needs a well-stocked toolkit to tackle minor repairs, whether it’s for learning how to fit a bathroom or just trying out a simple DIY home patch-up. With just a few basic tools, you can save yourself countless trips to the repair shop and take on common home issues like a pro. Here’s a list of must-haves to get started:
Claw Hammer: Useful for hammering nails or pulling them out.
Screwdrivers: Phillips and flathead screwdrivers are versatile tools for tightening screws, opening battery compartments, and more.
Sandpaper: Essential for smoothing surfaces before repainting or re-sealing.
Duct Tape: Perfect for quick fixes on pipes or cracked surfaces until a permanent repair can be made.
Measuring Tape: Always handy for accurate measurements.
Saw: Ideal for trimming wood or plastic parts.
Cordless Drill: For drilling holes and driving screws quickly and accurately.
Spirit Level: Ensure your pictures, shelves, and mirrors are perfectly aligned.
Pliers: Useful for gripping and turning small objects.
Safety Goggles: Essential for protecting your eyes during drilling, cutting, or sanding.
Having these essentials at hand will help with most DIY home repairs, and you’ll be well-prepared for unexpected situations.
Common Household Issues and How to Fix Them
Once you’re equipped with the right tools, you can start tackling some of the most common household issues. From leaking taps to squeaky hinges, here are some tried-and-tested DIY solutions:
Leaky Taps
A dripping tap isn’t just annoying, it’s a drain on your wallet too. A leaky faucet could potentially waste hundreds of litres of water a year, which gradually adds up financially. The usual culprit is a worn-out washer or O-ring. Here’s how to fix it:
Turn Off the Water: Locate the water valve under the sink and turn it off.
Disassemble the Faucet: Use a wrench to remove the tap handle and expose the washer or O-ring.
Replace the Washer/O-Ring: Simply replace it with a matching new part from a hardware store.
Reassemble and Test: Turn the water back on and check that the drip is gone. If the issue persists, consider replacing the entire faucet.
Clogged Drains
Slow drains are a common problem in bathrooms and kitchens, but before calling in the plumber, try these steps:
Use a Plunger: Place it over the drain and give it a few pumps to loosen debris.
Apply a Natural Drain Cleaner: Pour a mixture of baking soda and vinegar down the drain, followed by boiling water.
Use a Drain Snake: If the blockage persists, a drain snake can help dislodge stubborn clogs deep in the pipe.
If these methods don’t work, the clog might be further down the pipes, in which case you may need to consult a professional.
Wall Cracks and Holes
Minor cracks in walls are normal as buildings settle, but they can be unsightly and worsen over time. Here’s a quick way to patch them up:
Clean the Area: Remove any loose debris with a putty knife.
Apply Filler: Use a pre-mixed wall filler to fill the crack or hole.
Sand the Surface: Once the filler is dry, sand it down until it’s smooth.
Repaint: Apply a fresh coat of paint to blend the repair into the surrounding wall.
Faulty Light Switches
Flickering lights or unresponsive switches can often be fixed with a simple swap, but be careful when managing electrics. Here’s how:
Turn Off the Power: Ensure the power is off at the circuit breaker.
Remove the Faceplate: Unscrew the switch cover and remove it.
Inspect and Replace: Check for any signs of burning or damage. If needed, replace the switch by attaching the new one to the corresponding wires.
Reattach and Test: Restore power and test the new switch to ensure it works correctly.
Squeaky Doors
Doors with hinges exposed to dust or moisture can develop squeaks over time. While WD-40 is commonly used, there are some better, more accessible options for door hinges that won’t attract dirt:
Try Petroleum Jelly: It’s a thick lubricant that won’t drip or attract dust.
Use Olive Oil or Bar Soap: These are natural alternatives likely already in your home.
Apply your chosen lubricant to the hinge and open and close the door a few times to spread it evenly.
Preventative Maintenance Tips
Regular repairs and maintenance keep your home looking great whilst helping to prevent more expensive repairs down the line. Here are a few preventative tips:
Bleed Radiators: Release trapped air in your radiators by using a valve key. This ensures they’re heating properly, reducing energy costs.
Check and Replace Caulk: Old caulk around bathtubs, sinks, and windows can lead to leaks and drafts. Remove dried-out caulking and apply new caulk for a watertight seal.
Inspect Plug Sockets: Over time, sockets can become loose or damaged. If you notice a cracked or wobbly faceplate, it’s an easy DIY fix. Always ensure the power is off before starting.
Routine checks and maintenance on plumbing, wiring, and seals can make a world of difference in keeping your home in good shape.
When to Call a Professional
While DIY fixes are rewarding and can help you save on costs, some jobs require an experienced professional, especially those that involve extensive work or specific expertise. Here’s when it’s best to leave it to the experts:
Plumbing and Gas Services: Issues beyond a simple leaky tap, such as water heater problems or gas lines, should be handled by a licensed plumber.
Electrical Work: For more complex electrical repairs like rewiring, always consult a qualified electrician.
Major Structural Repairs: Wall cracks that extend or affect structural integrity should be examined by a specialist.
Bathroom Renovations: For larger projects like putting in a new bathroom, it’s best to consult professionals to ensure safe plumbing, waterproofing, and electrics.
Working with a trusted maintenance company like Essential Repairs ensures you’ll get prompt and professional assistance when you need it most. Our team of specialists in London is ready to handle everything from minor repairs to major renovations, bringing expert care to your home.
The Benefits of DIY Home Repair
Learning basic DIY skills gives you greater control over your home and can save you a significant amount in repair costs. You’ll also gain confidence in tackling future issues, and with each project completed, your home becomes a more comfortable and well-maintained space.
