Appliance playing up? What to check before you call

A fair few of the faults we get called out to are not really faults at all. A tripped switch, a filter full of lint, a hose that has kinked behind the machine. None of those need a technician. So before you book anything, here are the safe checks worth running yourself, and the point where it is time to stop and call.

Start with the power

More common than you would think. Check the appliance is actually getting power. Try the powerpoint with something else, like a phone charger, to confirm the socket works. Then look at the switchboard: a tripped circuit breaker or safety switch (the RCD) will cut power to a whole area of the house. Flip it back on.

If the safety switch trips again straight away when you run the appliance, stop there. That is a genuine electrical fault and the machine needs looking at, not repeated resetting. Do not open anything up.

Washing machine leaving clothes wet or leaking

The single most common washing machine fault we see is a blocked drain pump filter, and it is a job you can safely do yourself. Our step-by-step guides cover a machine that will not drain or spin, a washer that leaks water and getting rid of a front loader smell. If those checks do not sort it, the washing machine repair page explains what usually comes next.

Dishwasher not draining or not cleaning

Pull out the bottom rack and clear the filter at the base of the tub, then check the spray arm holes are not clogged. Our notes on a dishwasher that will not drain and dishes coming out dirty walk through the rest before you book a dishwasher repair.

Fridge warm or noisy

Make sure the internal vents are not blocked by packed-in food, the door seal is closing cleanly, and the condenser coils at the back or underneath are not choked with dust. If it is still warm or making an odd noise, see a fridge that has stopped cooling and a fridge making noise, or the fridge repair page.

Oven, cooktop and dryer

For a cold oven, our guide on an oven that will not heat up is the place to start. If your cooktop has quit, an induction cooktop that will not work covers the usual causes. And for a dryer running cold, clean the lint filter first, then read a dryer not heating.

Check it is not on a recall

Before you assume your appliance is simply worn out, it is worth a quick look at the national product recalls list. Recalled appliances are often repaired or replaced free by the manufacturer, so it pays to check the model.

When to stop and call

Anything that means opening the machine, mixing water and electricity, gas, a burning smell, or a safety switch that keeps tripping is where do-it-yourself ends. If the appliance is fairly new, you may also have consumer guarantee rights worth checking before you spend anything.

Appliance repairs in Wollongong: what we cover

We repair fridges, freezers, washing machines, dryers, dishwashers, ovens, cooktops, rangehoods and microwaves across Wollongong and the wider Illawarra, on every major brand, same-day where we can.

We are a family-owned authorised repairer for all the major brands we service and carry parts for them, so we handle repairs in warranty and out. If yours is still under warranty, have your proof of purchase handy when you book.

The assessment fee is $125 across the Illawarra and $145 further out on the South Coast. It covers the technician attending and diagnosing the fault, and you get the repair price before any work starts. We run from Helensburgh in the north through Wollongong and Shellharbour down to Nowra.

Can you do a same-day appliance repair in Wollongong?

Often, yes, and it turns on whether a technician is already working near you rather than on how urgent the job sounds. Ring early in the day and say where you are.

Fridges and freezers with food in them get priority, so mention it when you book. Everything else is fitted around the run, which means a call that comes in mid-afternoon for the far South Coast is realistically tomorrow rather than today.

What speeds it up most is the model number and a plain description of what the appliance is actually doing. That is what lets the technician put the likely part on the van in the morning instead of ordering it after the visit.

Dishwasher repairs in Wollongong

Yes, and dishwashers are one of the appliances we attend most in Wollongong. Before you book one, know that a fair share of what gets described as a dead dishwasher turns out to be a blockage the owner could have cleared themselves.

Two things account for most of it. A tub that will not empty is nearly always the filter and sump at the bottom, which lift and unscrew by hand, and a dishwasher that will not drain shows what you are looking at. A load that comes out gritty despite a full cycle is usually blocked spray-arm jets rather than a failing pump, covered in dishes coming out dirty.

Book it when the machine fills and drains but leaves the load stone cold, which is the element or thermostat, or when the door will not latch. Both are parts rather than write-offs, and the rest of the list is on the dishwasher repair page.

Fridge, washing machine and oven repairs around Wollongong

We take all three, and they are the bulk of what we attend around Wollongong week to week.

On fridges, a fridge going warm while the freezer stays cold is an airflow fault rather than a gas fault, and why the fridge is warm when the freezer works sets out the checks. On washing machines, a load left sopping wet is more often the drain pump filter than the spin motor. On ovens, one that will not reach temperature is usually the element, and one that cooks unevenly is the thermostat or the door seal.

Have the model number ready when you ring. On most appliances it is on a plate inside the door or behind the kick panel, and it decides whether the part rides out on the van.

Book a repair or call 02 4229 3777.