How to Troubleshoot a Non-Heating Whirlpool Oven

Alex HOven Repair

If it wasn’t for your Whirlpool oven model WFG320M0BW, your family wouldn’t enjoy all those delicious meals you make for them. Unfortunately, the more use your oven gets the more wear and tear its components withstand. One of the most common malfunctions an oven experience is the no heat syndrome. While this issue is beyond frustrating, especially if you’re in the middle of cooking dinner, it doesn’t mean your oven is headed to the nearest junkyard. Diagnosing and fixing an oven that is producing little to no heat is actually a repair you can probably handle on your own. To help you troubleshoot a non-heating oven, we’ve created a list of components known for hindering an oven’s ability to heat up.
Safety Reminder: Always unplug an appliance before starting a repair, and if you are working with a gas oven, turn off the gas supply valve. Work gloves and safety goggles should be worn when fixing a malfunctioning appliance.

Check Your Gas Supply

Before inspecting any other components in your oven, test the appliance’s gas supply. If your oven isn’t receiving gas it won’t be able to heat up. To check the gas supply, simply turn on a cooktop burner. If the burner ignites, gas is entering your appliance. On the other hand, if the burner stays unlit, you’ll need to pull your range away from the wall to ensure the gas cutoff valve is open. Once you confirm the valve is in the open position, you’ll need to contact your gas supplier to find out why there is no gas coming out of the supply valve.

The Oven Igniter

Your oven igniter should produce enough heat to open the gas valve and ignite the gas entering your appliance. Over time, the igniter can weaken, meaning it will take a longer period of time to heat up. If your igniter glows for over a minute without a flame igniting, the component is no longer functioning properly.

How to Replace the Oven Igniter in Your Whirlpool Oven

  1. Start your repair by removing the lower access panel from the back of your range. Once the panel is off, pull apart the igniter and gas safety valve’s wire harnesses.
  2. Head to the front of your range, and open the oven door. Take out the oven racks. Remove the oven’s lower access panel by lifting the back up first, and then sliding the panel towards the front of the oven.
  3. The oven igniter is located on the side of the burner tube, which runs through the middle of the oven cavity. To remove the faulty oven igniter, you’ll need to detach the burner tube and take it out of your appliance. To do so, simply unthread the mounting screws securing it to the inside of the oven. Once the burner tube is free, pull it and the oven igniter out of the oven cavity.
  4. Put the burner tube on a flat solid surface, and remove the screws securing the defective oven igniter to the burner tube.
  5. Align the new oven igniter with the mounting bracket on the burner tube. Secure the igniter with screws.
  6. Go back to your range and reinstall the burner tube. Push the igniter wires through the opening on the oven’s rear wall. Reinsert the oven’s lower access panel, and put the oven racks back in your appliance.
  7. Head to the back of your appliance and reconnect the igniter’s wire harness with the gas safety valve’s harness. Replace the lower access panel and secure it with the four screws you removed earlier.
  8. Plug your appliance back in, and turn on the gas supply valve. Set your oven to preheat and wait for it to warm up to determine if the new oven igniter solved your appliance’s heating problem.

The Oven Sensor Assembly

The oven sensor and the oven control board work as a team to measure and regulate the temperature of the oven. As its name implies, the sensor detects the temperature inside the oven cavity. If the sensor is defective the oven will not heat at all or the accuracy of the sensor will be off by 50 degrees or more.

How to Replace the Oven Sensor in Your Whirlpool Oven

  1. Move to the back of your appliance and disconnect the sensor’s wire harness. Unthread the two screws securing the oven sensor to the range’s rear panel.
  2. Once the screws are removed, simply slide the sensor out of the opening in the back of the oven.
  3. Grab your new oven sensor, and insert it into the hole in the rear panel. Replace the mounting screws to hold the sensor in place. Finally, reconnect the wire harness.
  4. Plug-in your range, and turn the gas back on. Test the new sensor by turning your oven on and measuring the temperature inside the oven cavity with an oven thermometer.

