Most Common Household Complaints

When you’ve been in the home warranty business as long as we have, you’re bound to hear complaint after complaint from customers. We have compiled this list of the most common household complaints— and how to avoid them!

“My air conditioning is blowing warm air.”

Is there anything worse than coming inside after a sweltering Tennessee summer day only to find no relief??? HVAC repairs are expensive and inconvenient. Even if the fix is quick and easy, it will still cost about $200 just to get a technician to your house. To avoid running into this problem yourself, regularly maintain your ductwork. You can do this by replacing the filters every three months to keep the ductwork clean, check on your compressor unit regularly, ensure the unit is clear of leaves, and ensure that all of the electrical connections are in good shape. We also recommend gently washing the unit’s fan with a garden hose to clean off the buildup. If you purchase a home warranty, you can rest easy knowing that HVAC repairs are covered, and you won’t have to break the bank paying out-of-pocket for repairs to keep your home and your family comfortable. 

“My fridge is not keeping my food and drinks cold.”

Picture this: it’s August in Memphis, you’ve just finished a long afternoon of yard work in the blazing sun. You go inside looking for a blast of air-conditioned air only to find out your A/C is broken. At least you can find some relief in the fridge. You walk to the fridge to grab an ice-cold beer and..the beer is warm! However, half of the refrigerator malfunctions come from a buildup in the coils, the tube-and-wire grid that cools the compressor’s fluid. Dust or pet hair is usually the buildup source because an excess of this hair can strain the coils and trip the overload switch. To fix this issue, you will have to pop off the protective plastic casing around the coils found at the bottom of the fridge. Once you pop off the encasing and clear the area, you will be in good shape. For prevention, clean the area regularly with a flexible vacuum extension.

“My stove burner keeps clicking”

Try the following steps to stop the clicking stove:

1. Realign the burner cap.
2. Dry the burner cap.
3. Discard any food or debris from the burner cap

If none of these do the trick, it could be something more complicated and you might need to call a professional, or your home warranty company. 

“The dishwasher isn’t draining right.”

If you find standing water at the bottom of your dishwasher, it’s likely your machine just needs a quick cleaning.

Before you attempt any dishwasher maintenance, you will need to ensure the power is off. We recommend getting the standing water out of the dishwasher with a disposable cup and a paper towel.

1. Examine the drain at the bottom of the dishwasher.
2. Clear debris from pumps.
3. Clean sprayer arms with a wire hanger (You can remove these).
4. Clean the dishwasher’s filter.
5. Make sure the supply line is unclogged. (This is the line that runs from under your sink to the unit.)
6. Clean the drain line (located below the filter).
7. Straighten out the drain hose; older hoses may kink.

Try as many of these steps until you fix the issue. When you finish the steps, run the garbage disposal to clear any food debris, and then run the machine for a full cycle. If the standing water continues to be a problem, repeat steps four through seven. If the issue persists, call your home warranty company.

“My washing machine stinks!”

Are clothes coming out of your washing machine smelling sweaty or moldy? The washing machine smells bad.”

One old wive’s tale that we can get behind is “if baking soda can’t fix an odor problem, then vinegar can.” Baking soda and vinegar make a powerful antiseptic combination. This homemade elixir works exceptionally well on washing machine smells. 

When your washing machine begins to emit a funky smell, dump ¼ cup of baking soda in the detergent chamber and two cups of white vinegar in the drum, and run a normal cycle at high heat. This concoction should kill any moldy areas and neutralize smelly odors.

Typical household problems can add up quickly, in both costs and time spent repairing them. A homeowner warranty can help save you money and headaches on home repairs. Contact Home Warranty One today to find out more.