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One component of refrigerators and freezers that’s often overlooked is the door gasket–a.k.a. that rubber, accordion-like seal around the perimeter of the door. By forming an airtight seal between the unit and the door, it plays a vital role in keeping cold air inside. 

However, when your door gasket starts to show signs of aging, it can get stiff, deteriorate, or dry out, which prevents it from forming that crucial airtight seal. As a result, your fridge or freezer will struggle to maintain a cold enough temperature, putting the safety of your food in jeopardy. 

Thankfully, though, there’s a super-easy trick to fix your door gasket’s poor seal–and you probably have the supplies right in your cabinet!

Here’s what you need:

• Sponge
• Dish soap
• Warm water
• Clean rag or paper towel
• Petroleum jelly (e.g. Vaseline)

And here’s what you do:

• Clean the gasket with warm, soapy water.
• Rinse and wipe the surface and crevices until completely dry.
• Gently apply a thin layer of petroleum jelly to all visible surfaces of the gasket.

This might sound like a bizarre fix, but we promise it works! See, the petroleum jelly clings to the dried-out gasket so when the door is closed, the jelly fills in the tiny air pockets between the gasket and the unit’s frame, thus creating an airtight seal.

However, be advised that this is usually only good as a temporary fix. If your refrigerator is getting up there in years, you will probably need to replace the gasket in full. But this petroleum jelly trick will definitely hold you over until you’re able to get a replacement.

Hope this helps!

For any other fridge repair questions, don’t hesitate to call Morris County Appliance Repair! 

Buying a new fridge, but can’t decide if you should get one with the freezer on top or on the bottom? This is a common conundrum among homeowners. One is more efficient and budget-friendly; the other is more convenient and stylish. 

Which do you choose?!

In this blog post, we’ll highlight the pros and cons of both options. This will help inform your decision. However, it’s ultimately up to you to choose based on your lifestyle, budgetary constraints, and design preferences.

So, with all that being said, let’s take a look at top freezers and bottom freezers!

Freezer on Top

Pros:

• Budget-friendly: For whatever reason, the design and construction of top-freezer models makes these refrigerators at least a few hundred dollars cheaper than their counterparts.
• Energy-efficient: Refrigerators with top-freezers use between 10% and 25% less energy than bottom-freezers, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.
• More functional space: In this type of fridge, the freezer doesn’t require as much insulation near the vents or special drawers for organization, so it has more space that can actually be used for storage. 

Con:

• Not the most hip: This doesn’t mean the freezer-on-top style is unattractive! It’s just a more traditional look, so you won’t get the “wow” factor that you would with a more chic model. 

Freezer on Bottom

Pros:

• Better organization: Bottom-freezer units usually come with fun baskets and drawers that help make the storage space as functional as possible.
• Convenient: The freezer’s placement on the bottom means the refrigerator portion is front and center. With it being eye-level, you can see everything inside your fridge without having to scrunch down. 

Cons:

• Expensive: As is always the rule, the latest and hippest styles cost more. With a freezer-on-bottom fridge, you’re going to pay at least hundreds of dollars more, if not thousands (for the ultra-elite packages). 

Again, it all comes down to your priorities and preferences. If you prefer a budget-friendly option with a conventional look, then the freezer-on-top style is a smart choice for you. However, if you’re willing to pay extra for a sleek, stylish model that gives you a little more convenience, then you should go with the freezer-on-bottom style.

Have any other questions about refrigerators and/or freezers? Reach out to Morris County Appliance Service! We’re here to help.

Every serious home chef loves their gas range.

However, the one downside of a gas range is that a spark is needed to ignite the burners before you can start cooking. Therefore, when there’s an issue with the burner or spark tips, you suddenly lose the ability to cook on that burner. 

Thankfully, if you’re having problems with your gas range not igniting or sparking, there may be a fix that you can implement yourself. 

Possible Solutions for a Gas Stove That Won’t Spark

• Clear away grease and food debris — This is one of the most common causes of igniter issues because buildup of any kind can block the flow of gas to the igniter. Here’s what to do:
1. Remove the grate and burner cap to access the sealed burner base. 
2. Lift off the sealed burner base (which may involve unscrewing it).
3. Clean the base area with a soapy sponge or rag while you soak the sealed burner base in warm water or vinegar.
4. After soaking, scrub debris and gunk off the sealed burner base with a stiff brush.
5. Clear out the burner holes with something small and pointy (e.g. toothpick, pipe cleaner, needle, etc.)
6. Dry off all components thoroughly and put them back. 
• Fix loose wiring — There are small, electrical connections between the igniter and control module (which enables the control knob to spark the igniter and control the flame). These connections sometimes come loose during cleaning, moving, or installation and prevent the burner from igniting. Here’s what to do:
1. Unplug your unit from the wall or turn off the power.
2. Remove the grate, burner cap, and sealed burner base. 
3. Look for any wires that seem loosely connected or disconnected entirely.
4. Reconnect any loose wires and return the sealed burner base, burner cap, and grate.

If neither of the above solutions works, then you’re looking at a faulty igniter that needs to be replaced. You can do this yourself—if you’re confident you can do it safely. But remember: you’re dealing with a gas line. For the average homeowner, this might be a bridge too far. 

Thankfully, you have the expert technicians at Morris County Appliance Repair here to help you! Give us a call for a speedy, successful gas range repair today.

Appliances never break down at a convenient time, do they? That’s because, if we’re being honest, there’s never really a good time for you to lose the function of your refrigerator, laundry machines, or oven.

However, we can all agree that some appliance problems are much worse than others. 

We’re talking about urgent or time-sensitive issues like:

• Your fridge or freezer shutting down without warning
• Your washing machine staying locked with clothes and water trapped inside
• Your dryer producing smoke
• Your oven sparking
• Your dishwasher leaking
• Your dishwasher not unlocking

Whether it’s a potential safety hazard or something that will have a measurable, negative impact on your household, these types of appliance malfunctions simply can’t wait several days for a technician to show up. When you’re risking hundreds of dollars’ worth of food spoilage or irreparable damage to your belongings, you need a dependable appliance repair service ASAP.

That’s why Morris County Appliance Repair is proud to be the team you turn to for help in your time of need. Serving folks all throughout Morris County and surrounding areas of New Jersey for over 50 years, we’re deeply committed to providing our community with prompt, reliable solutions to urgent appliance problems. 

In fact, if you notify us of your problem early enough during business hours, we’ll do everything we can to fit you into our schedule and fix your appliance on the same day!

So, if you’re looking for a local appliance repair company you can trust for fast, effective service, your search ends here. Call or email Morris County Appliance Repair today!

As the proud owner of a trash compactor, you already appreciate all of the fantastic benefits that come with one: It literally shrinks the volume of your garbage, thus reducing how many trash bags you need to use, how often you need to bring the trash outside, and how much you’re contributing to landfills. 

On the other hand, however, you’re also acutely aware of the one major downside of owning a trash compactor: It is prone to frequent jams. 

So, you might as well learn some tricks on how to deal with a jammed trash compactor, right? This way, you won’t have to call a technician every time it happens.

That’s why we’ve put together this short, quick guide on how to fix a jammed trash compactor. Here’s what you do:

• Hit the switch or pedal. Sometimes, the metal ram inside the compactor just needs a sudden jolt to get unstuck. Try flicking the on/off switch (or pressing down on the foot pedal) a few times in rapid succession. This could give the metal rod the jolt it needs. 
• Check the power connection. Because trash compactors exert so much force during operation, they sometimes loosen up the power cord or wire connections. Check that the unit’s fully plugged into a power source, and then check the access panel to make sure all of the wires are correctly connected.
• Look for loose items inside the unit. If your trash compactor bin was too full or loaded improperly, the metal ram might have knocked some items out of the bin. Remove the bin and look for any such items. 

If your machine still isn’t working after performing these adjustments, call Morris County Appliance Repair. We’re one of the few appliance technicians in Morris County who are able and willing to work on trash compactors!