And remember, for bigger issues or ongoing maintenance, Essential Repairs is just a call away. Our specialists provide a wide range of property maintenance services across London, from repairs and plumbing to electrical fixes and full renovation support. Don’t hesitate to reach out when you need expert help – our team is here to make sure your property stays in the best condition.
Conclusion
Start your DIY journey with these tips, and take control of your home’s maintenance. If you’re ready for a professional touch, Essential Repairs offers everything you need to keep your property in top condition.
A fridge freezer is very much the kind of thing that many of us take for granted in our homes… right until the moment something goes obviously wrong with it. All of a sudden, you might no longer have that easy means of keeping your food fresh. But what can you do to tackle the problem?
Various common fridge freezer problems can occur from time to time, such as the freezer failing to freeze properly, the fridge being overly warm, or water accumulating in the fridge’s base.
As trusted providers of West London repairs and maintenance services, we have encountered – and fixed – a broad range of common fridge problems down the years. Below, then, we have set out some of the most frequently seen issues that could happen to your fridge freezer, and how to combat them.
Importance Of Regular Maintenance
Many of the most common fridge problems can, of course, occur even if you are very proactive and diligent in looking after this appliance in your property.
However, as experts in residential and commercial property maintenance and repairs, we would recommend the following maintenance actions to help minimise the likelihood of future issues with your fridge:
Cleaning the fridge freezer regularly, including removing stains, marks, and food debris from both the inside and outside. This will help reduce the chances of mould and unpleasant odours developing.
Routinely defrosting the fridge freezer, to ensure ice does not get out of control and your appliance remains efficient.
Keeping a close eye on the temperature of the appliance. Your fridge should remain at a temperature below 5°C, so that food does not go bad too quickly and there isn’t too much chance for harmful bacteria to grow.
Safety Precautions
Electrical Safety
There are various electrical safety precautions that you can take to help lower the probability of both lesser-spotted and common problems with fridge freezers. Some of these include:
Ensuring the fridge freezer is in a safe location. There should be no flammable materials, cookers, or radiators located near your fridge. Enough space should also be left behind your fridge freezer for the circulation of air.
Defrosting the fridge freezer at least once a year. This will help ensure the appliance continues to work properly. However, it is crucial to avoid using a heater to defrost the inside of the fridge freezer.
Only ever plugging the fridge freezer directly into the wall, instead of using an extension lead.
Keeping a lookout for any signs of wear, damage, or malfunction. If you do see any such worrying indicators, arrange to have the appliance inspected by experts in electrical faults and repairs, such as our in-house contractors at Essential Repairs.
Handling Refrigerants
It is of the utmost importance to be careful with your handling of refrigerant. In today’s fridge freezers, refrigerant is used only in very small quantities, to extract heat from the device. It is, though, highly flammable, so you will need to be careful when transporting your fridge freezer, and you shouldn’t plug in the appliance if there is any discernible damage.
Although the once-popular refrigerant, chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), is now banned, some of today’s fridges still contain fluorinated greenhouse gas, otherwise known as F-gas.
If you are intending to get rid of an old fridge, you will need to check whether F-gas is contained inside. If this is indeed the case, it will be necessary for your local council to collect the appliance and recover the F-gas.
Diagnostic Checklist
Initial Inspection
You should be keeping a close eye on your fridge freezer in general – as well as an ear, for that matter, as any changes in the noises emerging from the appliance could be telling.
Such outward signs as the fridge being too warm, the light in the fridge not working, the door seals being torn, or the fridge freezer ceasing to work after defrosting, will merit further investigation.
Identifying The Problem
Paying close attention to the specific “symptoms” shown by your fridge freezer, will allow you to begin narrowing down the possibilities for what the underlying problem could be.
Unusual noises coming from your appliance, for example, could be an indicator of a problem with the compressor, condenser fan, or condenser coil. You might also have reason to suspect the compressor is damaged if your fridge freezer is completely silent.
Tools And Equipment Required
You can use an external thermometer to check your fridge and freezer’s temperature. You should expect the fridge to be set at approximately 3°C to 5°C, while a properly functioning freezer is normally around -18°C.
Common Issues and Solutions
4.1 Fridge Not Cooling Properly
A fridge failing to cool properly can be caused by a variety of factors. If, for example, dirt, grease, and dust are allowed to accumulate on the coils, this could prevent them from cooling the refrigerant properly. In that case, you’ll need to unplug the appliance and clean the coils. A faulty evaporator fan could also be to blame, given that its purpose is to circulate cool air.
4.2 Freezer Over-Freezing
Again, there can be a range of possible causes of over-freezing freezers. These can include the door seal being faulty, damaged, or deformed, or the defrost system having failed. Signs of the latter having potentially happened include frost on the freezer’s back wall, or a clicking sound being audible when the circulation fan turns on. So, it may be necessary to arrange for the defrost heater, defrost control board, and thermostat to be replaced.
4.3 Fridge/Freezer Not Defrosting
This is another one of the most common fridge freezer problems, which can occur due to a faulty defrost timer, heater, or thermostat. An iced-up evaporator can also bring about this problem, given that the effect on airflow could prevent the temperature from falling low enough for the appliance to defrost.
4.4 Unusual Noises
The exact nature of the unexpected sound coming from your fridge or freezer, could provide a clue as to the source of the problem. A loud buzzing or knocking sound, for example, could be caused by a worn-out or damaged compressor. It could cost you more than £170 to purchase a new compressor, and you’ll need to account for the further cost of arranging an engineer to fit it.
