Archives: March 2013

Thermistors are used to control the temperatures in both modern fridges and freezers These have replaced the old analogue thermostats that were previously used to control the temperature, but allow far greater control as they can read a range of temperatures rather than specific preset temperatures found on the old thermostats.On the more technical side, there are two types of thermistors. One that is called a positive temperature coefficient (PTC) and the other is a negative temperature coefficient (NTC). The most commonly used thermistor is the NTC, and is found in many appliances.
Reliability and Testing
Apart from a few exceptions, thermistors are very reliable. However, if you are experiencing problems with either your fridge or freezer, it is fairly simple to check if you are technically minded and familiar with using a multimeter.
If, however, this is not something that interests you, your local engineer can certainly help you to identify what the problem could be.
Either you, or your engineer, will connect the multimeter to show a resistance value. You can then change the temperature of the thermistor by cupping it in your hand, or placing it near a cool or hot source, and watch the multimeter for any change in resistance. Read more here

Cooker/Oven Hood not Extracting

You will not be surprised to learn that it is very common to find that cooker or oven hoods do not extract cooking smells as expected. Unfortunately, if you have a budget model this is really not unexpected, all looks and no substance!  They are not built to be strong enough to actually do what they’re supposed to.

If you have purchased one of these it would be worthwhile to go back to the retailer, as they should have a good explanation of why they even stock these shoddy items.  However, as the product sold is not fit for purpose, you should be entitled to a full refund, or an upgraded product.

Testing your cooker hood

As you can imagine as consumers are asking for more and more from their kitchen appliances, ovens and/or cookers are much more complex now and therefore more problems can arise.  At one time it was very rare for a problem with the older style equipment, let’s face it, there was far less that could go wrong!

Whatever the fault with the oven, it is paramount that before you do anything, make sure the power is turned off from the mains.  Whilst mentioning safety, it is a good time to bear in mind that young children and hot ovens don’t go well together.  You can’t blame anyone else if a child is unfortunately hurt by coming too close to an oven that is in use.  Please be careful.

If your oven or cooker has a problem it is usually either the fan element or the grill element has stopped working. The grill element is generally fairly simple to replace, particularly if you are good with mechanics and confident to do it yourself.  If not, however, you will need the services of a good local engineer.  This will obviously cost you more, but it is better than paying out for a new element and then breaking it because you weren’t sure exactly what you were doing.

If you need to replace a solenoid inlet valve on a washing machine then this guide should help you.  See here for the guide

If you need to change the pressure switch on your washing amchine then this guide will help you along the way.  See the guide here

A commonly asked question and a very important one as low quality detergents are usually just a false economy.

In order to get the best results from your new Dishwasher it is essential you find the best product to suit your purse and your needs.

Manufacturers will commonly provide a sample of a detergent they ‘recommend’ you use with their machine.  This is sometimes the best product for you but you must remember their ‘recommendation’ is usually tied in with a lucrative deal with the particular brand of detergent.  This does not mean it is not suitable for using with your machine, but it should not limit your choices.