Appliance Repair in Northeast Philadelphia

Fox Chase, