Christmas dinner is the most important meal of the year…….

Christmas dinner is the most important of the year, so make sure your fan oven element spare part is in place

How does the saying go – ‘Christmas is coming and the Geese are getting fat’.  One thing you want to make sure of this Christmas, is that when the in-laws come around for dinner, you are able to fatten them up too with a succulent Turkey and all the trimmings, so be sure to inspect your oven before the festive period and if necessary change the element on your fan oven.

The last thing you want is to be drowning your sorrows during the Queen’s speech (or Christmas ‘Top of the Pops depending on your fancy) because you ended up serving freshly steamed veg with microwave pizza due to your fan oven element deciding to choose Christmas day of all days to give up the ghost.

Some simple research beforehand on a dedicated spare parts website such as Ezee-Fix will ensure that you always have a spare fan oven element in the back of the cupboard ready to be fixed in place if the moment arises, whether it should be on Christmas day or just any other day of the year, it will save having to eat cold sandwiches and microwave meals for several days while you find and wait for the correct part to arrive.

Do not worry about the difficulty of having to replace the oven element either, as this is a relatively easy task.  There are many websites on the internet which have videos showing you a step by step process of replacing the old element with the new one. The website ‘Wonder How To?’, for example, has videos for most of the well-known makes of oven and cooker.

The main thing to remember when ordering your spare part is to take a note of the exact make and model of your oven and if possible, the serial numbers of the spare part itself.  This will make it so much easier when finding the exact part online, but don’t forget if you are unsure and would like some advice first the Ezee-Fix staff are always on hand to help, just give them a call.

This article was brought to you by Ezee-Fix, specialists in domestic appliance spare parts, wishing all our customers past, present and future a very happy holidays.

Basics of Fridge Repair

Repairing your fridge doesn’t have to be an expensive business

Sometimes having your refrigerator repaired by a professional can be quite expensive.  It is this fear of overinflated charges, call out fees and the cost of replacement fridge spare parts that can often lead to us simply taking the fridge to the nearest recycling centre and buying a new one.

Quite often though, repairs can be carried out without the need to contact a skilled tradesman as the problem can be relatively simple to fix, if you are prepared to take a little time to do your research and work through things methodically.  The cost of replacement parts can also be a lot more affordable than you may think too, when purchased from a reputable online appliance parts stockist.

For instance, if a fridge has recently been moved and you suddenly find it will not work, you may find that the problem is simply a loose wire. Checking the wires both at the plug and then on the appliance itself (usually located behind a service panel or rubber grommet) can often lead to finding the cause of the problem. If any loose wires are found then you can attempt to re-attach or tighten them, if it is obvious where they have come loose from, and you feel confident in doing so.

Obviously when undertaking repairs on any kind of electrical appliances, ensure they have been properly disconnected from their power source first and that you are entirely happy with the safety of the repair work carried out.

Fridges and freezers in particular often have something called a capacitor; this component is located in housing on the top of the motor. Capacitors store electricity, even when the power to the unit is turned off. Before you do any work on a capacitor-type refrigerator or freezer, you must discharge the capacitor, or you could receive a severe shock.

Another common, easy to repair, problem with refrigerators is the seal around the door of the appliance.  A badly fitting or broken door seal can result in electricity being wasted. Cracked refrigerator door seals can be temporarily remedied by unrolling the seal and applying silicone spray inside the door seal.

However, if the door seal is beyond repair and therefore needs to be replaced, this can easily be done. Firstly, buy a new fridge door seal for your chosen model from a reputable appliance spare parts centre. Simply, remove the old seal by taking it off the door (usually secured underneath a retainer strip or by screws). Once the old seal has been rolled back and the screws loosened, it can then be removed.

The brand new fridge door seal can then be positioned over the retainer in the door corners. Once in place, the seal can be slipped under the retainer and all screws tightened. Be sure to tighten the corner screws first before moving on to the rest of these screws and remember to ensure not to over tighten or you may end up cracking the new seal or plastic retainer.

For more advice and help on how to repair a fridge or freezer, including disassembly and instructions on how to discharge a capacitor, try having a look at this interesting article on How Stuff Works.

