#appliancetips

If you do nothing else for your dryer this year, do this: clean the exhaust vent duct.

Not the lint trap — everyone cleans that. The actual duct that runs from the back of your dryer through the wall to the outside. This duct accumulates lint over time and most people never touch it.

A clogged dryer vent is the number one reason dryers overheat and stop heating. It is also one of the leading causes of house fires in the US — the US Fire Administration attributes thousands of dryer fires a year to lint buildup in the vent.

Signs your vent needs cleaning: clothes taking two or three cycles to dry, the outside of the dryer feeling very hot to the touch during a cycle, a burning smell when the dryer runs, or the laundry room getting noticeably humid.

You can do this yourself with a dryer vent cleaning brush kit from any hardware store. Or you can have a technician handle it as part of a service visit. Either way, once a year is the right interval for most households.

AP1 Appliance Repair in Indianapolis handles dryer vent cleaning and all dryer repairs across the metro area.

If your refrigerator stopped cooling, the clock is ticking. Food starts to enter the danger zone after four hours. Here are three things to do right now while you sort out the repair.

First: move your most perishable items — meat, dairy, leftovers — into a cooler with ice immediately. Do not wait to see if the fridge comes back. Get the vulnerable stuff protected.

Second: keep the refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible. A closed refrigerator holds temperature longer than an open one. Every time you open it to check, you are letting the remaining cold air out.

Third: check the obvious stuff before calling for service. Make sure the temperature dial was not accidentally turned to off or to the warmest setting. Check if the condenser coils at the back or bottom are completely packed with dust — sometimes a thorough cleaning restores cooling on its own.

If none of that fixes it, the most common mechanical causes are a failed evaporator fan, a defrost system failure, or a failing compressor. All of these need a technician. In Indianapolis, AP1 Appliance Repair provides same-day refrigerator repair with real upfront pricing.

So your dryer is spinning just fine but your clothes are coming out soaking wet after a full cycle. The drum runs, the timer counts down, everything seems normal — except zero heat. What is happening?

Nine times out of ten it is one of two things: a blown thermal fuse or a burned-out heating element. The thermal fuse is a small one-time safety device that permanently blows if the dryer overheats. Once it is gone, the heat is gone. The heating element on an electric dryer is the coil that actually produces the heat — and it can burn out over time just like a light bulb.

The frustrating part about the thermal fuse is that it usually blows because of a clogged exhaust vent. So if you just replace the fuse and do not clean the vent, the new fuse blows again in a few weeks. Always fix the root cause, not just the symptom.

For gas dryers it is usually the igniter or the gas valve coils. You might notice the igniter glowing briefly before going out — that is a classic sign the igniter is failing.

The repair is almost always worth it on a dryer under 10 years old. Heating repairs typically cost $100 to $250, which is a fraction of what a new dryer costs. If you are in Indianapolis, AP1 Appliance Repair does same-day dryer repair across the metro.

Your mixer grinder is a trusted kitchen companion — but its fast-spinning blades and electric motor require safe handling to prevent accidents and keep it working longer. This guide breaks down all the essential safety steps:

📌 Before you start: ✔ Read your manual ✔ Check for cracked jars or frayed cords ✔ Place the unit on a dry, stable surface

📌 While operating: ⚠ Never ever touch moving blades ⚠ Don’t overload the jar ⚠ Keep children and pets away ⚠ Let the motor rest between uses

📌 Cleaning & maintenance: 🔹 Always unplug first 🔹 Handle the blades with care 🔹 Dry all parts completely before storage

Having trouble with a stuck cycle on your Bosch dishwasher? A hard reset can help! Simply unplug the dishwasher from the mains socket for 10-15 minutes. Then, plug it back in and turn it on. This should clear any temporary programme data and reset the appliance.

Read the latest articles on our blog to learn how to make your appliances (refrigerator, washing machine, dryer and dishwasher) last longer. 😁

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Thinking back to the last time you put ice into your drink 🍹, did it taste just a little off? If that was the case, your taste buds may not have been having a bad day. Icemakers and ice machines need to be cleaned on occasion, especially after periods of long dormancy. Just like any other machine, buildup and stagnation can occur, only in this case, they impact the flavor of the ice. 🧊

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If you are considering a remodel in your kitchen, one topic of discussion is undoubtedly what type of ventilation system you will be using. Do you want the expense of a hood system or can you safely get by with a downdraft ventilation system? We want to help ensure you have made the safest decision possible on this front.

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