Appliance advice library
Original, homeowner-safe guides arranged by most recently reviewed. Dates change only when the content is actually reviewed or revised.
Do not force the handle. Confirm the cycle has ended, the drum has stopped, and the water has drained; then allow the model’s normal unlocking delay. Heat or water inside can keep the door locked even after you press Pause. Check the exact model’s instructions for control lock and cancellation. If it remains locked after those checks, arrange service rather than trying to defeat the interlock.
Open guide →Keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed and record when power failed. An unopened refrigerator generally protects food for up to four hours; a closed full freezer lasts about 48 hours, or 24 hours when half full. If refrigerated perishables have gone four hours without power or another cold source, discard them unless reliable temperature evidence establishes they stayed safe. Never taste food to test it. Deal with food safety before deciding whether the refrigerator needs repair.
Open guide →If the smell is like old food and the dishwasher otherwise drains normally, empty the tub, clean only the filter your model’s manual says is removable, wipe the accessible door seal and tub edges, then run the manufacturer-approved cleaning cycle with the filter locked back in place. Scrape large food scraps before future loads and avoid leaving dirty dishes inside for days. If dirty water returns between cycles, the odor resembles sewage, or the machine does not drain, stop cleaning attempts and arrange plumbing or appliance service. For a burning-plastic or electrical odor, smoke, unusual heat, sparks, or water near wiring, stop the dishwasher immediately; do not try to mask it with cleaner or restart it. Never mix bleach, ammonia, vinegar, or other cleaners, reach into an inaccessible pump, remove panels, or pull out the appliance.
Open guide →Start with the display: select water and clear Control Lock or another dispensing-disabled mode exactly as the model manual directs. Close the refrigerator doors fully, use a sturdy glass to press the normal dispenser paddle, and listen for a hum or click. If the filter was recently changed, confirm that the exact compatible filter is fully seated; flush the system only with the model-specific procedure. Check only a safely accessible household shutoff valve and visible supply line for an obvious closed valve, kink, or leak—do not pull out a heavy or built-in refrigerator. Slow flow may come from a clogged or misinstalled filter or low household water pressure. If there is leaking, water near electrical parts, repeated clicking with no water, a damaged line, or no improvement after these checks, stop and arrange qualified service or plumbing help. Do not remove panels, bypass a filter or door switch, thaw a line with heat, test wiring, or replace an inlet valve yourself.
Open guide →First turn every cooktop control fully OFF and keep people, paper, plastic, towels, and other items away from the surface. Do not touch the glass to test it. A radiant element normally cycles red and dark while a heat setting is selected, and a hot-surface indicator may remain on after cooking while the glass cools; some models keep a timed indicator on for about 30 minutes. However, if an element continues glowing red, visibly cycles back on, reheats, or does not respond after its control is set to OFF, switch off the correctly labeled range or cooktop breaker from a dry, safe electrical panel and leave it off until a qualified technician inspects it. Do not unplug or pull out the range, remove a knob or panel, test voltage, replace a switch, or bypass any control. If the breaker is unlabeled, wet, damaged, buzzing, hot, or inaccessible, keep everyone away and call an electrician or emergency service rather than guessing.
Open guide →Stop the dryer immediately for smoke, a burning or gas odor, sparks, unusual heat, a tripped breaker, violent movement, or metal-on-metal scraping. Otherwise, pause the cycle and wait for the drum to stop. Check pockets and the drum for coins, pens, buckles, zippers, or another loose item; reduce an overloaded or water-heavy load; remove objects touching the cabinet; and confirm from the front that the dryer sits firmly on a solid floor. With the dryer unplugged, clean and correctly reinstall the lint screen and look into its accessible opening without reaching inside. If the exact model manual permits a test and there are no warning signs, run one short supervised cycle with the drum empty. Noise that remains when empty, returns with a normal load, or changes into persistent squealing, grinding, scraping, humming, or heavy thumping needs qualified service. Do not remove a panel, reach into the lint housing, move a stacked appliance, test wiring, or work on gas or internal drive components.
Open guide →First stop the dishwasher for leaking water, smoke, sparks, a burning smell, unusual heat, or a tripped breaker. Otherwise, note exactly when the sound occurs: filling, washing, draining, or drying. Some swishing, clicking, snapping, and low humming are normal on many models. After the cycle is canceled and all motion has stopped, switch off the dishwasher circuit at the breaker before putting your hands inside. Secure loose dishes and utensils, confirm accessible spray arms can turn without striking anything, and clean and lock the removable filter only as the exact model manual directs. Run one supervised test. If loud grinding, buzzing, squealing, or knocking continues with an empty machine, or the dishwasher also will not fill, wash, or drain, stop using it and arrange qualified service. Do not remove panels, pull out the dishwasher, reach into an inaccessible pump, or test wiring or components.
Open guide →Stop first if water is leaking, the floor or plug area is wet, the cord or outlet is damaged, or there is smoke, sparking, unusual heat, or a burning smell. Otherwise, confirm the washer is on a normal wash cycle—not paused, delayed, or in control lock—and close the door or lid without forcing it. Make sure both hot and cold supply faucets are fully open, then inspect the visible portions of both fill hoses for kinks, crushing, bulges, cracks, or leaks without pulling the washer out. Check the display for a fill-related code and follow the exact model manual. Also confirm that the drain hose has not been pushed too far down the standpipe, which can siphon water out as it enters. If the washer still does not fill, fills only on one temperature, continues filling when stopped, or requires access to inlet screens, valves, wiring, or the cabinet, shut off both water faucets and arrange qualified service.
Open guide →First stop for smoke, sparks, a burning odor, liquid damage, a cracked screen, unusual heat, or a damaged plug, cord, adapter, outlet, or One Connect cable. Otherwise, press Home, Menu, Settings, or Volume once. If the TV displays its own menu or volume bar, the screen can produce an image and the problem is more likely the selected source, external device, or cable. Confirm the correct input, make sure the source device is on, and—with everything powered off—reconnect one visible HDMI or manufacturer-supplied connection at a time. Check the manual for a Picture Off, Screen Off, or audio-only setting. Disconnect external devices and perform one model-approved power reset. If the TV’s own menu never appears, the picture flashes and disappears, the standby light blinks repeatedly, or the screen remains black after the safe checks, request qualified service. Never remove the rear cover, press on the panel, or test a backlight, power board, capacitor, or any energized circuit.
Open guide →If a carbon-monoxide alarm sounds, anyone has headache, dizziness, nausea, weakness, sleepiness, or confusion, you smell gas, or you see smoke, soot, scorching, or an abnormal flame, leave the home and call 911 or the gas utility from outside. Otherwise, note whether the furnace starts and stops every few minutes before the thermostat reaches its set temperature. Confirm the thermostat is on Heat with the fan on Auto, replace weak thermostat batteries if the manual allows, make sure curtains or heat sources are not affecting the thermostat, check the owner-accessible filter against the exact model instructions, and open blocked supply registers and return grilles. For a fuel-burning furnace, observe exterior intake and exhaust terminations only from the ground and only if safely accessible; do not touch or clear a blockage yourself. If cycling continues after one normal test, shut the system off and call a qualified HVAC technician. Never bypass a limit switch, open the furnace, clean a flame sensor, adjust a burner, or test energized wiring or gas controls.
Open guide →First protect the food: use an appliance thermometer and keep the refrigerator at 40°F or below and the freezer at 0°F or below. Keep the doors closed as much as possible and move perishable food to another safe refrigerator or an ice-filled cooler if temperatures are rising. Then remove packages that touch the door, reseat bins and shelves, and inspect the rubber gasket for crumbs, stickiness, warping, tears, or a section pulled out of place. Clean an intact gasket with a soft cloth, mild dish soap, and water if the model manual permits, then dry it. Close the door on a strip of paper at several points; slight resistance suggests contact, while paper that slips out easily after cleaning points to a weak seal or alignment problem. Do not force the door, heat or stretch the gasket, adjust hinges, or move a large refrigerator alone. If the door still gaps, opens by itself, or cannot hold a safe temperature, arrange qualified service.
Open guide →Stop the dryer immediately. If you see smoke or flame, leave the home, close the door behind you if safe, and call 911 from outside; do not fight a growing dryer fire. If a gas dryer is smoking or you smell gas, get everyone outside and do not operate lights, switches, phones, plugs, breakers, or appliances inside. When there is no smoke or gas odor, leave the dryer off and let it cool. From a dry, safe position, check the load for scorched or heat-damaged items, remove and clean the normal lint screen, and look for a visibly blocked exterior vent hood without moving the dryer. Do not restart a previously used dryer with a burning or electrical smell. Arrange qualified appliance or vent service, especially if the odor was strong, the cabinet or laundry was unusually hot, airflow has been weak, or the symptom returns.