Other Components That Cause a Non-Heating Oven

The Oven Control Board, as mentioned above, works in conjunction with the oven sensor. While the sensor is more likely to malfunction, the control board can also end up failing. If this happens, the component may read the temperature sent from the oven sensor wrong, which can lead to the oven not heating at all or the temperature in the oven cavity being significantly inaccurate. Replacing the defective control board is your best option.
The Gas Safety Valve regulates when gas is and isn’t released into your oven. If the component is working properly, the safety valve will open when the oven igniter begins to glow white-hot. A malfunctioning gas safety valve won’t allow gas into the oven, even after the igniter is hot enough to ignite the gas. While a defective safety valve can happen, it is a rare occurrence, meaning you should rule out more common malfunctions first. However, if you do discover the gas safety valve is behind you non-heating oven, replacing the component is the only way to fix the problem.
An oven that won’t heat can turn your dinner plans into a complete disaster, especially when the malfunction hits right before a dinner party. If you’re dealing with a non-heating oven and you can’t figure out which component is causing the issue, please contact us today to schedule an appointment with one of our appliance repair technicians.

Don’t Forget to Vote!

Alex HNews

At Fred’s Appliance, we encourage all of our staff to vote.  We are committed to this traditional citizen practice to where we designate time for all of our staff to participate.

Our entire staff will have a late start on Voting Day this year to ensure they get the right to have their voices heard.  We encourage all businesses in the Cleveland area to follow the same practice.

How to Replace the Inlet Sump in Your GE Dishwasher

Alex HDishwasher Repair

The inlet sump in your GE dishwasher model GSD6660GSS is attached to the bottom of the dishwasher tub. Its main purpose is to collect water for the pump. Puddles underneath and around your dishwasher are the most common symptom of a faulty inlet sump. Replacing the part is the only way to stop the leak from damaging your appliance and your kitchen floor.

How to Replace an Intel Sump in Your Dishwasher

During any type of appliance repair, safety should be your number one concern. That being said, before you swap out the old inlet sump for a new one, unplug your dishwasher and shut off its water supply. Safety goggles and work gloves should always be worn while you work on repairing an appliance.
  1. Start your repair by disconnecting the fill line and drain hose from underneath your sink. Place a towel down to catch any water that drips out. The fill line is connected to the hot water valve. To detach the line, use a 5/8″ wrench. Once you have removed the fill line, grab your 5/16 ” nut driver to loosen the clamp securing the drain hose. After you’ve created enough slack, pull the hose off the drain or garbage disposal.
  2. Open your dishwasher door and take out the lower rack. To remove the spray arm from the locking hub, lift it up and rotate it counter-clockwise. After the spray arm is out of the way, take out the locking hub and remove the fine filter by pressing down and then pulling up on it.
  3. Disconnect the water supply line from the spray arm base by disengaging the locking tab on the side of the supply line. Once the line is no longer attached, rotate the base counter-clockwise to remove it from the dishwasher tub.
  4. The filter that covers the inlet sump is now visible. Before you can remove the filter, you’ll need to release the filter cover. On each side of the cover you’ll find two locking tabs. Using a flat head screwdriver, push on the tabs facing you, and pull the cover off the filter. Now squeeze the locking tabs on each side of the filter and lift it up. Once the filter leading to the inlet sump is out of the way, you can remove the coarse filter by simply picking it up and taking it out of your dishwasher.
  5. Unthread the mounting screws that hold the dishwasher to the countertop. Then, pull the dishwasher from underneath the cabinet. Place a towel on the floor, and carefully lay the dishwasher on its side.
  6. Find the drain pump, and disconnect the wires running to its terminals. Loosen the clamp securing the drain pump to the inlet sump with a 5/16″ nut driver. Next, unthread the nut that holds the drain hose on the drain pump, and pull the hose off the pump. Remove the screws securing the pump to the dishwasher frame and lift the drain pump out of the inlet sump. Take off the clamp that holds the sump and drain pump together.
  7. Now you can remove the sensor from the inlet sump. Loosen the clamp securing the sensor to the sump with your nut driver, and pull the sensor out of the sump. Don’t forget to slide the clamp off the inlet sump and set it aside.
  8. Disconnect the inlet sump from the circulation pump. First, loosen the clamp and then unthread the screws holding the upper and lower sump brackets onto the dishwasher frame. Finally, remove the inlet sump from the dishwasher tub and the circulation pump.
  9. Grab your new inlet sump, and slide on the clamp that secures the connection between the circulation pump and the sump. Attach the sump to the circulation pump, and line up the inlet sump with the opening in the dishwasher tub. Reconnect the upper and lower brackets to the tub frame and tighten the clamp holding the sump and circulation pump together.
  10. Before reinserting the sensor, slip the clamp you removed earlier back onto the inlet sump. Push the sensor into the sump and tighten the clamp to ensure the sensor does not fall out.
  11. Place the drain pump clamp back on the inlet sump before reinstalling the pump. Push the pump into the sump, and reattach the mounting screws to secure the drain pump to the dishwasher frame. Slide the drain hose onto the pump, and tighten its clamp to guarantee the connection is secure. Reconnect the drain pump wires to the pump terminals
  12. Stand the dishwasher up and feed the fill line and drain hose back through your kitchen cabinet. Then, push your dishwasher halfway underneath your counter. Once your appliance is in place, open your sink cabinet and pull on the fill line and drain hose to ensure they aren’t caught on anything. Stand back up, and finish pushing your dishwasher under your counter. Secure your appliance to the cabinet with the two mounting screws you removed earlier.
  13. Go back underneath your sink, and reattach the drain hose. Use your 5/16″ nut driver to tighten the clamp on the hose. Next, reinstall the fill line to the hot water valve with your 5/8″ wrench.
  14. Open your dishwasher door and start reassembling the inside of your appliance. First, put the coarse filter back in, and then reinsert the filter that runs to the inlet sump. Make sure the filter snaps into place before you reinstall the filter cover.
  15. Now screw the spray arm base back in and reconnect it to the water supply line. Once the base is secure, put the fine filter back on, and reattach the locking hub to the top of the spray arm base. Push the spray arm onto the spray arm base, and rotate it clockwise. Finally, insert the lower dish rack and close your dishwasher door.
  16. Plug-in your dishwasher and turn on the appliance’s water supply. To test your newly repaired dishwasher, fill it with a load of dirty dishes and run them through a wash cycle. If your floor is puddle free at the end of the cycle, your repair was a success.
If you have questions about any appliances in your home, please contact us today and one of our highly trained repair technicians will be happy to help you.

