Sometimes Waiting Pays Off

Today we're talking about your appliance problems and what to do when trying to get them repaired.  Well for one hopefully you've found your Appliance Tech or Company that you like.  If not then call MARS for we are a BBB member and have an outstanding record with our customers.  In fact we have many returning customers on a daily basis.  Our phone # is 615-890-4334 and operations will be glad to give you the spectrum of the whole operation and how we work and what it costs.

So with that out of the way we move on to the patience factor.  All companies are not the same. In fact only 5 Appliance Companies in all of Middle Tennessee are registered with the BBB. And we are the only company that advertises the BBB logo in our ADS.  Why is this important? Because by becoming a member with the BBB, the company is telling it's customers that they are trusted not only by an accredited agency but by customers all around.  The BBB will not list any companies that have violations or repeat issues with customers on its site or let that company use its logo.  Other online venues to research are Angie's List.  Another very prominent agency that recognizes good service.  By being a member of the BBB you can rest assured that your wishes will be followed when it comes to the repair of your appliance.

Now with good service comes a good following.  Busy companies with the BBB are a good sign. Say you call and want service TODAY! and the company is with the BBB or has a very good track record with your friends or co-workers.  What do you do?  You wait for service that you can trust and depend on. Watch out for the scammers of the service industry for they not only taint the industry with bad press but take your money and run.  Last thing you want is to not only be hindered by your broken appliance but to get into a thicker situation because you couldn't wait a day or even two.

Things can be done like putting ice in your refrigerator to keep the milk cold or a cooler full of ice to keep the ice cream hard.  Go to the laundromat and wash a thing of clothes or two.  Wash your dishes by hand if you can't have the automatic one working.  Eat foods that don't need to be cooked or go out to eat and grab some food if your stove is out.  

So I promise if you wait then your worries won't grow, they'll only be fixed.  

CALL MARS and get set up today for your appointment.  Ask us about our BBB membership and we'll be happy to explain to you our status compared to others.  When it comes to service there's no other appliance company on this planet that can match ours. 

Technicians Are Human Too!

Technicians in today's world are trained and put through EPA Testing along with extensive training through major companies such as Whirlpool, GE, Electrolux, etc.  With today's world market of appliances they change everyday.  Just like your cell phones or television sets or even your cars, appliances change too.  Therefore even the most experienced and professionally trained technician can sometimes get stumped by the ever changing technology.

I wish everything was robotic and people knew the problem right away, but sometimes it might take a few times to get to the root of the problem.  For example the most advanced appliances may have one to up to five computer boards built into it.  This can cause an issue when testing the appliance for the root of the problem, if a computer shorts out it can show all kinds of misleading codes and send the technician down the the wrong path.  So sometimes it may take a couple of trips before the technician solves the problem.  But when it is solved this same problem doesn't occur again because of the experience from that one job.  But like I said the experience may not ever be needed again because of the rapid change in the industry.

Appliance Technicians are just like the local doctor and sometimes even the most experienced physicians in the world have a hard time solving the root of the problem.  So with this blog we ask all the customers of the world and of course Tennessee to be patient with your appliance tech, for he will figure it out if you give him a chance.  Whether it's right away or the 3rd or even 4th trip out.  Trust me they don't do it on purpose.  The last thing a technician wants to do is to keep coming back.  What that shows is determination to get it fixed and that's what you want in a technician.  You hired them to fix the problem and the one's that are determined, do just that. 

As for MARS TECHS we are most determined.  But sometimes one trip just isn't enough.  Rest assure though that trip charges will not accrue with extra visits and they never should. If a Tech can't figure it out on the 1st trip then it's on his time to figure out on the second or third trip. And that's what we have always offered at MARS.  We are 95% on top of it when it comes to the first trip, but if we have to come back and dig deeper for the problem we are 100% sure we'll get it fixed.  That's a promise to you. 

CALL TODAY for your MARS TECH.  

BEFORE YOU CALL A TECH, DO THIS!

Check the obvious.

First start with the simple things like, is it plugged in? Is the water on? Is the switch turned on? Is the breaker or circuit kicked? Is the gas on? Is it a plumbing problem, electrical problem or an appliance problem?

Second check for things like are the doors on the appliances closed properly. This is a major set back on many appliances. When doors are left ajar they tend to not work as well causing trouble such as no power, not sealing correctly, or not cycling.

Third if it's a washer and it's leaking, is the drain hose in the drain? Are your water connections tight? Or are your faucets leaking? A refrigerator not cooling - Is the door shut properly? Is the refrigerator control inside turned on? No Ice - Is the Ice Maker Turned on? Is the water behind the refrigerator connected or turned on? Dishwasher - No power? Is the door shut or the power/breaker on?

Trust me check everything and anything before calling a technician. If not I'm sure the technician will be glad to educate you on the matter so that it doesn't happen again.

CALL MARS and we'll gladly schedule a service call to assist you in anyway, but first for your own good check the obvious.

Where in the house is the Dryer?

This is for installation or recommendations on remodeling your homes or utility rooms.  Say you want to move the laundry room to the garage and knock out the wall to the utility room to extend a room or kitchen.  

Or say you're having a new house built and you get to decide where things will be.  

As FAR AS THE DRYER'S CONCERNED it wants the closest wall available.

The closer the Dryer is to the exterior wall the better.  Generally the less dryer venting needed is a good way to measure the best position for your dryer.  The longer the vent means the longer for lint to travel causing future problems with ventilation and Dryer issues.  Say your vent goes over twenty feet under the house and turns 2 or 3 times before getting to its destination.  This is going to cause moisture and lint to build inside the vent and eventually clog the piping up.  Once the pipe is clogged it's only a matter of time before the dryer begins to fall apart. 

So if you want a new place to install your Dryer get to the exterior wall of the house.  Any exterior wall will work.  Install your Dryer and the small vent with a proper venting hood outside.  This will not only keep piece of mind in the house as far as fires are concerned, but also will keep your Dryer in good shape and dry the clothes in a timely matter.

Call MARS Today for information on Dryer Vent Installations or Dryer Vent materials check out our Parts Store in Murfreesboro, TN.

Check your washer water hoses!

Well, the title of this post is pretty straight-forward. Check your washer water hoses! Today, Snake and I were on a call repairing a Kenmore Washer. The washer required a water valve, which we replaced. However, MARS offers Service Beyond. After we repaired the washer, we did a thorough check on the water inlet system. Usually, we find nothing.

Today we found a bulging water hose. Water pressure had cracked the inner seal of the hose and was slowly building up into a liquid volcano. We showed the customer and she was grateful that we prevented a possible disaster.

Out of sight, out of mind. Most washer water hoses are tucked in behind the washer and are hardly ever seen. And I'm sure most of them are in good shape. But, what if a water hose were to break? It would be like turning the hosepipe on inside your house. In a matter of minutes, your house would be flooded. And it wouldn't stop until you turned the water off. By the looks of the water hose we found today, our customer was very close to this happening to her.

The most common washer water hose is a basic, black rubber hose which comes in a variety of lengths to fit your application. The best, in my opinion, is stainless steel. You can pick these up at any hardware or home improvement store, but if you're in Murfreesboro, TN, come on by our Parts Store located at 855 West College St., Murfreesboro, TN. For more information about MARS, visit Marsboro.com.

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.