4.5 Water Leaks
If your fridge freezer is leaking, it’s most likely to be blocked drain tubes that are causing the problem. If so, you can begin to tackle it by removing any food from the appliance and turning it off. The drain cover is typically at the bottom or near the front of the appliance. So, removing drawers should enable you to reach the blockage. If the drain has frozen over, you should be able to defrost it by pouring hot – but not boiling – water on it. Hopefully, it won’t be long before you’ve cleared the tubes out.
4.6 Ice Maker Not Working
The most frequent reasons for a refrigerator failing to make ice include the water fill tubes being blocked, the water inlet valve being blocked or frozen, or the water filter being dirty or clogged. So, to begin diagnosing and fixing the problem, you’ll need to take steps including checking the water fill tubes, inspecting the water inlet valve, and cleaning the water filter.
Preventative Maintenance Tips
Cleaning And Care
The thorough and regular cleaning of your appliance can help reduce the likelihood of common fridge and freezer problems.
To clean your fridge, first remove all the food, shelves, drawers, and bins from the device, and throw away any spoiled or out-of-date food. Make sure you’ve also unplugged it prior to cleaning, especially if you will be cleaning the coils.
For the cleaning of the inside of the fridge, you’ll simply need to wipe it down using a soft cloth and a food-safe cleaner. Don’t forget to also use a soft cloth to wipe down the door seals, followed by drying with a clean cloth.
Regular Inspections
You can check over your fridge freezer yourself from time to time, to help stay alert to any potential issues. One thing to keep checking is the temperature – to reiterate our statement earlier, in the case of the fridge it should ideally be around 5°C, while the freezer’s temperature ought to be approximately -18°C.
Be sure to check the doors, too – they should close evenly and tightly. Listening to your fridge can also help draw your attention towards any emerging problems.
Older fridges do usually make a louder, almost buzzing sound compared to the near-silence of most modern fridges. However, you will probably already instinctively know the normal sound of your fridge. So, it should be obvious if any particularly strong and unusual noises begin to emanate from the device.
Prolonging The Life of Your Appliance
The correct stocking of your fridge freezer can have an impact on how long it lasts. The freezer will typically work better with more food kept in it, as this will allow it to retain the colder air more easily. In the case of the fridge, though, overstocking might be a problem, as this could hamper the circulation of cold air inside this section of the appliance.
Such other measures as cleaning your fridge freezer often, and defrosting it at least once a year – perhaps even every four to six months – will further help bolster the appliance’s longevity.
When To Call a Professional
Indicators Of Serious Issues
There are various potential signs of fridge freezer problems that might necessitate you calling a professional. If, for instance, your fridge isn’t sufficiently cold, this might be an indicator of a broken motor fan, so you’ll need to have an expert look at it.
If your food is going off in your fridge freezer before you would ordinarily expect it to expire, this may be a sign of the device failing to keep its temperature down. So, again, you are advised to seek out people who have expertise in tackling common problems with fridge freezers.
Finding A Qualified Technician
If the problem you have with your fridge freezer doesn’t seem to be one you can fix independently, don’t be afraid to reach out to our certified electricians at Essential Repairs. We will be able to carry out quick diagnosis and repairs if required – so, feel free to book with us online today.
Conclusion
Summary Of Key Points
As we covered in this article, there are various common fridge freezer problems, ranging from cooling difficulties and over-freezing woes, right through to water leaks and the ice maker failing to produce ice. There are, though, steps that you can take to begin diagnosing and fixing the issue with your appliance, even if a technician’s assistance may eventually be needed.
Final Tips and Recommendations
If remedies such as those outlined above are still leaving you puzzled as to how you can fix the problem you have with your fridge freezer, it is best to avoid any unnecessary risks. Reach out to a company that has expertise in tackling common problems with fridge freezers, such as Essential Repairs, to ensure your appliance is safely and efficiently repaired.
Far beyond the mere chic “trend” they might have once seemed to be, eco-friendly house materials have become much more of a “standard” in recent years. Indeed, given the severity and fast pace of climate change, and concerns about resource depletion, it has never been of greater importance that we build homes using materials with minimal environmental impact.
So, what do you need to know about eco-friendly building materials? Below, our experts in residential and commercial property maintenance and repairs at Essential Repairs have outlined the key details.
Understanding Eco-Friendly Building Materials
Eco-friendly construction materials can be defined as materials – used in the construction of buildings – that do not have an adverse impact on the environment. Such eco-friendliness may be apparent in how the material is produced, used, and/or disposed of. A material being easy to recycle, for instance, is one way in which it could be described as “eco-friendly”.
Importance Of Sustainable Construction in Modern Homes
Amid the intensification of the climate crisis, it is becoming ever-more apparent what a profound role the use of eco-friendly building materials could play in achieving sustainability objectives.
The World Green Building Council has estimated that approximately 40% of global carbon emissions can be attributed to the construction of buildings and the energy required to run them. In light of this, there is clearly considerable scope to optimise “green” practices in the building of contemporary homes.
Benefits Of Eco-Friendly Building Materials
Environmental Impact
The “headline” benefit of eco-friendly materials for building is, of course, their gentleness on the only planet Earth we have. Such materials typically require less energy to be consumed in the process of making and transporting them, which helps reduce overall carbon emissions.
Health And Wellbeing
The best eco-friendly building materials also tend to contain zero or low levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). These human-made chemicals are found in many traditional building materials, and can evaporate into the air. When buildings contain low levels of VOCs, this can help ensure better indoor air quality and improved health.
