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RepairHearthAppliance repair help

Appliance repair help in all 50 states

Appliance problems?
Get help with one call.

From refrigerators that stop cooling to washers that won't drain and dryers that won't heat, get dependable repair help for your home.

  • One call — no forms
  • Independent local repair providers
  • Price confirmed before work
  • Straight answers about what's wrong
  • No forms — just one call
  • Price confirmed before any work starts

Gas smell, smoke, sparking, or water near outlets?

Get safe before anything else. Smell gas: leave and call your gas utility or 911 from outside.

Urgent safety steps

Repair services

What needs fixing?

All 13 appliance services

Common problems

Start with what it's doing

Pick the symptom, then the appliance. Each guide covers likely causes, safe checks, and when to stop.

All problem guides

Inside the repair

What appliance problems actually look like

Licensed stock photography chosen to explain each fault — not photos of RepairHearth jobs.

  • Technician in a work jacket testing wiring on an appliance control with a meter probe
    Diagnosis comes before partsControls, switches, and heaters are confirmed with a meter — guessing at parts is how repairs get expensive.What affects repair cost
  • Refrigerator door open in a dark kitchen with the interior light on
    Cold freezer, warm fridgeUsually airflow or defrost, not the compressor.Refrigerator not cooling
  • Stacked laundry closet with a foil dryer duct running up the wall behind the machines
    The duct behind the dryerCrushed foil duct is the most common cause of slow drying.Dryer taking too long
  • Rear panel removed from a washer, showing the drive motor, belt, and wiring
    Behind the washer's back panelMotor, belt, and wiring — technician territory, always unplugged first.Washer not spinning
  • Empty dishwasher lower rack and spray arm inside a stainless tub
    Spray arm and filterMost 'not cleaning' complaints start with a blocked filter or arm.Dishwasher not cleaning
  • Technician's hands adjusting a refrigerant manifold gauge set
    Sealed-system work is technician-onlyRefrigerant handling requires EPA certification and gauges. It's also where repair-or-replace becomes a real question.Refrigerator: repair or replace?

1 of 6

Troubleshooting

Narrow it down in two taps

Choose the appliance and what it's doing. You can check for a provider in the same place.

1. Choose the appliance

Before & after

What common problems look like before and after the fix

Real photos of four common conditions, plus a short narrated walkthrough. Each pair shows the same problem on different appliances — none of them are RepairHearth jobs.

What appliance problems look like — before and after · 1:56 · captions on · Narration uses a synthesized voice. Example photos, not RepairHearth jobs.
Read the transcript

Here's what four common appliance problems look like, before and after the fix.

These are example photos of each condition, not RepairHearth jobs.

Freezer frost.

Thick frost on the walls means humid air is getting in, or the defrost system has stopped working.

It blocks airflow, so food softens even while the freezer runs.

Once the cause is fixed and the ice is cleared, cold air circulates again.

You can check the door seal yourself. Defrost parts are technician work.

Dryer duct.

A long, sagging foil duct traps lint in every dip.

It's the most common reason clothes need two cycles, and lint buildup is a fire risk.

A short, smooth metal duct lets moist air out, and normal drying times come back.

Clean the lint screen after every load.

Dishwasher.

Food debris and standing water in the tub usually point to a clogged filter or drain.

With the filter rinsed and the drain clear, water leaves the tub, and the spray arms get full pressure.

If it still won't drain, the pump may need a technician.

Gas cooktop.

Spills and burnt residue can block the igniter and the burner ports, so the burner clicks but won't light.

Cleaned, dried, and with the cap seated properly, you should see a steady, mostly blue flame.

If you ever smell gas, leave first, and call from outside.

If a safe check doesn't fix it, get it diagnosed.

See whether a participating repair provider serves your ZIP at repairhearth.com.

In the video

  1. 1Freezer frost buildupFrost seals the walls and chokes the cold-air path.
  2. 2Dryer ductSagging foil duct: lint settles in every dip.
  3. 3Dishwasher drain and filterDebris and standing water in the bottom of the tub.
  4. 4Gas cooktop burnerSpills and burnt residue around the burner ports.

Each segment ends with what you can safely check yourself — and when it's a technician job.

  • Freezer frost buildup

    Black-and-white photo of a freezer compartment whose walls are coated in thick frost around packed frozen food
    Before
    Before: Frost seals the walls and chokes the cold-air path.
    Freezer compartment with wire shelves and pull-out bins
    After
    After: Bare walls and clear vents: cold air circulates again.

    Example photos of the condition — different appliances, not RepairHearth jobs. Photos: juliopablo (Pixabay) · S. Laiba Ali (Unsplash).

    Freezer frost buildup: causes and safe checks

  • Dryer duct

    Sagging flexible foil duct with dust buildup in a cluttered utility space
    Before
    Before: Sagging foil duct: lint settles in every dip.
    Close-up of a semi-rigid metal duct elbow against a wall
    After
    After: Smooth metal duct: moist air leaves quickly.

    Example photos of the condition — different appliances, not RepairHearth jobs. Photos: Yanping Ma (Unsplash) · Yanping Ma (Unsplash).