If your refrigerator’s ice maker is not keeping up with demand, you may be able to fix it without having to schedule a service call. If these do-it-yourself approaches do not produce the desired results, don’t hesitate to give us a call at Morris County Appliance Repair. We have the experience to isolate the cause of your ice maker problems and get it working at full capacity quickly.

Easy Fixes for a Slow Ice Maker

Whether you entertain frequently or just go through a lot of ice cubes, a slow-working ice maker can be frustrating! While we’re always available to help you with appliance repairs, we recommend that you first try these troubleshooting tips.

We wouldn’t advise that you take your ice maker apart or try to replace parts on your own, but you might want to give these quick and easy strategies a try:

• Check the waterline. If the tube that carries water to your ice maker is kinked or restricted in any way, it could easily slow down the production of ice cubes.
• Replace the water filter periodically. This helps keep your water clean and your ice maker working properly.
• Keep the freezer door closed longer. Frequently checking to see how your ice maker is working is self defeating because it raises the temperature and makes it harder to maintain optimal ice-making conditions.
• Make sure the “sweep arm” can move freely. You may have noticed a little plastic piece in the back of your ice maker bin that stops ice production when the bin gets full. If that arm is frozen in place or obstructed, it could be signaling your ice maker to stop making ice. Gently removing accumulated ice or anything else that’s in the way could enable the ice maker to start churning out ice cubes again.
• Keep the freezer temperature well below freezing (32 degrees Fahrenheit). Generally, the colder the temperature, the faster your ice cubes will freeze. If you know how to adjust your settings, make sure the freezer is set between 0 and 5 degrees.
• Keep your freezer at least half stocked. Although it’s inadvisable to pack your freezer to the hilt, too much empty space makes it more difficult for the unit to maintain the desired low temperature for making ice.

Call Us for Ice Maker Repair Help!

If those troubleshooting strategies don’t do the trick, call us right away at Morris County Appliance Repair. We’ll be sure to get to the bottom of your ice maker difficulties and resolve the problem as soon as possible!

Did you ever stop and make a list of the dozens of things you, as a homeowner, need to clean, organize, or otherwise maintain? Fortunately, you don’t have to do them all at once, and many tasks can be done periodically.

Cleaning your range hood filters is one of those tasks that doesn’t have to be done every week—but it shouldn’t be postponed indefinitely, either! 

Even though it’s human nature to overlook things that are out of sight, doing so (in this case) can potentially result in air quality issues and fire hazards.

So, without further ado, here’s how to clean your greasy hood filter without taking up too much time.

How to Tackle the Job

The only tricky part of cleaning your stove’s hood is knowing how to remove and replace the filters. In most cases, however, it’s pretty obvious and the whole process is fairly simple! Here are a few basic steps and pointers:

• Your main tools and “ingredients” will be hot water, dish soap, a little baking soda, and a non-abrasive scrub brush.
• The first step is to fill your kitchen sink or a large bucket with very hot water, adding a quarter-cup of baking soda and a couple squirts of dish soap. Giving it a quick stir with a wooden spoon or other long-handled kitchen implement will get the water ready for soaking and cleaning the oven filters.
• After you let the filters soak in the soapy, hot water for about 10 to 15 minutes, use a non-abrasive scrub brush to remove any remaining grease and gunk.
• Finish the job by rinsing the hood filters with hot water and drying them with a clean cloth or paper towel. Air drying on a rack is also an option.
• Finally, place the filters back in your oven hood, and pour yourself a cup of coffee. (The second part is optional!)

Stay tuned to our blog for other helpful household tips, and don’t hesitate to give us a call at Morris County Appliance Repair if you have problems, questions, or appliance-related emergencies. We’re here to help!

A relatively minor but annoying problem many homeowners and apartment renters encounter is unpleasant dishwasher odors. It doesn’t necessarily mean your dishwasher is broken or that your dishes weren’t properly sanitized, but it does raise questions.

