How to Repair a GE Washer That Won’t Stop Leaking

Alex HWasher Repair

If your GE washer model WCSR2080BCC  recently sprung a leak and you’re scrambling to figure out where the water is coming from, don’t worry, we can help. While some malfunctions are more concerning than others, most of them can be easily fixed with a little guidance. To help get you started, we’ve compiled a list of some of the most common maintenance mistakes and component failures which often lead to a leaky washer.

Maintenance Tips

  • Excessive vibrations brought on by an unbalanced washer can cause water to spill out of your appliance as the machine agitates your clothing. To determine whether or not your washer is balanced, place a leveler on the main top. If the appliance turns out to be unbalanced, simply correct the problem by adjusting its legs. Unfortunately, if you choose to ignore the issue, and your washer continues to vibrate uncontrollably, you risk damaging other components in your appliance.
  • Leaks located at the back of your washer can indicate a loose hose connection. Before inspecting the hoses, turn off your appliance’s water supply, and pull your machine away from the wall. Start investigating the leak by examining the drain hose, which runs from the drain port on your washer to the standpipe or laundry tub. If either side of the hose feels loose, correct the issue, or if they are both intact, move on to the inlet hoses. Your machine’s hot and cold inlet hoses run from the inlet valve on your washer to the hot and cold faucets on your laundry room wall. If you find one or more of the connections are loose, tighten them to stop the leak.
  • Your washer is designed to handle a certain amount of detergent. When you continuously surpass that amount, the soap residue leftover will end up clogging the overflow tube in your appliance, meaning that puddle on your floor is due to you exceeding your washer’s soap limit. Sticking to the detergent recommendations in your owner’s panel will resolve any type of soap overuse.

Appliance Repair Tips

Unplug your appliance and turn off its water supply before starting your repair. Safety goggles and gloves are needed to protect your hands and eyes from sharp objects as you remove and replace damaged components in your washer.

The Tub-to-Pump Hose

When your washer tub drains, the water travels through the tub-to-pump hose. As your appliance ages, the hose can crack, causing water to leak out. Replacing the damaged tub-to-pump hose is not complicated and should only take you a little over an hour.

How to Replace the Tub-to-Pump Hose in Your GE Washer

  1. To gain access to the tub-to-pump hose you’ll need to remove your washer’s front panel. At the left and right corners of your washer, insert a putty knife in between the main top and the front panel. Slide the putty knife toward the center of the appliance. When the knife makes contact with a locking tab, push down to release the mechanism. Once both tabs are disengaged, tip the front panel back, and take it off your washer.
  2. You’ll find the tub-to-pump hose in the washer’s lower right corner. Before disconnecting the hose, grab a towel and place it in the area underneath the component. Use a pair of pliers to loosen and slide the lower clamp up the hose. Then, pull the bottom half of the hose off the drain pump. A small amount of water is likely to come out of the hose, but don’t worry that’s what the towel is there for. Next, with your nut driver unthread the screw securing the upper hose clamp. Once the clamp is loose, disconnect the top end of the hose from the outer tub. Now you can remove the damaged tub-to-pump hose from your washing machine.
  3. Before you throw the old hose away, you’ll need to take the top and bottom clamps off the part so you can attach them to your new drain hose.
  4. Slide the old clamps onto your new tub-to-pump hose. With both clamps attached, head to your washer and install the top end of the hose to the outer tub. Secure the connection by tightening the clamp screw with your nut driver. Then, attach the lower end of the hose to the pump. Using your pliers, slide the clamp down the hose to secure the link between the drain pump and the hose.
  5. To finish off your repair, reinstall your washer’s front panel. After your appliance is back together, plug it in and turn on its water supply. Try the new tub-to-pump hose out by washing a load of laundry. If your washer doesn’t leak, the new component resolved the issue.

The Drain Pump

If your washer is leaking during the wash cycle or the drain cycle, there is a good chance your appliance has a faulty drain pump. Simply put, the drain pump pulls water from the washer tub and pushes it out of your appliance through the outlet hose. If the pump is cracked water will leak out of it and end up on your laundry room floor.