So, buying spare parts for your fridge and doing the simple repairs doesn’t have to be a big deal after all. By taking the time out to find a company that stocks a large supply of domestic spare parts makes it more affordable to repair and maintain all of your household appliances.

Honouring the humble Spare Part

Honouring the cogs in the machine: the humble Appliance Spare Part.

Imagine a life without domestic appliances.  Okay, if you live in a small village somewhere in a the third world then it probably isn’t too hard, but for us pampered westerners we would be lost without the conveniences that our domestic appliances give to us in the cut and thrust of modern society.

Let’s quickly take a moment to reflect on some of the benefits that these white goods give to our daily lives

• Fridges and Freezers allow us the luxury of buying food in that will last longer, without the ‘inconvenience’ of having to shop for it on a daily basis.
• Cookers and ovens allow us to prepare that food in more ways than our forebears would even have dreamed possible.
• Washing machines and spin dryers allow us to clean all the greasy stains from that elaborate cooking, as well as many others, making our clothes generally more pleasant and longer lasting.
• Small appliances, such as microwaves, toasters and kettles allow us to prepare things so much quicker, without having to constantly watch over them.

Now, I know there are literally dozens of benefits to owning domestic appliances, many more than I can list here, and if you have thought of any that aren’t listed above, then well done.  The point of this article though, is not to unashamedly praise the benefits of our appliances, but to look deeper under the covers and look at the very cogs that keep them running.

Appliance spare parts are often taken for granted when it comes to the working of the many machines that adorn the modern home.  Quite often the only working parts we come into contact with are the dials, and more often than not this is now just an LED screen.  When one of the lights starts flashing on that screen though we start to panic because we have, unfortunately, lost the art of analysing faults and ultimately repairing the problem.

The very modern attitude, when something goes wrong with one of our domestic appliances, is to get the catalogue out or go round to the local showroom and look for a replacement, because after all the goods are so cheap and the call out fees are so high, surely it makes more sense.  Quite often the problem, it would turn out, is only a simple one and a minor repair with an affordably priced spare part would do the trick.

Consider this for a moment; if one of your children became sick you simply wouldn’t abandon them and look for a new one would you?  Careful diagnosis or a visit to the doctor would inform you as to what action to take whether it is rest or a specific type of medicine.  Okay, I admit the example is quite extreme and I am in no way trying to relate the importance of a domestic appliance to that of a sick child, but why should the logical process be any different.

The appliance repair and spare parts industry has grown massively over the last few years, just as the choice in the appliances has for one simple reason.  The manufacturers respect and admire the very working parts that go into their machines and have worked hard to get to a situation where appliances are more reliable, available and affordable.  The old saying, ‘they don’t make things like they used to’ is very much true, but quite often for the exact reverse reason the saying was invented for.

In the past if you couldn’t repair an appliance with simple tools and a bit of elbow grease, then you were certainly doomed to purchasing an often expensive replacement.  We now, luckily, live in a time when machines are composed of many working and interchangeable parts – the fact that we work those parts to the limit and even harder than before is even more testament to their importance as cogs within the machine.

One such example of how the industry has evolved is the surge of new companies springing up on the internet specialising solely in domestic appliance spare parts. In the past the only way you would get access to a spare part would be to call at your local dealer and probably wait weeks for it to arrive.  So much has the industry changed that you even get sites online specialising in specific manufacturers like this Bosch, Neff and Siemens spare parts website.

Nowadays we are swamped with choice, some of it admittedly better than others.  However, if you devote a small amount of time to searching online, you will undoubtedly find a good domestic appliance spares website on the internet – one that offers not just great prices but good customer service and advice too.

So the next time you are pressing the buttons on the front of your washing machine, or turning the dial on your cooker, spare a thought for the bits that work behind the scenes and underneath the metal.  Even though we can’t see them, they are still working tirelessly to make the appliance work. If for some reason, every now and again they cannot continue, for their sake don’t sacrifice the machine but instead reward their hard work with a replacement part, so that their legacy will continue.

How does my Washing Machine work?