5 Top Destinations to Visit in Cleveland

Alex HCleveland

With all the options available, finding something fun and interesting to do in Cleveland isn’t very difficult for residents or visitors. Whether attending a professional sporting event or sight-seeing the tallest building in Ohio (Key Tower), they’ll find many things to do and see in Cleveland. In an effort to help narrow down the options, let’s examine 5 top destinations to visit in Cleveland.

Cleveland, Ohio:

“The Forest City” (nickname from the 1830s) is located on the edge of Lake Erie and is the second largest city in Ohio with nearly 400k residents; the Greater Cleveland area has a population of over 2 million residents and in 2016 attracted around 18 million visitors.

1. Rock & Roll Hall of Fame:

Cleveland is home to the one and only Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, due in large part to a local disc jockey, Alan Freed, coining the popular term in the early 1950s. This and other notable rock & roll history can be found at this popular destination.
Residents of Cleveland can get free admission to this venue through the CLE VIP program, which started June 23rd, 2018 – there are discounts for Northeast Ohio residents as well. As for out of town visitors, the gift shop is free to visit and tickets are $23 for general admission.
Visitors can peruse the 323 inductees or attend a concert at the Rock Hall’s plaza stage where many live concerts are free. Attendees can enjoy the beer garden and food trucks as they listen to today’s live versions of Rock & Roll music.
Visitors can delve into the stories of fans, insights from inductees, and other fascinating related information about the history and present state of Rock & Roll. With seven levels of exhibits to experience, this popular destination in Cleveland will keep visitors enthralled with the details of this special music genre.