How to Replace the Drain Pump in Your GE Washer

  1. Start your repair by taking off your washer’s front panel. In between your appliance’s main top and front panel, there are two locking tabs, one is near the right corner and the other is near the left corner. To disengage the tabs slide a putty knife between the panels and press down. After both tabs are released, lift the front panel up and off your washer.
  2. Locate the drain pump and place a towel underneath it to catch any water that may come out during the repair. Next, disconnect the wire harnesses running to the drain pump. Then, use a pair of pliers to loosen the clamps securing the outlet and inlet drain hoses to the pump, and pull the hoses off the drain pump valves. With a socket wrench, unthread the screws holding the pump’s mounting plate to the bottom of the washer. Once you’ve removed the screws, pull the damaged drain pump out of your appliance.
  3. To install the new drain pump, attach its mounting plate to the bottom of your washer. After the drain pump is in place, reconnect the wire harnesses and the outlet and inlet drain hoses. Make sure the hoses are attached properly and the clamps are securely linking the hoses to the pump valves.
  4. With the new drain hose successfully connected, you can now reinstall the washer’s front panel. Once the panel is reattached, plug your appliance back in and turn on its water supply. To ensure the repair worked, test out your machine by running a wash cycle.
If the tips and repairs listed above don’t fix your washer’s leak, please contact us today to schedule an appointment with one of our appliance repair technicians.

How to Fix a Leaky GE Refrigerator

troubleshootingRefrigerator Repair

Finding a puddle inside your GE refrigerator model GSS25GFXWW or on the ground near your appliance is definitely a panic-inducing sight. However, before you give up on your current fridge, it’s important to know most leaks are not caused by a major component failure. If you’re dealing with a leaky refrigerator, keep reading to learn some of the most common causes and how you can fix them yourself.

Refrigerator Repair Tips

To avoid electrocution, unplug your refrigerator and turn off the water supply valve before you start repairing your appliance. Wearing work gloves and safety goggles to protect your hands and eyes is also a necessity.

The Door Gasket

Your refrigerator’s door gasket creates a seal that keeps cold air in and warm air out of your appliance. When the gasket is dirty or the rubber is damaged, the outside air seeping into your refrigerator can lead to excessive moisture inside the freezer and fresh food compartments. The added moisture will eventually drip into your appliance’s drain pan, which will cause the pan to overflow and the water to end up in a puddle on your kitchen floor.

How to Replace the Door Gasket in Your GE Refrigerator

  1. Depending on which door gasket is damaged, open either your fresh food compartment door or your freezer door. Shimmy a flat head screwdriver underneath the gasket and pry the rubber seal off the door. Once a small section of the gasket is lifted up, use your hands to pull the rest of the seal off the freezer or fresh food compartment door.
  2. Before securing the new gasket, use warm soapy water and a rag to clean the refrigerator door. If you skip this step the newly installed rubber seal may not conform to the door properly.
  3. Start the installation process at the top of the refrigerator door. First insert the right and left corners, doing so makes installing the rubber seal much easier. Once both corners are secure, use your hands to push the sides of the gasket into the grooves along the refrigerator door.
  4. After the gasket is properly installed, close the appliance door, and inspect the seal it creates. If it looks good, open the door and add petroleum jelly to the gasket. Leave the jelly on for a few days before wiping it off. The petroleum jelly will help the gasket form an adequate seal.

The Ice Maker Assembly

A puddle of water on your freezer floor may indicate your ice maker is leaking. However, before you replace your old ice maker with a new one, inspect the water line fittings and defrost drain to ensure neither are the cause of the leak. If you’re sure your ice maker is the problem, you’ll need to replace it.