It is very easy to take modern appliances for granted, but have you ever considered how their inner workings go about performing what can sometimes appear to be a mundane task. Although it is true to say that computer circuit boards make the process appear almost effortless, there are still plenty of parts that keep the machine going and act as the real workhorses behind the process.

In this article we will look at a typical washing machine and examine how all those appliance parts work in tandem to get the clothes washed and illustrate that it really isn’t as complicated as you might think.

Washing the clothes

Obviously, anyone (like me) who has put a red sock in with a white shirt knows the importance of separating their washing into appropriate piles, so that we not only keep coloured clothes from dyeing our whites, but also so that we can let the washing machine thermostats regulate the temperatures to ensure we don’t end up shrinking that favourite knitted jumper Aunty Elsa gave us for Christmas (if only).

The actual washing process is quite simple really.  After putting the clothes in and choosing the right setting and time sequence, the machine fills up and agitates the clothes.  This is usually aided by the presence of some detergent such as washing powder.  The machine then drains, fills up again to further clean the clothes and wash away any powder, empties then spins around really quickly to drain the clothes off.

That all seems relatively straightforward, so now lets get onto how it does all that, shall we. Inside the shell of the washing machine are 3 main components, which are a steel drum, a heavy motor and a concrete block.  Yes, you read correctly – a concrete block.

You see, the motor spins the drum around so quickly that if the concrete block wasn’t there to counter balance the machine it would wander across your kitchen floor, the pipes would come out the back and flood your house, which I think you’ll agree is not a good thing and certainly washes more than you bargained for.

Now that the really technical aspects have been dealt with lets have a closer look inside.

The Drum

This is made up of an inner drum and outer drum.  The inner drum holds the clothes and has ridges which act as the agitator and perforated holes to allow the water to drain in and out.  The outer drum is water tight and acts as a casing for the inner drum.  This is the bit that is attached to the side of the machine and has to be mounted in a way that prevents it bashing into the sides of the machine when in a full spin cycle.

The Motor

This, as the name suggests, is the appliance part that drives the drum and allows it to spin.  The motor is also attached to a gearbox which tells the motor what cycle it is on, ie how fast to spin.  The motor is very heavy and is counter balanced at the bottom of the machine by; yes you guessed it, the concrete block.

The plumbing

A washing machine is nothing without the water that cleans the clothes.  The water enters into the machine through the pipes at the back.  Often there are two pipes, one for hot and one for cold and a water control valve will regulate how much of each enters into the machine depending on the required temperature, although most modern machines have a thermostat to regulate the temperature anyway.

The water is then fed into the machine, some of it going through the powder dispenser draw.  The most important part of the plumbing is probably the anti-siphon, which ensures used water does not go back through the pipes, contaminating the water supply, but instead goes down into the drainage system.  All this water is pumped around the washing machine by one of the most important of the appliance parts, appropriately called, ahem – the pump.

Of course this is just a simple guide to help you understand how a washing machine works and I accept there are more parts that make up the appliance. The good news though, is that this article proves it isn’t rocket science and that with only a little bit of research, if your washing machine is feeling a bit under the weather you don’t have to cast it aside and buy a new one, you can look at repairing it yourself.

The overall working of the machine is not really that difficult to understand, so why not search for the required appliance spare parts online and fix it yourself.

History of Appliance Spare Parts

The colourful history of domestic appliance spare parts

Sometimes in our comfortable modern society we forget how lucky we are and there is a tendency to take consumer goods for granted.  All too often there is an attitude of simply replacing products, such as domestic appliances, when something goes wrong with them, instead of taking a little effort to diagnose the problem and seek the appropriate appliance spare parts.

This is not a luxury the inventors of these early domestic appliances could afford.  The pioneers that brought us such appliances as washing machines, fridge freezers and microwave ovens never had the luxury of simply being able to replace the spare parts on their new machines with one off the shelf, as they simply did not exist.  If a working part wore out quickly or broke they would literally have to make a newer, more durable, one that would be more hard wearing and reliable.

