FAQ and DIY
The FAQ captured on 28 February 2017 asked when to repair and which brand to buy. The answers below use the washers, dryers, and disposals from the services page of that day. The other questions are the checks that come up on those machines.
Repair this machine, or replace it?
The 2017 answer said a repair that costs more than half what the appliance is worth is a reason to replace it, and a small repair is a reason to keep it. On a direct-drive Whirlpool or Kenmore 110, the coupling and the clutch are the smaller jobs. The gearcase and a tub bearing are the expensive ones. Compare a parts price with a working used machine of the same layout if you want to keep a direct-drive. A new front-loader is a different machine, so it is a poor yardstick for a 20-year top loader.
Which brand should someone buy?
The 2017 answer said the badge matters less than whether the machine can be serviced, and it talked about a 15 to 20 year life. On these pages that means a top loader whose motor unbolts from underneath, and a dryer whose belt you can see once the front is off. A sealed tub that needs a special spanner is the other layout. Kenmore numbers that start with 110 are the Whirlpool-built laundry line. Another prefix needs its own plate, because it was built by someone else.
The washer fills, then sits. Is that the coupling?
A coupling problem hums. A machine that fills and then sits, with no hum, is usually waiting on the lid switch. The washer page puts those two symptoms on different rows.
The dryer runs and the clothes stay damp.
Look at the vent cap outside while the dryer is on. It should open. A cap that stays shut, or a hose that sags, leaves the load damp and later opens the thermal fuse on many Whirlpool and Kenmore electric models. A glowing igniter with no flame is the gas valve circuit. Stop and send the model.
Can I free a humming disposal with a broom handle?
Use tongs from the sink side and the hex socket from below, with the power off. A broom handle in the grind chamber is how the ring gets chipped. The disposal page has the order: power off, clear the chamber, turn the hex, press reset.
Is there a phone number?
No. The address for a plate photo is [email protected]. Name the town if you are in Santa Barbara, Goleta, Montecito, or Summerland, and name the machine.