Who Is The Best? GE, Whirlpool, or Frigidaire?

They are all very good machines. Many customers like one brand or the other and have had bad luck with a different brand like we all have.

Don't look at a machine by its name, but by it's model. What model of the brand is the most important.  Every brand name appliance has had trouble, but usually it's with certain models and the years that they were manufactured. Maytag has had the most recent issues with models and the years they were built. Including the earlier model Neptune or the L shaped Refrigerator. These two units have caused a lot of trouble for the consumer, but if you bought a different model from Maytag that wasn't the early neptune design or the L shaped refrigerator you would have never noticed a problem with the Maytag Brand. Same goes with GE, Whirlpool, and Frigidaire. All have they're model issues, but all are good brands. All brands have their lemons as with everything else made in the world. Who has the best reputation? Well Whirlpool and GE are at the top of our list, but Frigidaire will cost you less at the store and they also are very well built machines.  

The machine that usually costs the less to fix is? Whirlpool and then Frigidaire. GE will cost you more to repair because the cost of replacement parts usually run more expensive through GE. This is not controlled by your Tech or the Service Company. The cost of replacement parts come from the manufacturer and GE is the most expensive along with other companies like in many cases Maytag (Now owned by Whirlpool). Any foreign made brand such as LG, Samsung, Bosch, or Miele will usually cost you more because of the expense of replacement parts. 

So who is the best? As we say its the model not the brand. Get on consumer reports that can track at least a 5 year trend and that will tell you the best brand and its model on the market. If you look on the new technology consumer reports that only extend a couple of months or just one year beware they haven't been out of warranty yet and aren't costing the customer a dime to fix. What you want to find out is how does the machine operate when ran over consecutive years not just one year. And how much is it costing the customer to keep the machine running.  

Is My Old Machine Worth Fixing?

Yes and No.

It depends what the problem is, but it is well worth a Service Call to check it out. An older machine consisting of nowadays eight to ten years is always worth a couple of dollars to have checked out. What if it's just a belt for your washer or dryer, that's worth fixing.  Or say a water valve for your refrigerator, that's worth fixing. Most repairs in the Appliance Industry will run at a low labor cost of $69.95 (only Labor) on up to about $269.95 (this includes expensive or many parts). Other than that the costs of transmissions, motors, compressors, and cosmetic things like tubs or doors can cost over $300 to $600.  CPU controls on more technological machines can run as low as $30 for the part on up to close to $300 for the part. It depends how much you paid for the machine usually conveys how much the electronics cost. So in most cases an older machine will not contain to much electronics and if it is an electronic problem then just pay a service call and go buy a new one. But if it's something that could have cost you a $100 to fix then that might be worth the money.  

Buying a replacement machine today can cost as low as $300, but can cost as much as $2500. Depending on the appliance and the newer technology you want on it.  So are you willing to just chuck that old appliance out the door and go spend money to buy a new one?  Or does letting a Technician come conveniently into your home, fix your appliance in the place it stays, give out a healthy warranty and an honest opinion on the machine for half the cost of a new one?  It depends, right?  You might have more than one problem or you might have a major problem that costs as much as a new one.  

But before you make that decision wouldn't it be nice to find out what the problem is with your appliance therefore giving you that piece of mind. Many customers today have trouble with machines right out of warranty if not problems within warranty.  Some appliances manufactured today aren't built with the same material that your old appliance was built out of. Many customers tell us, "I sold my old machine a couple of years ago and it was in good working condition. Now I have this new machine that had the highest consumer rating when I bought it and it's given me nothing but trouble. I bet you my old machine is still working without any trouble where ever it is." That could be true.  

So take a breathe and call a Service Tech to evaluate your machine. If your machine has never given you trouble before then give it a chance and save yourself some money. Call MARS Today.

Do I Have To Change My Filter?

FILTERS ARE IMPORTANT. 

Water filter? Simply stated, you can't be healthy without drinking lots of water everyday. And a water filter is the source that protects you from the metals in our water. Without water filtration we are allowing the toxins in our body to not be flushed properly. In fact we might be flushing out one toxin and adding another such as chlorine or mercury. I'm sure we don't want that in our bodies or our children's bodies. In fact the brain is made up of 3/4 water and our muscles are not far behind with around sixty percent. So water has a large role in our mental capacity along with our physical strength. Filtering the water will not only taste better but improve our mental capability along with strengthening our bodies.  

Now filters not only filter our drinking water and ice but they can be a hazard at times. They do contain water that is inside our homes. And our homes are not very sustainable with water damage last time I checked. We must be safe but cautious too. Sediment filled filters can cause blockage of water lines, valve destruction, Ice Maker burn outs and worst of all large leaks.  As long as the filters are changed out every 6 months to a year depending on usage then many problems related to filters wouldn't occur. Limestone, calcium, bacteria are only the natural substances found in tap water along with mercury, lead, benzene, and other heavy metals. This is in our water supply that is filtered everyday. We can only imagine if filters were not changed for long periods what kind of build up would occur. Change that filter not only for the health of you and your family but also for your refrigerator.