Long-Term Cost Savings
The lower energy consumption required to make them in the first place, means the use of eco-friendly house materials can contribute to reduced costs for the construction sector – and the eventual buyers of the houses – over time.
Furthermore, energy-efficient windows and insulation – once installed – will help reduce energy consumption and energy bills for the occupant of the property.
Key Factors to Consider When Choosing Eco-Friendly Materials
Material Sourcing and Sustainability
When you are assessing the degree to which a given building material can be considered genuinely “eco-friendly”, you will need to give careful thought to where it is sourced from. Is the material recycled, for example, or recyclable? Does it come from a renewable source?
Energy Efficiency
The true eco-friendliness of a given construction material will largely hinge on how energy efficient it will be across the building’s lifetime, rather than merely how energy-efficiently it was produced in the first place. You might consider, for instance, what impact the material will have on the building owner or occupant’s need to use artificial heating and lighting.
Durability and Longevity
The most eco-friendly building materials for houses should be able to stand up to the conditions – in terms of temperature, pressure, or the elements – to which they will be subjected over the home’s lifespan. This will help minimise the need for later (energy-consuming) repair or replacement work on the material.
Recyclability And Waste Reduction
If a given material can be recycled or reused, this will be a big tick in the “eco-friendly” box. You will also need to consider the impact the material might have on the household’s generation and management of waste over the years to come.
Types Of Eco-Friendly Building Materials
4.1 Natural Insulation Materials
Wool, Cotton, And Hemp
These three materials all have strong credentials as natural forms of insulation, derived from renewable sources. They can deliver impressive performance, as demonstrated by the fire resistance of wool, and hemp being mould resistant, sound-absorbing, and non-toxic.
Cork And Straw Bales
With cork not only being renewable and biodegradable – derived, as it is, from the bark of cork oak trees – but also offering low thermal conductivity and good sound absorption, it should be no great surprise that cork insulation has become an attractive option for many.
Straw bales, too, deliver excellent performance as a form of insulation. Their air pockets create a thermal break, so they insulate in a similar way to sheep’s wool.
4.2 Sustainable Wood Products
FSC-Certified Timber
If a house builder chooses timber certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), this signals a strong commitment to using wood that has been harvested and managed in as environmentally friendly and sustainable a manner as possible.
Bamboo
Not only does bamboo absorb carbon dioxide (CO2) through photosynthesis – with this being stored in the material for the product’s lifetime – but it locks in a greater amount of CO2 than wood. What’s more, its fast growth enables it to be harvested in just three to five years, compared to the 25-year wait typical for wood forests.
Reclaimed Wood
When wood is taken from its original application and repurposed, there isn’t such a great need to cut down new trees. It is also a more energy-efficient process to source and transport reclaimed wood, than it is to mill raw wood.
4.3 Recycled and Reclaimed Materials
Recycled Steel
Less energy is used in the recycling of steel than in the production of new steel from raw materials. The use of recycled steel also helps drive down the amount of steel waste in landfills, and the need for further mining.
Reclaimed Bricks and Tiles
The tendency over recent years to place greater emphasis on the reuse of existing bricks and tiles has helped reduce the amount of waste sent to landfills. It has also lessened the need to extract new raw materials.
Recycled Plastic Composites
Again, the recycling of plastic composites can be integral to efforts to reduce waste, save energy, and lower emissions among house builders. It can also help conserve forests, given that the incorporation of recycled plastic into wood composites reduces the need to extract timber and other natural resources.
4.4 Innovative Eco-Friendly Materials
Green Concrete
As the term suggests, “green” concrete is produced from recycled materials, including slag, fly ash, and aggregates. This allows for carbon emissions to be reduced, as the waste materials used are less energy-intensive to produce than cement.
As a renewable and infinite energy source, solar power allows homes and businesses to run on clean energy. Solar panels don’t produce greenhouse gases, unlike the carbon dioxide and methane released into the atmosphere as a result of the burning of fossil fuels.
Certifications And Standards for Eco-Friendly Materials
LEED And BREEAM
Standing for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design and Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method, LEED and BREEAM are green building certification frameworks for the evaluation of a building’s environmental and social performance.
Cradle To Cradle Certified
C2C, or Cradle to Cradle, is a science-based standard by which the sustainability of products and materials can be measured.
Energy Star and Other Relevant Labels
Run by the US Environmental Protection Agency and the US Department of Energy, Energy Star is a government-backed symbol for energy efficiency. If a given product is Energy Star certified, this indicates it meets higher standards for energy use and emissions.
Case Studies: Successful Eco-Friendly Homes
Examples Of Homes Built with Sustainable Materials
Eco-friendly building materials are used in the construction of a broad range of types of home. These include “earthships”, which are off-the-grid and self-sustaining homes built using such natural and recycled materials as old tyres and glass bottles.
Earth-sheltered houses, meanwhile, are properties built into the side of a hill, which enables them to make the most of the natural insulation from the earth.
Lessons Learned and Best Practices
A range of sometimes surprising lessons have been learned from the use of eco-friendly building materials for houses. These include that reclaimed materials not only tend to be eco-friendlier and cheaper than new materials, but can also often be more durable and require less maintenance over time.
Concepts such as passive solar design also underscore that a building’s materials aren’t the only factor shaping its true energy efficiency and environmental friendliness. Such aspects as the orientation of the property, as well as how the windows are placed to maximise natural heating and cooling, can also have a great influence.