    Dryer taking too long: airflow checks

  • Dishwasher drain and filter

    Black-and-white close-up of a dishwasher tub floor with standing water and debris around the drain
    Before
    Before: Debris and standing water in the bottom of the tub.
    Empty dishwasher lower rack and spray arm inside a stainless tub
    After
    After: Clear tub floor: water drains and the spray arms get full pressure.

    Example photos of the condition — different appliances, not RepairHearth jobs. Photos: Richard Stachmann (Unsplash) · Castorly Stock (Pexels).

    Dishwasher not draining: what to check

  • Gas cooktop burner

    Gloved hand wiping a white gas cooktop with spill stains and burnt spots around two burners
    Before
    Before: Spills and burnt residue around the burner ports.
    Gas cooktop burner with an even blue flame ring
    After
    After: Clean, dry burner: a steady, mostly blue flame.

    Example photos of the condition — different appliances, not RepairHearth jobs. Photos: Liliana Drew (Pexels) · Mark Owen Wilkinson Hughes (Unsplash).

    Gas burner won't light: safe checks

Two more, illustrated

No honest photo pair exists for these yet, so they're original illustrations.

  • Refrigerator condenser coil
    Before

    Before: Dust and pet hair blanket the coil, so heat can't escape. The compressor runs longer and cooling margins shrink.

    After

    After: Clean coil with clear airflow — heat leaves easily. Clean only as your manual describes, with the unit unplugged.

    Refrigerator not cooling

  • Refrigerator door gasket
    Before

    Before: A twisted or torn gasket leaves a gap: a sheet of paper slides out freely and warm, humid air leaks in, causing frost and sweating.

    After

    After: Gasket seated evenly around the door; the paper test shows resistance at every point.

    Refrigerator leaking water

How it works inside

Know the system, find the fault faster

Most repairs trace back to one stage of a simple path. These diagrams appear throughout our guides.

Cold air path in a frost-free refrigerator1 Evaporator coil+ fan (freezer)2 Cold air ductedto fresh food3 Heat released atcondenser — keep clear
In most frost-free refrigerators, all cooling happens in the freezer: a fan blows air across the evaporator coil and part of it is ducted into the fresh-food section. A stopped fan, an iced-over coil, or a blocked vent leaves the fresh-food side warm while the freezer stays cold. Heat is released at the condenser near the floor.

Dryer airflow

  1. 1HeaterElement (electric) or burner (gas)Technician
  2. 2DrumHot air passes through tumbling clothes
  3. 3Lint screenClean every loadYou can check
  4. 4DuctNo kinks or crushingYou can check
  5. 5Vent hoodFlap opens, no blockageYou can check
Air is heated, passes through the clothes and lint screen, then out through the duct and vent hood. A restriction anywhere slows drying and raises fire risk.
Kitchen with a stainless refrigerator, range, and over-the-range microwave beside a white island

How it works

From request to repair, with no guesswork about status

  1. 1Call usOne phone call. No forms, no account.
  2. 2Describe the problemBrand, model, symptoms and what you've tried.
  3. 3We check your ZIP on the callAnd we say plainly if no participating provider serves it yet.
  4. 4The provider confirms the visitPricing and appointment time come from the provider.

Independent providers set their own prices and warranties and confirm appointments directly with you. More about how it works

Service areas

Nationwide guidance. Local guides where they add something.

RepairHearth local guide coverage across the contiguous United StatesPublished local guides: Houston, Dallas, Phoenix, Las Vegas, Denver, Tampa, San Antonio, Austin, Atlanta, Minneapolis, Nashville, Oklahoma City, Sacramento, Indianapolis, Orlando, Jacksonville, Miami, Charlotte, Raleigh, Kansas City. Markets in research: Fort Worth, Columbus, Seattle, Portland, San Diego, Washington.
  • Local guide published (20)
  • Researched, not yet published
Repair guidance
All 50 states and Washington, DC — symptoms, safe checks, and repair-or-replace advice.
Local repair guides
20 metros where climate, water, housing, or utilities change the advice.
Participating providers
Call to talk through your repair.

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Decide

Repair or replace?

Age alone doesn't decide it. What failed, the quote against a comparable new unit, and how often it's been repaired matter more — and sometimes replacement is the better call.

Read the decision guide

Usually worth repairingWorth comparing with new
Fans, gaskets, belts, pumps, ignitersCompressor or refrigerant leak on an older unit
First significant repairThird repair in a short time
Built-in or panel-ready unitsDiscontinued parts
Covered by warranty or recallCracked tub, glass top, or cavity

Guides

Before you call anyone

All guides

Questions

Do you repair appliances in every state?

RepairHearth publishes repair guidance for every state. Repairs are done by independent, participating providers, added market by market. Call us to talk through your repair.

Is my appointment booked when I submit a request?

Not yet. Your request is saved, then sent to a participating provider, who contacts you to accept and confirm a time. You'll see exactly which step you're at.

Do you service my brand?

Providers list the appliance types and brands they service. Include your brand and model in the request so it reaches a provider who works on it.

What should I have ready?

Brand and model number, what's happening and since when, any error codes, and access notes for your home or building.

More questions about requesting repair

Call for appliance repair

Takes under a minute. No account needed.

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