Open guide →Turn the thermostat from COOL to OFF and stop the system if water is pooling, dripping from a ceiling or vent, reaching electrical equipment, or appearing with ice. Protect the floor only from a dry, safe position; do not open the air handler. Check the return filter and replace it with the correct size and type if it is dirty or wet, inspect accessible supply and return registers for blockage, and look without touching for frost on visible insulated tubing or around the cabinet. From outdoors, note whether the normal condensate drain outlet is dripping or dry, but do not disconnect or probe it. Never chip ice, pour chemicals into an unknown pipe, open refrigerant lines, or keep running a leaking system. Arrange qualified HVAC service if the source is not immediately corrected by a permitted filter change or if water, ice, weak cooling, or leakage returns.
Open guide →Stop using the dishwasher if it is leaking, smells burned, sparked, became unusually hot, or repeatedly trips its breaker. Otherwise, dry your hands, confirm the racks and dishes do not block the door, latch it firmly without forcing it, and follow the exact model manual to clear Control Lock, Delay Start, Sleep, or Demo mode. Select a cycle, press Start or Start/Resume as directed, and close the door within the model’s stated time. Check an ordinary dishwasher wall switch and reset the correctly labeled breaker once only if both are dry, undamaged, and safely accessible. Confirm the visible water shutoff is fully open without forcing it. If the dishwasher still will not start, record its lights or error code and arrange service instead of opening panels or testing wiring.
Open guide →Keep the oven off if there was sparking, smoke, a burning-plastic odor, a hot control or outlet, or a tripped breaker. Otherwise, confirm Bake—not Timer, Warm, Proof, or another mode—is selected, enter a temperature, press Start, cancel any delayed start, and clear Control Lock or Demo mode exactly as the model manual directs. Make sure the cool door closes normally and record any error code. If the manual permits it and the electrical panel is dry and safely accessible, reset the correctly labeled double-pole oven or range breaker once by moving it fully off and then on. With the oven cool and power off, look only for an obvious crack, blister, or break in a visible element. Do not touch, remove, test, or replace it. If the oven still will not heat, leave it off and arrange qualified service.
Open guide →First identify the sound, where it comes from, how long it lasts, and what the refrigerator is doing. Brief humming, clicking, gurgling, popping, airflow, water-fill sounds, and ice dropping can be normal. Remove loose items touching the cabinet, confirm doors close, and check whether an unused ice maker is switched off according to the manual. Without moving the refrigerator, look for visible rocking, inadequate clearance, a kinked accessible water line, or a temperature warning. Record the sound and temperatures. Call for service if the noise is very loud, new and persistent, accompanied by poor cooling, leaking, burning odor, repeated failed-start clicking, or grinding that occurs when ice is not being dispensed.
Open guide →Pause the washer if it is shaking hard, banging, or moving across the floor. Wait for the drum to stop before opening the door or lid, then redistribute a tangled or one-sided load and remove items if the drum is tightly packed. With the washer off and the floor dry, confirm that nothing touches the cabinet and gently check whether the machine rocks at its corners. Follow the exact model’s instructions for leveling and for confirming removal of shipping hardware after a recent installation or move. Run one supervised test only after correcting a visible cause. If the washer still walks, strikes the cabinet, leaks, smells hot, or makes grinding or metal-on-metal noise, leave it off and arrange service.
Open guide →Stop the cycle and keep people away from the wet area. If water is near an outlet, cord, junction box, disposal connection, or the dishwasher's underside, do not touch the appliance or stand in the water; disconnect power only at a dry, safely accessible, correctly labeled breaker. Close the dishwasher water-supply valve if it is visible and operates normally. After the area is safe, note whether water appeared at the door, under the sink, from an air gap, or beneath the machine and whether it happened during filling, washing, or draining. With power off, check for an item blocking the door, food on the visible gasket, excessive suds, an obstructed spray arm, and moisture at accessible under-sink hose connections. If water comes from underneath, a leak code returns, a hose or seal is damaged, or one supervised test leaks again, leave the dishwasher off and call a qualified technician or plumber.
Open guide →Stop the washer and keep people away from the wet area. If water is near a plug, outlet, cord, power strip, or electrical panel, do not step into it or touch the appliance; shut off power only from a dry, safely accessible breaker and call for help. Otherwise, close the washer's hot and cold supply valves if they are accessible and operate normally. Dry the floor, then note whether the leak appeared while filling, washing, draining, or while the machine was off. Without moving the washer, inspect visible supply-hose connections and the drain hose, clean an owner-accessible front-load door seal and dispenser as the manual directs, and confirm the correct detergent and load size. If a hose is damaged, the household drain backs up, the washer leaks while off, or water returns during one supervised test, leave the washer off and arrange repair or plumbing service.