Tips For Incorporating Eco-Friendly Materials in Your New Home
Working With Architects and Builders
If you are seeking to have eco-friendly construction materials incorporated into your new home, it can be a good idea to hire architects and builders who already have considerable expertise in sustainable architecture. This will enable them to spot opportunities to deliver a home that meets even very ambitious sustainability goals.
Budgeting For Sustainable Materials
As we referenced earlier, the use of eco-friendly materials for building can help save costs over time in the running of a property. However, depending on the specific products and solutions you are considering, you might need to budget for slightly greater initial expense, in order to take advantage of the most sustainable options.
DIY vs. Professional Installation
The DIY installation of certain eco-friendly house materials – such as insulation – may seem an attractive option at first for saving money. However, with a view to achieving the best possible result and unlock the greatest possible sustainability benefits, you might ultimately decide in favour of hiring professional installers.
Conclusion
Recap Of Key Points
To bring us back to a point we made at the very top of this article: the recent greater prominence of eco-friendly house materials isn’t merely due to them being a “chic” trend (if they could even be described as a “trend” at this point).
Instead, the incorporation of such sustainable materials into all manner of types of houses across the globe, is becoming more and more of a standard. Furthermore, eco-friendly construction materials take a hugely broad range of different forms.
The Future of Sustainable Building Practices
There is a wide range of ways in which the world of sustainable construction is expected to continue evolving. We can expect, for example, the introduction of increasingly stringent building standards, as governments seek to nudge architects towards using the optimal eco-friendly building materials for houses.
We can also anticipate that certain still relatively new materials – such as photovoltaic glass, self-healing concrete, and hempcrete – will gain in popularity and widespread use.
Encouraging Eco-Friendly Choices in Home Construction
So, there you have it! If you are looking to have a new home constructed, there are many great reasons to embrace the leading eco-friendly building materials and other sustainable practices. These include the chance to save money over time, as well as – in many cases – to boost the durability and longevity of your home. You will also, of course, be playing your own small part in saving the planet.
Dishwashers have gained in popularity in UK homes as they have come to be seen as a household “standard”, rather than machines purely for the wealthy. Whereas only around 18% of UK households owned a dishwasher in 1994, by 2018, approximately half (49%) of them did.
However, if you have owned a dishwasher, you are likely to have encountered at least one or two problems with it. So, you might appreciate knowing about some of the most frequent dishwasher issues, and how to fix them.
With that in mind, our experts in residential and commercial property maintenance and repairs at Essential Repairs have set out the essentials of troubleshooting dishwasher issues. In addition, we have explained the preventive steps you can take to help avoid such problems occurring in the first place.
Common Dishwasher Problems
There’s a good chance that you have come across one or more of these common issues with dishwashers:
Dishwasher Not Draining
Sometimes, a dishwasher may fail to drain properly. This can have any of a range of causes.
The dishwasher’s drain may have become clogged with food particles or other debris. Or maybe the dishwasher’s pump – which serves the purpose of transitioning water through the system and out of the drain – has malfunctioned?
Broken or clogged hoses can also cause drainage issues, with water backing up in the system.
Dishwasher Not Cleaning Properly
Of course, as a homeowner, property manager, or tenant, you invested in a dishwasher so that it would clean your dishes. So, if your dishes are evidently still dirty, you should be alert to several potential causes.
You should check, for example, whether your dishwasher is running through its entire cycle – because if it isn’t, a mechanical fault is probably the cause. If, on the other hand, the dishwasher is completing its cycle, you should check whether the detergent cup is releasing the detergent properly.
An overly low water temperature is another possible cause of a dishwasher failing to wash dishes adequately, so you might need to change the setting.
Dishwasher Making Unusual Noises
Also prominent among the most frequent dishwasher issues, is the appliance producing harsher and louder background noise than usual. By scrutinising the exact sound your dishwasher makes, you can begin narrowing down the possible causes.
If the noise is a high-pitched squeal, this might indicate a problem with the seals or bearings. Alternatively, if you’re hearing more of a loud rattling or grinding, this may signal an issue with the spray arms, pump, or door latch.
A dishwasher making humming noises, meanwhile, can often be attributed to troubles with the motor.
Dishwasher Leaking Water
Many of us have had that heart-sinking feeling of seeing a puddle of water on the floor close to the dishwasher; this might indicate a faulty drain pump or a drain hose blockage.
Troubleshooting And Diagnosis
So, you now know some of the most frequent dishwasher issues; here’s how to diagnose and troubleshoot them. Before you carry out any of these checks on your dishwasher, it is crucial to make sure the device is switched off at the mains.
How To Check for Blockages
A blocked filter is a classic cause of a dishwasher failing to drain. The filter is situated at the bottom of a dishwasher, and you should be able to easily pull or twist it out. When you do, clean it by running it under a tap, then put it back into the machine.
Alternatively, a blockage may be caused by the water hose at the back of the dishwasher having been kinked or squashed. So, be sure to inspect this if cleaning and replacing the filter doesn’t work.
Inspecting The Spray Arms
The spray arms are located at the bottom of the dishwasher baskets. You can check them by simply removing them and looking for any blockage or damage. If the spray arms are dirty, be sure to clean them with warm, soapy water. Any blockages, meanwhile, can be removed by a needle. Damage to a spray arm – such as cracks or missing pieces – will necessitate it being replaced.
Examining The Door Seal
If the spray arms don’t seem to be the cause of your dishwasher issues, a logical next step is to check the upper seal that goes around the top and side of the door. The upper seal may have perished, or there might be dirt and grime clogging it up, which could be preventing the proper closure of the door.