How to Replace the Ice Maker in Your GE Refrigerator

  1. Open your freezer door, and remove the ice bucket. If your freezer has a small shelf on top of the ice bucket, you’ll need to take it out before you can access the ice maker assembly.
  2. Once the shelf and the ice bucket are out of the way, unthread the screws holding the auger motor assembly to the back wall of your freezer. Remove the motor from the wall and disconnect the wire harness from the freezer.
  3. Now detach the ice maker wire harness from the freezer’s back wall. Once the wire is disconnected, loosen the screws securing the ice maker assembly to the freezer. Then, lift the ice maker up and off the mounting screws and remove it from the compartment.
  4. Before installing your new ice maker, take the fill cup off your old ice maker and place it on the new one. Next, line up the ice maker assembly with the mounting screws on the back wall of your freezer, and then secure the ice maker by tightening the screws. Finally, reconnect the ice maker wire harness.
  5. Plug the auger motor wire harness back into the freezer, and place the motor assembly on the mounting brackets. Secure the auger motor with the screws you took out earlier.
  6. Reinsert the ice bucket and the shelf, and shut the door. With your new ice maker installed there should no longer be a leak in your freezer.

The Water Inlet Valve

The water inlet valve in your refrigerator is usually found behind your appliance’s bottom, rear panel. Its main job is to control the water flow to the refrigerator’s ice and water dispenser. If the water valve is damaged in any way, you’ll end up with a puddle of water either behind your fridge or underneath it. Replacing the water inlet valve is the only way to fix the issue.

How to Replace the Water Inlet Valve in Your GE Refrigerator

  1. To reach the water inlet valve, you’ll need to remove your refrigerator’s bottom, rear panel. Once you’ve taken out the screws securing the panel to the appliance, simply lift it off the fridge and place it in a safe area.
  2. Using a wrench detach the water inlet line from the water inlet valve. When you pull the line off the valve, some water may drip out. If it does, wipe it up with a paper towel or rag.
  3. Unthread the mounting screw that holds the damaged water inlet valve to the refrigerator. Then, with your wrench, release the ice dispenser and water dispenser inlet tubes from the inlet valve. Clean up any water that comes out of the inlet tubes. Next, disconnect the solenoid wire harnesses from the back of the inlet valve. Now you can remove the faulty water inlet valve from the back of your refrigerator.
  4. To install the new water inlet valve, start by inserting the ice and water dispenser inlet tubes into the valve. Make sure the connection is secure; otherwise, you may end up with another leak. Once the tubes are in place, reconnect the solenoid wire harnesses, and then use the mounting screw you removed earlier to attach the new water inlet valve to your refrigerator.
  5. Finish up your repair by reinstalling the water inlet line and reattaching the bottom, rear panel. Once you’re done, keep a close eye on your refrigerator for the next couple of days to ensure the leak at the back of your appliance is fully resolved.
If you’re unable to locate the source of your refrigerator’s leak, please contact us today, and we’ll send one of our highly trained appliance repair technicians to your home to diagnose and fix the malfunction.

How to Replace the Main Control Board in a Whirlpool Double Oven

troubleshootingCooking, Oven Repair

It’s almost bearable if one of the ovens in a double oven is not working but it is simply wrong when both have failed. The fact that both ovens are not working should provide a clue as to which component needs to be replaced.
If you already have the part, and depending on your skill level, you’ll have your Whirlpool Double Oven ready to bake whatever epicurean delight you have planned for this evening.

Tool Needed:

  • Flathead Screwdriver
  • Needle Nose Pliers
  • Philips Head Screwdriver

Safety First

Unplug the oven from its power supply before beginning any work.

Symptom

There are six possible reasons why your double oven won’t heat up and you’ve already determined the first five are okay:
  • The bake and broil heating elements don’t work but test positive for continuity, which proves there is a continuous electrical path.
  • The power source is delivering 240 volts of alternating current.
  • The bake and broil heating element connection wires show no signs of burn marks or damage.
  • Testing for continuity, the thermal fuse shows a continuous electrical path is present.
If the power supply, the heating elements, thermostat, fuse, and heat sensor are operating correctly, it’s a strong possiblity that the main control board has failed and will need to be replaced.
If you’ve decided to install the part yourself, you’ve come to the right place. Simply follow along with this somewhat lengthy (approximately a 10-minute read) guide so you can get back to doing what you do best.
Since you know that the thermal fuse is functioning properly, this one symptom should tell you that the control board is getting power but is incapable of operating your oven. The first thing you will need to do is remove the lower oven door.