Fortunately, the solution is often easy and may not require a visit from our dishwasher repair service. If you do have any lingering concerns, though, feel free to give us a call at Morris County Appliance Service.

Resolving Bad Dishwasher Smells

Check the Filter: Although a lot of people don’t do it, cleaning your dishwasher filter is an important aspect of dishwasher maintenance. If you’ve never done it before, take a glance at your dishwasher manual to see how to remove, clean, and replace the filter. A quick internet search could help, too.

Clean Your Machine: If old food particles accumulate on the walls, racks, and gaskets of your dishwasher, unpleasant odors will eventually start emanating from it. One DIY approach involves scrubbing the interior of your dishwasher using a mixture of dish soap, warm water, and a little baking soda. Running your empty dishwasher on a hot cycle can rinse out any remaining residue.

Preventing Bad Dishwasher Smells

A few simple habits, like rinsing off your plates and pots before placing them in the dishwasher, can stop odors from developing in the first place. Checking and cleaning your machine’s filter every month or two can also help you stay ahead of the problem. Maintaining water softener levels is another tactic for keeping dishwashers odor free.

If this do-it-yourself approach doesn’t eliminate that “fishy” odor in your dishwasher, don’t hesitate to give us a call at Morris County Appliance Service!

 

A leaking refrigerator can be stressful, no matter if the leak is inside or outside your refrigerator. The good news is that fridges don’t use liquid coolant, so the leak you’re seeing is definitely water. 

Still, any fridge leak can mean there is a problem that needs to be fixed as soon as possible. Here’s what you need to know.

Possible Causes of Fridge Leaks

• Drain Pan: Sometimes, the drain pan that usually collects condensation can crack, which may lead to a spill of the water that’s naturally coming off of your fridge. Usually, water has enough time to evaporate before it overflows, but this isn’t the case if the drain pan is damaged in any way. Fortunately, this is easy enough to replace.
• Ice Maker: If your fridge has an ice maker, any of the lines can come loose, crack, or leak. Hoses can tear or kink either within the fridge or at the wall. To fix this, a technician may have to replace lines, seals or hoses.
• Water Filter: If there is a disconnect or problem with the way the water filter and the water supply are installed, it can cause leaks. If this is the case, your best option is to get your fridge’s water system connection checked out. 
• Defrost Drain: This is the most common problem that may cause leaking. It happens when the defrost drain gets blocked by ice or even spilled food so that the water cannot drain in the normal way. When this happens, the water has nowhere to go and begins leaking inside and outside of the refrigerator. This drain can be cleaned to remove the obstruction. 

Some of these issues can be fixed without the involvement of a technician or repair company, but some of them should be handled by an appliance repair company. Call Morris County Appliance Service for advice or to schedule an appointment with a technician!

Did you know that Morris County Appliance Repair sells appliance parts?

It’s just one of the many ways we set ourselves apart from other appliance repair companies in the area!

We have parts for:

• Refrigerators
• Ice makers
• Dryers
• Washers
  
• Air conditioners
• Ovens
• Ranges
• Garbage disposals
• Dishwashers
• And more!

Having immediate access to appliance repair parts offers a huge advantage to our crew and customers alike. Keep reading to find out what makes our appliance parts store such a win-win!

Fulfill Your DIY Needs

We have a lot of respect for DIY enthusiasts who prefer to tackle the smaller repairs themselves. That’s why we stock a wide variety of parts for most major appliance brands. We want you to have everything you need for a successful repair.

Plus, for your convenience, you can even order your parts online!

Get a Faster Turnaround on Professional Repairs

Meanwhile, when you do require the help of our expert technicians, our appliance parts store makes the whole process much more efficient. In the majority of cases, we won’t need to put our repair service on hold while we order a specific part and wait for it to arrive. Instead, we’ll have it right there in our stock room! This streamlines our appliance repairs and delivers faster results for you.

So, the next time you need an appliance repair in Morris County, go with the team that you know will have the exact parts you require. Call Morris County Appliance Repair today!