Don’t forget to look at the lower door seal, too. If this is leaking, the removal of the door will be necessary. That’s a task you will probably need to entrust to professionals, such as our providers of West London repairs and maintenance services at Essential Repairs.
DIY Fixes for Common Issues
Not all common issues with dishwashers necessitate the homeowner, property manager, or tenant reaching out to experts such as ours:
Clearing A Blocked Drain
Inspecting your dishwasher’s drain will enable you to identify – and remove – any debris or food particles that may be obstructing it.
Replacing A Faulty Seal
If you need to replace your dishwasher’s upper door seal, it’s relatively straightforward to pull out the existing seal and push in a new one.
To ensure you acquire the appropriate replacement seal, make a note of your dishwasher’s model number, which should be visible on the inside of the door. You should then be able to order the right replacement part from the dishwasher manufacturer or a trustworthy online retailer.
Cleaning The Filter and Spray Arms
Your dishwasher’s manual should provide specific instructions on how to clean the filter and spray arms. It’s generally a case of simply removing these parts and soaking them in warm, soapy water.
Make sure you also know how to correctly put these components back in once you’ve cleaned them. When you replace spray arms back in the machine, you should ensure they are able to spin properly when the dishwasher is fully loaded.
When To Call a Professional
When you are troubleshooting dishwasher issues, it might not be immediately obvious when it’s best to simply get a professional on the phone. So, bear these principles in mind:
Identifying Major Repairs
If the DIY methods above haven’t resolved the problem with your dishwasher, or you keep on having leaks, complex mechanical issues, or electrical problems even after seemingly “fixing” your appliance, this indicates a bigger repair is probably needed.
There isn’t any point taking unnecessary risks when it comes to such specialised work. Reach out to our own renowned providers of local plumbing and gas services at Essential Repairs, by calling 020 3813 1038.
Safety Concerns with DIY Repairs
In situations where substantial repair work is needed, it is best to err on the side of caution.
Not everyone who attempts a DIY dishwasher repair, after all, will be sufficiently mindful of basic safety measures, such as the importance of ensuring the appliance is disconnected from the power supply before work begins.
Dishwashers combine water with electricity, which can be an extremely dangerous blend. So, we would strongly urge you not to take avoidable risks.
Choosing A Reliable Repair Service
It isn’t as difficult as you might think to find a reputable provider of dishwasher repair services.
A good “rule of thumb” is to look carefully at what actual past customers of a given company have said. At Essential Repairs, we have an “Excellent” rating on Trustpilot at the time of typing, with 89% of reviewers having given us a maximum five-stars-out-of-five rating.
Preventive Maintenance Tips
Establishing a routine of checking and cleaning your appliance over time can help prevent many common dishwasher issues:
Regular Cleaning and Upkeep
We touched on the cleaning of filters and drains above; you should make it a habit to keep on with this same cleaning process once a month. Such regular checking and cleaning can help avoid future mechanical failures.
As soon as you notice any potential issues – even “small” ones – arrange to repair them immediately, before they deteriorate into a bigger problem. This will be key to extending the lifespan of your machine.
Best Practices for Loading Your Dishwasher
You should be careful to only load your dishwasher according to the manufacturer’s guidelines. You mustn’t overload it or use excessive detergent.
Also avoid putting non-dishwasher-friendly items in the appliance. Any sharp knives, delicate items, or wooden utensils should only ever be handwashed. If you’re unsure whether certain items would be safe for your dishwasher, look at the labels and manufacturer instructions on these products.
Using The Right Detergent
All dishwasher detergents available today are formulated specifically for use in dishwashers. This means you should never use ordinary washing-up liquid in a dishwasher, as it will cause excess foam, which could bring about a leak.
Conclusion
Educating yourself on the most frequent dishwasher issues and how to diagnose and fix them, will greatly help keep your machine working with minimal fuss, while extending its lifespan. You should also know the classic signs of a given dishwasher problem requiring professional attention, so that you don’t persist with a potentially damaging or dangerous DIY repair.
Keeping Your Dishwasher in Top Condition
Proactively and regularly inspecting, maintaining, and cleaning your dishwasher and its components, as well as reacting in an informed way to any issues as soon as they emerge, will contribute to preserving the condition and operation of your appliance for many months and years ahead. So, you hopefully won’t need to call our repair professionals so often.
Recap Of Key Points
In summary, when it comes to dealing with common issues with dishwashers:
Inform yourself about the most frequent dishwasher issues
Educate yourself on basic dishwasher troubleshooting and diagnosis methods
Learn some effective DIY fixes and the circumstances in which it is best to call a professional
Find out about – and follow – the best preventive maintenance steps to help avoid dishwasher issues happening in the first place.
Do you need to have your own malfunctioning dishwasher looked over – and fixed – by trusted experts in London? If so, please don’t hesitate to book with us online today, or to call 020 3813 1038. Our in-house specialist contractors will get the job done at the right price!
In West London, and certainly across the wider UK, central heating is the backbone of any safe, comfortable and warm property! As a result, when your central heating system starts to suffer from faults, it can make the colder months unbearable. In fact, the average temperature during the UK’s winter months is 5 degrees Celsius. Living at this temperature can hurt your joints, and your lungs and increase the chance of injury at home.
Unfortunately, there are many common central heating faults that can reduce the performance and efficiency of your system, whether that is a gas boiler or an electric one. Nonetheless, please don’t panic! Not only do we at Essential Repairs provide high-quality West London property maintenance services when your central heating is not turning on, we offer useful advice on how to fix these faults yourself in this blog post.