How to Remove the Oven Door

  • Open the lower oven door and find the hinges.
  • Release each hinge by pulling back on the hinge locks.
  • Position the door until it is about 45 degrees to the floor, lift it off its hinges, and set aside. Be aware that oven doors are heavy.

How to Remove the Cosmetic Molding

  • Remove the two bottom screws that hold the molding in place.
  • Open the top door, locate and remove two more screws that hold the molding.
  • Remove the two screws that hold the bottom decorative molding in position.
  • Carefully remove all molding and set aside.
Pro Tip: Place all screws you remove in a small jar so they don’t wander off.

How to Access the Main Control Board

  • Remove the four mounting screws located on the oven frame.
  • Pull the oven out slightly, about 3-4 inches, to gain access to the two control board mounting screws, two on the right side and two on the left.
  • Open the top oven door and grab the control board on each side. Pull it toward yourself and then pull up. You now have access to the control board with its menagerie of wire harnesses you will need to remove. But wait, don’t remove those wires just yet. Still, a few more steps before we remove those wires.

How to Remove the Old Control Board

  • Carefully disconnect the ribbon cable that connects the touchpad to the main control board. This is the ribbon that communicates to the other components anything that you are commanding your oven to do. So be careful not to damage any pins as you remove it. Squeeze inward on the outer edges of the cable and pull the connection away from the board.
  • Remove four Philips screws that hold the board in position on the touchpad bracket. And Don’t forget to disconnect the grounding wire.
  • Place the touchpad on a flat workable surface.

How to Install the New Control Board

  • Line up the new control board with the screw holes on the touchpad.
  • Thread the ribbon cable through a slot located on the control board and gently push the cable into its accompanying tabs.
  • Reinstall the four Philips screws that hold the control board to the touchpad frame.
Although each wire harness is keyed to fit only one connection on the main board, it is wise to snap a picture of the old control board as there are at least two spade connectors that look alike and you’re going to want to make sure you get them connected where they belong.
  • Remove the wire harnesses from the old main control board.
  • When disconnecting wire harnesses from any component, grip the connector gently and pull. Never remove the connectors by pulling on the wires as this may cause a wire to come loose in the connection.
  • The black connectors indicate a tighter fit and you may need a set of pliers to provide additional leverage to help release the connection.
  • After removing all connections, remove the sub control board located on the left end of the old control board. The new control board does not come equipped with one.
  • Find the clip that holds the sub control board in place. Depress the clip and pull the board up to remove.
  • Now, install the sub-board on the new control board. Depress the clip, slide the board into place and release the clip to secure. That’s all there is to it.

How to Install Wire Harnesses to the New Control Board

  • One technique used by technicians is to reconnect the ground wire first to help prevent an accidental dropping of the new control board.
  • Reconnect the spade connections first. Here is where your picture should help. There are other techniques you could use. The main thing is that you ensure that these two connections return to the tabs they were designed for.
  • Continue by connecting all other wire harnesses which are keyed to connect in one connection only.
  • Another technique is to simply work in reverse of the way you removed the connections.
  • Also, it may be possible to use the top oven cover to assist you in balancing the control board.

How to Replace the New Control Panel

  • The control panel has notched openings that slide over tabs located on the front of your oven.
  • Once you feel the panel is notched in. push it down and forward slightly and feel it click into place.
  • Secure in place with the Philips screws. No need to overtighten. Overtightening will sometimes strip or break softer screws.

Final Steps

  • Push the oven back in place and secure with four Philips mounting screws. You should use a drill gun on these screws so that you provide additional torque. But still, do not overtighten.
  • Reinstall the bottom decorative molding.
  • Reinstall the frame molding.
  • Reinstall the lower oven door. Place the door hinges in the hinge opening. Lift up and open to a 90-degree position. Slide the hinge covers over the hinges.
  • Close the door.
  • Reconnect the power
  • Test the touchpad functions.
You should be ready to cook once again. However, if you are having any difficulty with this repair you may want to contact a professional appliance repair company.

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.