Message
from the RepairGuru®
Welcome to the March 2006 edition of the RepairClinic.com
newsletter. This month, learn how fellow do-it-yourselfer, Jeff, successfully
replaced his oven control panel to get the family's oven working again.
And, it's time to maintain your range/oven and vent hood
to keep them working efficiently and safely. We'll show you how and why
you should check, clean or replace your stovetop drip bowls and vent hood
filters.
New
Hampshire Resident Successfully Troubleshoots Oven, Pockets $140
Jeff D.,
North Salem, New Hampshire
With a wife, toddler and a new baby on the way,
Jeff already had his hands full when the family's oven suddenly stopped
working. For more than a week, the family of three had to get by without
baking or roasting.
The knob on the control panel that regulates the
oven temperature just wouldn't cause the oven burner to ignite.
The top burners worked fine, but not the oven. And, the clock was
out on the two-year-old range.
"I called some local appliance repair folks,"
Jeff said. "It would be $60 just to ring my doorbell, then
$75 an hour - plus parts. I thought, 'You know what, there's got
to be a better solution.'"
Jeff researched options online, typing in "appliance
repair" on a search engine, and found a listing for RepairClinic.com
near the top of the search results. Once at RepairClinic.com, he
entered the details about his oven model and emailed the RepairGuru®.
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| How Did He Do It?
Problem: Oven
control panel and clock stopped working
What led him to RepairClinic.com:
A search engine query for "appliance repair"
How he diagnosed the problem:
Sent details about his type of oven and problem to the
RepairGuru
How he fixed it:
- Unplugged the oven
- Removed the face of the oven control panel
- Disconnected the malfunctioning control
panel and clock from the connecting wires
- Connected the new part to the internal
wiring
- Screwed the control panel face back on
Part needed:
New oven clock and control panel
Tools used:
Screwdriver
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"To tell you the truth, I was a little leery about
ordering a part from somewhere far away not knowing exactly how to fix
it myself," he said.
However, seeing a photo of the part reassured him that
it was the right part and that he could easily fix it on his own.
When the new clock and control panel arrived a few days
later, Jeff first unplugged the range, and then removed the face of the
control panel. In just five minutes, he had switched out the old part
for the new, and replaced the control panel's face - such an easy fix
he really didn't even need additional instructions.
Jeff estimates that he saved about $140 by ordering online
from RepairClinic.com and fixing the oven himself. The next time he runs
into an appliance problem, he won't hesitate to repair the appliance himself.
"RepairClinic.com would be my first choice before
anything else," he said.
Two
Tips to Try This Month
Boost oven and stove efficiency
Have your stovetop drip bowls seen a few too
many drips? Drip pans and bowls serve multiple functions for a range.
They catch food and spills, help radiate heat back at the pan for better
efficiency, and protect you from accidentally touching internal components.
Dirty drip bowls reduce the heating efficiency of burners, so it might
be time to clean or replace bowls. You can clean the drip pans with a
non-abrasive household cleanser.
CLEANING TIP: Some model ranges are equipped with porcelain
drip pans that can be placed inside the oven and cleaned with the oven's
self-cleaning cycle. Check your owner's manual to see if your model has
this feature.
If your bowls are simply too dirty or worn, it's time to replace them.
To find stovetop drip bowls, click
here.
Prevent fires and improve air quality
It also might be time to clean or replace the filter(s) in your range
vent hood or underneath your over-the-range microwave oven. The thin,
silvery screen is the grease filter. Depending on your model, you may
have more than one. This filter traps airborne oils and grease to keep
them out of the blower and exhaust vent.
To clean the filter, remove it and soak it in a degreasing
solution until the grease is dissolved. Next, wash it with warm, soapy
water to remove any traces of the degreaser. Then put it in the upper
rack of the dishwasher and run it through a normal cycle.
Need a good degreaser? Click
here.
Note: If your unit circulates the air rather than vents
it, it may have one or more activated charcoal filters. Don't wash these.
Just replace them when they lose their effectiveness.
If your filter is too dirty to clean or is worn out, replace
it with a new one. To find a filter based on your model. click here.
Bonus tip:
Also, improve the efficiency and temperature accuracy of your oven by
checking the oven door to ensure it closes tightly. If it doesn't close
properly, replace the door gasket, hinges or door springs. To find what
you need, click
here.
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