Read on for more.
No Heating or Hot Water
Having no heating or hot water is a serious fault in your central heating system. You’re left cold and unable to properly wash, which is problematic in any season – not just the wintertime! Rather than wrestle with this frustration hopelessly, we recommend a few fixes.
First, you should address a potentially damaged thermostat. If your thermostat is set incorrectly or malfunctioning, you won’t receive any heating or hot water at all. Thermostats can be recalibrated and replaced if necessary, a simple and non-disruptive procedure when handled by an experienced engineer.
Secondly, if you own an older boiler – perhaps one from ten years ago or more – the pilot light may have gone out. This can impact your heating. In newer models, ignition issues are a more common cause of no heating or hot water. Other times, air can be trapped in your central heating system, producing a nasty airlock. This can be resolved by bleeding your radiators or repressurising your heating system in accordance with your manual.
When none of these quick solutions turns your heating or hot water back on, and you happen to live within the West London area, it may be time to book with Essential Repairs. Professionals are well trained in dealing with the most tempestuous boilers and can replace what can’t be fixed with ease.
Your Boiler Keeps Switching Off
Worried about your central heating not turning on? Many boilers start to switch themselves off after long-term use, and this can indicate several underlying faults. The first issue could be a faulty thermostat. They can cause the boiler to switch off prematurely without any manual intervention. Another problem could be insufficient water pressure, which triggers safety shut-offs in your central heating system to preserve the condition of your boiler. A boiler’s condensate pipe can also freeze in the colder months, making it shut down completely too.
In other cases, even one malfunctioning pump can prevent water from circulating inside your boiler, causing it to overheat and switch off. Whilst it can be difficult to figure out which of these faults is switching off your boiler, we recommend taking a systematic approach to address each problem, one at a time.
As such, here’s how to fix each one!
Thermostat
Check and recalibrate the thermostat to determine whether this is the problem. If your thermostat is faulty, replace it as soon as possible.
Insufficient Water Pressure
Refill the water pressure system using the filling loop to make sure that this isn’t the issue, or, if it is, that it’s resolved and you can go back to enjoying a safe and warm home.
Frozen Condensate Pipe
It’s easy to tell whether your condensate pipe is frozen, because of its temperature and appearance. If it is, gently thaw it with warm water – not boiling, in case the pipe cracks! Insulating the condensate pipe can prevent this fault in future.
Malfunctioning Pumps
If your pump is making unusual noises, this indicates a major problem, and will be the root cause of your boiler switching off. Make sure to repair or replace the pump with the assistance of an Essential Repairs’ professional as soon as we’re available – which, for central heating faults, is immediately.
Your Radiator Makes Unusual Noises
As we mentioned briefly above, a pump making unusual or funny noises is a clear indicator that something’s faulty with your central heating system. This is the same for your radiators! Problematic radiators in the home will tend to make unusual noises, which may manifest as bubbling, banging or hissing.
These noises are often caused by kettling, triggered by prolonged limescale build-up, which also impedes the function of your radiators by making them overheat. The water inside is literally boiled, creating a major hazard for those with young children or pets that are at a level height with your radiators.
If it’s not down to kettling, then trapped air also creates unusual noises in your radiators. So does pipework that has come loose, or high water pressure. Fortunately, each of these issues can be pretty quickly resolved!
Descaling your radiators with a regular descaling solution resolves the problem of kettling, bleeding your radiators releases trapped air, and securing loose pipes with pipe clips or adjusting your water pressure resolves the last faults in an instant.
Again, if these problems happen to escalate, don’t hesitate to involve a gas-safe engineer – they nip faults in the bud before they become disastrous.
The Boiler is Leaking
Sometimes, a central heating fault is unmistakable. A leaky boiler is hard to hide and rarely goes unnoticed, although the problems triggering a leaky boiler can go under the radar for quite some time. At Essential Repairs, we often see properties afflicted with corroded pipes or joints, which cause system leaks to the pipework, and loose connections within the boiler. Your boiler relies on a complex system of connections to function well. When they become loose, leaks are bound to happen, creating water damage and even turning your central heating off!
Another cause of a leaky boiler can be a faulty pressure valve. As this blog has established, water pressure can seriously affect your boiler – whether it’s too low, or too high. Indeed, excess pressure causes the pressure valve to release water, creating persistent leaks.
Fixing a leaky boiler generally requires professional assistance, but there are two steps you can take before your Essential Repairs’ professional arrives:
Identify the source of the leak by checking all visible pipes, joints and connections
Release some water from your central heating system to lower the pressure
For help with your central heating, contact Essential Repairs
At Essential Repairs, we satisfy the central heating requirements of every domestic or commercial property in West London. Oftentimes, central heating faults do require a professional resolution to guarantee the continued function and comfort of your home. As certified, accredited, licensed and thoroughly trained experts, we provide comprehensive central heating maintenance and installation solutions, including the ability to resolve leaking pipework and carry out an expert power flush. To discover more about our plumbing and gas services, call us at 020 3813 1038 or book with our Gas Safe engineers, today.
In the UK, it’s common for homeowners to plug in their kitchen or home appliances, and just forget about them! However, the maintenance of these appliances is more important than you might think. Without the proper attention and care, they can suffer more greatly from regular wear and tear, and degrade beyond repair over time.
If you’re not quite sure how to carry out regular appliance maintenance yourself, don’t worry. At Essential Repairs, we have carried out quality maintenance services for years, and offer you our expertise in this blog. Read on for more.