Open guide →First confirm the thermostat is set to Cool, the target is below the room temperature, and the fan is on Auto rather than continuously On. Wait several minutes for normal compressor protection delay. If the air remains warm, turn cooling off before checking an owner-accessible filter; replace it only with the exact approved size and airflow direction. Open supply registers and keep return grilles clear. From ground level, look for leaves or vegetation blocking airflow around the outdoor unit, but do not open it, reach through its grille, touch the disconnect, or clean electrical or refrigerant parts. If you see ice or frost, hear hissing, find oily residue, the outdoor unit does not run, or a breaker trips, leave cooling off and call a qualified HVAC technician. Refrigerant service requires an EPA-certified technician.
Open guide →Stop immediately for smoke, a burning smell, unusual heat, sparking, a hot or damaged cord or outlet, or any gas odor. Otherwise, confirm the dryer is actually tumbling, identify whether it is electric, gas, or heat-pump from the exterior label, and select a normal heated or Timed Dry cycle rather than Air Only, Air Fluff, or another no-heat setting. Clean the lint screen and check only the safely accessible exterior exhaust hood on a vented model. For an electric dryer, a partially tripped two-pole breaker can let the drum run without powering the heater; reset the correctly labeled dryer breaker once only if the panel is dry, intact, and safely accessible. If heat does not return, the breaker trips again, airflow is weak, or the dryer is gas or heat-pump and still will not heat, stop and call a qualified technician. Never open the cabinet, test voltage, replace a heating component, or operate gas controls.
Open guide →Start by looking and smelling for danger without touching the TV. If there is smoke, sparking, a burning odor, liquid damage, or a hot or visibly damaged plug, cord, adapter, or outlet, disconnect power only if it is safe and call a qualified professional. Otherwise, note whether the standby light is on, off, or blinking. If it is on, try the TV’s physical power button; if that works, replace the remote batteries and check that nothing blocks the sensor. If the light is off, unplug the TV for 30 seconds, reconnect its visible detachable cord or adapter securely, and plug it directly into a known-working outlet that you tested with a small lamp. If the light keeps blinking, the physical button does not work, or the standby light stays off at a verified outlet, arrange service. Never open the rear cover or test internal power components.
Open guide →If you smell or hear escaping gas, leave immediately without touching switches, appliances, or a phone indoors; call 911 or the gas utility from outside. If there is no gas odor, turn every burner knob fully to OFF and let the cooktop cool. Clicking only while lighting a burner may be normal, and several burners may click together even when only one is selected. If clicking continues with all knobs off after a spill or cleaning, stop using the stove and allow it to dry naturally. With the appliance cool and electrical power disconnected, clean and dry only the removable grates and burner caps as the exact model manual directs, then reinstall each cap flat on its matching burner. Restore power and test once. Persistent clicking, delayed ignition, damaged parts, abnormal flame, or any need to access an igniter, switch, wiring, valve, or gas line requires a qualified gas-appliance technician.
Open guide →First determine whether every hot-water faucet is cold or only one fixture is affected. If the entire home has no hot water and there is no gas odor, carbon-monoxide alarm, leak, scorching, or electrical damage, identify the heater type from its label without removing a cover. Review only its normal exterior display, app, or user controls for a changed mode, low setting, vacation schedule, or error code. For an electric or heat-pump model, reset the correctly labeled breaker once only if the panel is dry, intact, and safely accessible. Allow the recovery time stated in the manual after heavy use or restored power. Do not open access panels, press an internal reset, test voltage, relight a pilot, operate gas controls, touch the temperature-and-pressure relief valve, drain the tank, or open a refrigerant system. If hot water does not return or a warning recurs, call a qualified plumber or water-heater technician.
Open guide →First, leave immediately and call 911 or the gas utility from outside if a carbon-monoxide alarm sounds or you smell or hear escaping gas. Otherwise, confirm the thermostat is set to Heat above room temperature, replace its batteries if the manual permits, make sure supply registers and return grilles are open and unobstructed, and inspect only the normal owner-accessible filter with furnace power off. Clear leaves or snow from visible exterior intake and exhaust terminations without opening or entering them. Confirm the nearby furnace switch is on and reset the correctly labeled breaker once only if the panel is dry and safely accessible. If heat does not return, the breaker trips again, an error repeats, or the furnace attempts ignition without producing heat, leave it off and call a qualified HVAC technician.
