Appliance Repair in 08620 · Hamilton & Ewing

Water hardness varies across New Jersey, and many households in central Jersey deal with hard water. Hard water carries dissolved minerals, mostly calcium and magnesium, and those minerals leave scale wherever water is heated or evaporates. Your water supplier's annual water-quality report shows how hard your water is.

Dishwashers show scale first. Glassware comes out cloudy or spotted, the spray arms clog at their tiny nozzles, and white crust builds on the heating element and inside the door. Over time scale can slow the fill valve and reduce cleaning power. Using a rinse aid, keeping detergent fresh and running an occasional cleaning cycle with a dishwasher cleaner helps. If cloudiness wipes off with vinegar, it is mineral film; if it is permanent etching, softened water combined with too much detergent may be the cause.

Washers, refrigerators and ice makers are affected too. Scale narrows inlet screens and water valves, so washers fill slowly and ice cubes come out small. A water softener protects these appliances, but softened water needs less detergent.

When scale has caused a part to fail, we will replace it with your approval after a written estimate, and point out what to change to keep it from happening again.

Look up your water-quality report or test kit result if you have one, and tell us if your home has a softener. Remove dishes, take out the bottom rack and clear the cabinet under the sink. Note any error codes on the display.