1. Clean Your Appliances Regularly
The quickest way to maintain regular appliances in the home is to clean them! This includes every appliance from your microwave and toaster to your showerhead or bidet. This should be a regular programme of cleaning, too, not just a once-a-year event.
Washing machines, fridge-freezers and ovens should all be cleaned every two to four months. Your kettles should be cleaned every three months, as should your fans and light fixtures. Appliances that receive the most personal use frequently, such as your showerhead, should be cleaned at least once a month.
With a microfibre cloth and the right cleaning solution, cleaning your appliances regularly has many benefits. It prolongs their lifespan and ensures that they perform at a higher, more energy-efficient level. Dirty appliances are also more likely to become dangerous electrical hazards, because of increased dust and lint.
Home appliance maintenance doesn’t have to be challenging, and cleaning is a great starting point.
2. Check and Replace the Filters
Most home or kitchen appliances have filters to maintain proper performance by removing impurities from their systems. But, when these filters are allowed to become dirty, your appliances must work harder to complete the same jobs as before. This costs you more money on your energy bills and increases the need for repairs in future.
To maintain these appliances for as long as possible, we recommend checking and replacing these filters at a minimum of every six months. For air conditioners and furnaces, where debris builds up quickly, you should replace their filters every month. This small act of appliance maintenance keeps your home functioning as it should for a much longer time.
3. Inspect the Connections of Your Appliances
Your appliances function through a mixture of wires, cables and, for some fixed kitchen appliances, hoses.
A consistent power supply is extremely important, which is why wires and cables are needed. Yet, dishwashers and washing machines must also be able to manage flowing water, making hoses an essential part of their installation. As part of the maintenance of such appliances, you must regularly inspect these connections to ensure their safety and functionality.
Wires, hoses and cables can wear out over time and frequent use, causing leaks and reducing the efficiency of your appliances. When it comes to your washing machine, dishwasher or fridge freezer, make a habit of checking for bulges and cracks monthly. Everything should be securely connected to avoid leaks!
These inspections enable you to carry out swift repairs and replacements with the help of Essential Repairs’ experts.
4. Test Your Appliances’ Safety Features
Although you might think of appliance maintenance as a ‘cleaning’ or ‘replacement’ kind of task, this isn’t always the case. Indeed, testing your appliances’ existing safety features – of which there are guaranteed to be many – is also essential.
As an important example, smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are featured in every home. You should make sure that they are working properly by pressing the test button on these alarms at least once a month. Replace their batteries on an annual basis, and keep yourself and your family safe.
5. Defrost Your Fridge-Freezer
Frost can easily build up in fridge freezers. The more frost there is, the less efficient this appliance becomes. As such, when it comes to your kitchen appliance maintenance schedule, make sure to regularly defrost your fridge-freezers as soon as the frost becomes around ¼ inch or 0.5 cm thick. Certain fridge freezers are ‘frost-free models’ – this simply means that you need to regularly inspect and clean the defrost drain to avoid clogging.
Frost can also take away some of your fridge-freezer’s storage capacity! There’s not really a way to avoid the build-up of frost over time, but through maintenance tactics such as defrosting, you can manage it properly.
6. Make Sure to Level Your Appliances
It’s essential that you make sure your fixed household appliances are level and stable during their installation. Otherwise, they can cause excessive noise and vibrations during their operation, which causes premature wear and tear. This is especially true for washing machines, dryers and fridge-freezers.
However, we admit that it can be difficult to tell if your appliances are unbalanced if you’re not a professional. Make sure that you always use a level during the installation process to avoid problems in future, and make sure the surface beneath is completely flat.
This decreases the amount of maintenance you’ll need to carry out in future, whilst enhancing the longevity and performance of your fixed appliances.
7. Always Follow Manufacturer Guidelines
Every appliance in your home, from your HVAC systems to your smoke detector, will come with a detailed user manual that contains manufacturer guidelines regarding their regular maintenance and upkeep. While we can offer tips for appliance maintenance in this blog post, we always recommend following the unique manufacturer guidelines that you have been given as closely as possible.
Read the maintenance section of these guidelines back-to-front, and follow the timelines provided for any filter replacements, cleaning and inspections required. This also means that you can maintain your warranty coverage, protecting you against the cost of any future repairs or replacements should maintenance not be enough to preserve the condition of your appliance.
8. Address Small Issues As Soon As Possible
A good rule of thumb when maintaining your appliances is to address small issues that pop up as soon as possible. For example, if your washing machine is making unusual noises, or your toaster suddenly stops working as well as it used to. Small issues such as these can escalate quickly, and increase in cost the longer you leave them be.
In sum, our tip here is to investigate, troubleshoot and resolve problems immediately!
9. Keep A Maintenance Log
Regular appliance maintenance can soon add up. It’s important to keep a maintenance log so you remember what problems you’ve addressed, and when you last maintained your home appliances. Although this might sound time-consuming, it’s very useful. You will never overlook another maintenance task, and you can refer to past maintenance activities if repairs are required.
Always record the date, tasks that you’ve performed, and what parts have been replaced after each maintenance activity.
10. When at-home maintenance isn’t enough, seek professional assistance
Sometimes, at-home maintenance tasks aren’t enough to keep your property in the best condition possible. Whenever you feel out of your depth, don’t hesitate to seek professional assistance.
For West London property maintenance that you can rely on, contact Essential Repairs as soon as possible. Our team members are easily contacted through mobile at 020 3813 1038, or our online booking system. Rest assured, we keep appliance maintenance simple. If you’re concerned about keeping your equipment or appliances in the proper condition, we look forward to offering you more personalised advice.
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