It is because of their perseverance that we now have domestic appliances that are built better, cheaper and longer lasting than ever before, but this should not be used as an excuse to be blasé about owning them and the recommendation should always be to find domestic appliance spare parts whenever the need arises.  After all, if the spark plugs needed changing on your car, you would not simply go out and buy a new vehicle, would you?  The same should also apply for your domestic appliance too.

Below I have done a little research about the history and development of the aforementioned domestic appliances and some of the facts make for intriguing reading.

Washing Machines

• The earliest English patent for a washing, or wringing, machine was in 1691

• Early mariners used to wash their clothes by dragging them in a bag for hours behind the ship.

• Before electricity and running water a typical wash load would need at least 50 gallons of water.

• The main challenge to early washing machine manufacturers was to produce a machine that replicated the rubbing of the clothes against a washboard without tearing the garment to pieces.

• Over 9 out of 10 homes in the UK have a washing machine and the total yearly cost of electricity to power them is thought to be over £2 billion per year.

Fridges and Freezers

• Commercial fridge and freezer units were in use 40 years before the domestic versions, but used toxic chemicals that were prone to leaking.

• 60% of households in the U.S owned a fridge by the 1930’s but it was not until the 70’s that the appliance really took hold at the same level in the UK.

• The first artificial refrigeration unit was demonstrated in 1748 by William Cullen at the University of Glasgow.

Microwave Ovens

• The idea for the microwave oven first came about when a scientist testing a new vacuum tube called the magnetron, in 1946 as part of a radar experiment, noticed a chocolate bar in his pocket had melted during the test.

• The first commercial microwave was launched in 1947 weighing 750 pounds, was 6 feet tall and cost $5000.

• The heat inside a working microwave oven is the same as the room temperature.  The microwave heats the food evenly by rapidly vibrating the water and fat molecules causing friction.

So, by looking just a little bit into the amazing history of our most common domestic appliances, we can see just how lucky we are to have the convenience of the modern versions and how they should be treated with the care and respect their past deserves them.

If your domestic appliance ever needs repairing, try looking for the appliance spare part first before simply casting it aside for a new one.

Be Prepared for Cooker Repair

Why being prepared may be the best way forward for Cooker repairs

Imagine the scenario.  Your in-laws have just arrived on Christmas morning to be greeted with a confidence from you that simply says – ‘I’m prepared’.

You have gone out of your way to make sure everything is perfect so that you can make a lasting impression, right down to the gloriously large and bushy tree, with brand new, glistening baubles and lights.  You have invested in the most expensive crackers you could find, kitted the drinks cabinet better than a supermarket booze section, put out a bountiful supply of snacks and nibbles and even bought a festive table cloth and place mats.  You want this Christmas to be one that will always be remembered by your loved one’s nearest and dearest.

Unfortunately, but not by design, it will.  Because several hours later you are musing into your Bailey’s how everything suddenly went wrong and how you had to serve your guests with all the trimmings, minus the succulent turkey and roast potatoes cooked in goose fat like you planned.  Sure the vegetables were steamed to perfection thanks to the fancy new electric steamer you had bought the week before, but they really don’t go down too well with the microwave kebabs and burgers you had leftover in the bottom of the freezer.

What went wrong?  Well the answer to that is easy.  The Cooker element decided to choose this day of all days to give up the ghost and pack in working.  You may have even laughed it off, if only you had not been on a domestic appliance spare parts website just a fortnight before.  ‘What are the odds?’ you asked yourself at the time, ‘of my cooker breaking down on Christmas day, of all days’.

Well however far reaching the odds were, it has happened and now you have your wish.  The other half of the family will no doubt remember this Christmas dinner for many years to come, probably not fondly either.  And the odds on that are very good.

Okay, admittedly, the story above is an exaggeration and in reality the odds are quite high against it happening on a specific day like Christmas, but the moral remains the same; sometimes, as the scouts would say, it is better to be prepared.

Cooker elements are not an expensive commodity but they are one of the main appliance parts to go on what is a much used and often relied on domestic appliance.  To have the correct spare part sitting in a kitchen cupboard may well save you several days of having to pester the neighbours, buy a short term solution such as a tabletop stove or eat cold food such as sandwiches for several days while you have to research, find and wait for the correct part to be delivered.