Open guide →Remove large scraps, reload dishes so their dirty surfaces face the spray and nothing blocks the detergent dispenser, then turn each accessible spray arm by hand to confirm it moves freely. Clean only the filter your exact model’s manual identifies as removable, use fresh automatic-dishwasher detergent in the recommended amount, choose a cycle that matches the soil level, and run the nearest sink faucet until the water is hot before starting. If the dishwasher does not fill or drain, the spray arms still do not move, the detergent door stays closed, water leaks, an error returns, or access requires a panel or pump removal, stop and arrange professional service.
Open guide →Dry the water, protect the floor, and determine whether it returns from inside the cabinet, the filter area, dispenser, ice chute, or underneath the refrigerator. If a filter was recently changed, reinstall only the exact compatible filter as the owner’s manual directs and inspect it for visible cracks or missing seals. Clear loose ice from the chute, check the visible supply line without moving the appliance, and follow the manufacturer’s model-specific procedure for purging air after filter replacement. Shut off the refrigerator’s water supply if it is safely accessible and the leak continues; water near wiring, a damaged line or housing, recurring interior ice, or unsafe access requires professional service.
Open guide →Pause the washer, redistribute or reduce the load, and confirm that Low Spin or No Spin was not selected. If water remains in the tub, treat it as a drain problem first. Check the visible drain hose for a kink and clean only a pump filter that your exact model’s manual identifies as homeowner-accessible. Use the correct amount of HE detergent, verify the washer stands level, and try one model-approved Drain & Spin cycle. Repeated imbalance errors, violent movement, a locked tub, standing water, electrical symptoms, or a washer that still never turns need professional diagnosis.
Open guide →Make sure no clothing is caught in the door, close it until it latches, disable Control or Child Lock using the exact model manual, select a normal timed or sensor cycle, and press or hold Start as instructed. Confirm the plug is fully seated and reset the correct dryer breaker once. If the breaker trips again, the cord or outlet is hot or damaged, the drum only hums, an error returns, or diagnosis requires opening the cabinet, leave the dryer off and call a qualified technician or electrician.
Open guide →Let the oven fully preheat, use the rack position recommended for the food, center one pan with open space around it, and remove any foil or liner covering the oven floor or a whole rack. Compare results with the same simple recipe and pan before changing calibration. If the oven is consistently too hot or too cool, use only the owner’s manual’s temperature-adjustment procedure; uneven hot spots, visible element damage, electrical symptoms, or repeated errors need professional diagnosis.
Open guide →Test two different apps and confirm another device can use the same internet connection. Then check the TV’s network status, restart the router and TV normally, verify automatic date and time, and install official TV and app updates. If only one app fails, sign out or reinstall that app only after confirming you can sign back in. Avoid a factory reset until you understand what accounts and settings it will erase.
Open guide →Confirm the ice maker is turned on, measure the freezer near 0°F, make sure the ice bin and visible shutoff arm or paddle are correctly positioned, and check that the refrigerator’s water supply is open and its exact-model filter is properly installed. After correcting one issue, allow about 24 hours for ice production to recover. Stop if the freezer is warm, water leaks, electrical symptoms appear, or diagnosis requires moving the refrigerator or opening a panel.
Open guide →Check that the cycle fully finished, refill the rinse-aid dispenser according to the owner’s manual, angle cups and bowls so water can drain, and select the drying option intended for that load. Some moisture on plastics and recessed surfaces is normal. If dishes remain cold and wet after the correct settings—or the dishwasher shows an error, leaks, trips the breaker, or smells hot—stop troubleshooting and arrange service.
Open guide →Empty the washer, wipe and dry the door gasket or lid area, clean the detergent dispenser as the manual allows, and run the machine’s empty cleaning cycle with only a cleaner approved for your exact model. Remove wet laundry promptly and leave the door or lid ajar between loads when it is safe to do so.
Open guide →Turn the cooling system off, inspect the filter, and replace it only with the exact size and an approved type if it is visibly dirty. Confirm supply registers are open and return grilles are unobstructed. If airflow stays weak—or you find ice, leaking water, a tripping breaker, or a hot electrical smell—leave the system off and call an HVAC professional.
Open guide →Clean the lint screen before or after every load, confirm the visible vent connection is not crushed, and check from outside that the exhaust flap opens while the dryer runs. If drying remains slow, stop repeated long cycles and arrange a full vent inspection or cleaning.
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