2. Cleveland Museum of Art:

For museum and art lovers, the Cleveland Museum of Art is one of the top destinations to visit in the city. Over a century old (founded in 1913 and opened in 1916), this popular cultural center a few miles east of downtown Cleveland welcomes visitors with free admission and over 45,000 objects to peruse.
The CMA also hosts various events throughout the year, including music performances, films, festivals, lectures, and tours. Visitors can also take advantage of their art, learning, and research resources, including the Ingalls library (with over 500,000 volumes), CMA Thinker (the museum’s blog), and museum archives.
In-between gazing at the traditional and digital exhibits and enjoying the unique art resources, visitors can take a break and order some great food at the Provenance Restaurant and Cafe. Afterward, they can enjoy similar destinations nearby (within half a mile), including:
    • Cleveland Institute of Music
    • Crawford Auto-Aviation Collection
    • Cleveland Museum of Natural History
    • Cleveland Botanical Garden
    • Museum of Contemporary Art
    • Dittrick Museum of Medical History
    • Severance Hall (next destination’s winter venue)

3. Cleveland Orchestra:

Residents and visitors of Cleveland have the chance to experience the world-renown Cleveland Orchestra. The classical music performed by over a hundred members of the Cleveland Orchestra is a unique and harmonious expression of this cultured American city.
The Cleveland Orchestra is acknowledged as one of the world’s best orchestras; they have individual and group performances at two main venues:
    • Severance Hall (Winter home)
    • Blossom Amphitheater
They also perform at other special venues within the region and worldwide. In partnership with the city and other local organizations, the Cleveland Orchestra also provides educational programs and resources for the local community and elsewhere.
An article found on thisiscleveland.com shares some important details:
“An informal Fridays @ 7 series mixes Cleveland Orchestra concerts and world music at the orchestra’s historic winter home, Severance Hall, on select Friday nights. On top of that, anyone under 18 can come for free to select concerts.
These elite musicians also hold ‘residencies’ in Cleveland’s funkiest neighborhoods that feature a string of free performances in unexpected places.”
Residents and visitors to the “Forest City” would be doing themselves a disservice by not checking out the Cleveland Orchestra, where they’ll find quality classical and world music, such as Jazz, symphonic, pop, opera, ballet, and more.
The Severance Hall is located a few blocks from the last destination, The Cleveland Museum, and the Blossom Music Center (amphitheater) is located within the Cuyahoga Valley National Park just north of Akron.

4. Cleveland West Side Market:

In-between visiting all these destinations, residents and visitors to Cleveland can stop by the West Side Market where they’ll find over a 100 food and drink vendors to satisfy their hunger, thirst, pallet, and pantry. This is the Cleveland’s oldest public market with origins dating back to the 1840s.
Visitors can experience some culture and history while shopping ( produce, meats, seafood, baked goods, dairy, nuts, herbs, etc.) or sitting down to eat a variety of ethnic foods; also, they can enjoy being in the historic yellow brick market house (1912 opened to public) and massive interior concourse.
Just minutes west of downtown Cleveland, the indoor/outdoor West Side Market is in a great central location, and with free parking for 90 minutes, this destination is more accessible and feasible for residents and visitors.

5. Playhouse Square:

Every metropolis must have at least a few cultural iconic destinations; as for Cleveland, one of these is Playhouse Square, where over a million people visit every year. With over a thousand events a year, its no wonder this Broadway show venue is such a popular destination.
Saved from destruction in the 1970s, this downtown destination has become the largest performing arts center outside of New York. This due to the local community members and volunteers that worked to restore and revive this historic space.
Visitors can see and enjoy the 1920’s motif in 5 of the 10 theaters and the world’s largest outdoor chandelier. Performances, classes, and shows can be seen throughout the year, including Tai Chi classes, musicals, Broadway shows, and cinema. They also have an annual retro movie fest in the summer, where patrons can see their favorite old movies on the big screen for only $5.

Conclusion

Cleveland offers residents and visitors many great destinations to see and enjoy throughout the four seasons of the year. The five we’ve examined are only the tip of the proverbial iceberg. Suffice it to say, Cleveland is a great place to live and visit, and these five destinations are some of the top places for visitors and residents to experience and enjoy.
Fred’s Appliance is proud to live in and serve the Greater Cleveland area, where our appliance repair service and academy are located. If interested in learning more please contact us today.