Come by our MARS PARTS STORE today to pick up the correct filter for your Refrigerator before the problem occurs in your house.  We not only want you to be Safe, but Healthy.

Why can't I get technical help over the phone?

A very simple question with a very simple answer. Liability. Let's explore the history of the phone call that made history. A customer was having dryer problems. He scoured the phone books and internet for technical assistance. What he found was a Large Retailer who offered Over-The-Phone Appliance Repair Technical Assistance. The gentleman was confident in his handyman ability, but needed some expert guidance. This was the service he wanted.

While servicing the dryer, and taking the experts advice, he was fatally electrocuted. Apparently, the expert had failed to tell the handyman to unplug the dryer. Now, don't go off about how the handyman should've known!!! As an appliance technician, there are times when we test LIVE appliances. But, the handyman wanted step-by-step guidance and the expert missed a step.

We are human. And there are times when we, Trained Professionals, get shocked, zapped, cut, pricked, drenched, etc. We make mistakes. So, how can we expect to guide another safely, over the phone, through machines pulsing with electricity? I could probably instruct a group of people to do one task, and half of them would interpret my directions differently. Inside an appliance, there is little room for error. There's simply too much risk and liability.

We run a Parts Store in Murfreesboro, TN at 855 West College St, Suite W. You can reach us at 615.890.4334. If you get a hold of a tech, we may try to help you diagnose which part you need, but we will never offer advice on the removal or installation of a part. This is a universal policy, dictated by that one phone call (and lawsuit) that protects all parties - the handyman, the expert, and the business.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us. You can reach us through Marsboro.com. We're always here to help, but we'll never jeopardize the people who keep this company running...you.

The GE Toothpick Problem

Today we encountered a problem with a Dishwasher not draining. Water was draining, but not at a rapid enough pace to drain all the water out.  

Knowing that the dishwasher was disposing of some water tells us MARS Techs that the unit is working but not at full capacity through the drain line.  So the first thing we did was run a snake (Line) through the hose.  With the unit still not draining at full capacity we decided the unit would have to be pulled.  

Pulling a dishwasher requires disconnection of the drain line, water line, electrical, and taking out any and all mounting screws.  Along with possibly lowering the unit to edge out the corners or the top of the dishwasher.  Once the unit was completely out from under the counter we took apart the drain line and sucked out all possible particles only to find nothing in the line. So we proceeded to go into the dishwasher and sucked out all particles inside only to find nothing. Finally we pulled the pump from the dishwasher cavity and found the toothpick.  Yes, the toothpick was stopping the pump from rotating at a full speed this caused a drain problem. 

After re-installing the unit we handed the toothpick back to the customer and the GE dishwasher was up and running as usual.  Even the most unusual items can get down in between the cracks of your dishwasher.  Even a GE TOOTHPICK.  

GE & KITCHENAID - Dishwasher Will Not Start

What is the problem?

Well there can be several.  The best thing to do is to contact a MARS Rep. and schedule a service call to get it diagnosed correctly by a MARS Tech.  This will insure the correct diagnostic and also save you time and money on wasted parts that aren't broken.  

A common problem believe it or not is that the breaker shorts out or it is off.  Many people have their houses renovated every year, especially the kitchens.  So in the process subcontractors that are hired are sometimes not electricians or plumbers or appliance personnel at all.  They are just regular handy men.  So if you've had a recent renovation then contact your subcontractor or just simply check the breaker.  If the breaker is shorted or will not come on either you have a short in the Dishwasher or in the breaker.

GE, Whirlpool, Maytag, Frigidaire, Bosch, Dacor, Fisher & Paykel, and KitchenAid products are not made the same and therefore the Dishwashers all have different reasons for not powering up.  It could be a wiring problem, or false connection - dead connection.  It could be that the unit is powering up but getting no water.  Could be a door not closing correctly or the overflow operating incorrectly.  The possibilities of control boards or timers going bad can create a power problem.  The motor shorted or wires around the motor burned can be a possibility.  Or even a push to start button that is not relaying the electrical pulse to the control.  Even a fuse link can blow and stop power to the entire system.  Sometimes all this is working and the problem is the power.  You might not have an issue with the breaker and it might be on, but not submitting the proper power of 110 volts to 120 volts.  If this is the problem you need to call a MARS Tech or your local electrician.  

*We do not recommend that you pursue to diagnose a problem if dealing with live electrical components.  This can be a deadly action if improperly handled.   

The listed problems that can occur are the most common.  Sometimes a rare or odd problem can occur with two or more components.  With that said all Dishwashers once again operate differently and are built differently.  There might be sub-brands and the same manufacturers, but even in sub-brands there are small differences that can make a Dishwasher stop.  And last but not least, today's dishwashers do not operate like your old ones from ten years ago.  With the balance of technology happening the appliances that we purchase and repair today are much more electrical than any before.

If you can't figure out why your GE or KitchenAid Dishwasher is not getting power and you really don't want to waste 12 hours fixing it and over a $100 in parts hoping to fix it call MARS and we'll not only repair it, but warranty any parts for a year and the labor for 90 days.  Trust me it's worth the call.