Spending a little time on the internet researching which of your domestic appliances is most likely to have a common fault that can be easily replaced with a spare part, then buying that part in as a precaution from a good domestic appliance spare parts website, could end up being the smartest move you’ll make, this side of Christmas.

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Finding Appliance Spare Parts

Finding a domestic appliance spare part in 3 easy steps

Bosch-neff-siemens-parts-centre.co.uk, the specialist online appliance spare parts company, have compiled this 3 step guide to identifying the spare part needed for people new to the world of repairing domestic appliances.

Below you will find a simple 3 step guide designed to help you through the process of first identifying the problem through to actually finding the correct spare part on line so that you can fix your domestic appliance.

1.

It may seem an obvious point, but first off all identify the type and make of domestic appliance that is need of repair and the fault as specifically as possible.  If it is a Bosch fridge freezer in need of repair and there is water leaking from the bottom then going onto the internet and typing ‘how to repair a leaky freezer’ is not really going to bring back useful results.

Similarly if the appliance in question was a Siemens electric cooker and the problem was the seal on the door putting in a search term of ‘how to repair a wonky oven door’ will leave you scratching your head as you search through the list of non-relevant search results.

Much better examples of search queries would be something like ‘advice on repairing a Bosch fridge freezer leaking water from underneath’ or ‘how to repair the door seal on a Siemens electric cooker’.

This will at least narrow down the search and make it easier for you to determine the root of the problem and subsequently the spare part that was needed.

2.

After determining, with help and advice from online forums and articles on domestic appliance repair, what the problem actually is and identifying how to rectify it with the correct spare part, remember that pretty much all appliances have got a model number and the spare part you need should have a serial number.  This is generally written somewhere on the spare part, however the help from you got from other appliance owners by exploring the online forums should have furnished you with this information anyway.

Do a search which is as detailed as possible, as explained in point number 1 and finding your appliance spare part should be easy.  Alternatively if it is Bosch, Neff or Siemens spare parts that you require, simply visit the bosch-neff-siemens-parts-centre.co.uk site and use their advanced online search facility.

3.

After you have identified the correct part then completed the order online there is not much else to do, other than wait for the spare part to arrive in the post, at which point you can follow the instructions of how to repair it that you found by completing step 1. Alternatively, if you have a friend who knows about these kinds of things then have them help you in exchange for a cold beer (or a nice cuppa if it was the fridge that needed repairing).

There you go, as promised, finding domestic appliance spare parts really is as simple as 1,2,3.

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Should I Repair My Washing Machine?

Should I Repair my Washing Machine?

It’s a situation that many of us have been in. Our washing machine breaks and is in need of a repair in order to get it operational again. So what do we do? Do we source some washing machine spare parts or do we just decide to junk it and buy a brand new unit.

Well, in today’s society, many of the ‘white’ goods we purchase are increasingly seen as disposable items. This is because we think it is as expensive to replace faulty parts as it is to go out and buy a new washing machine. This, of course, is not always the case as washing machine spare parts do not always have to cost the earth.

While talking about costing the earth, this is another very good reason for repairing washing machines as oppose to throwing them away when they break. The fact that our recycling centres and junkyards are becoming full of white goods because of their disposability is a sad fact of life and something that ultimately is not environmentally friendly.

So rather than just getting rid of our repairable washing machine if it breaks down, perhaps it would be better to take the time to find a suitable spare part and have our washing machine made as good as new. After all, by doing so we might end up saving ourselves a lot of money and also help stop yet another washing machine being consigned to the white goods graveyard.

One thing that may need consideration however, should we need to source some washing machine spare parts is where the heck do we go to actually buy them from anyway.  The answer of course is actually quite simple. There is an online spare parts centre that can supply a myriad of affordable washing machine spares that will give us the means to fix our appliances.

Even if we cannot fix them ourselves and we need to call a professional to fix it for us the answer is the same, for all washing machine spare parts visit the online specialist www.bosch-neff-siemens-parts-centre.co.uk.

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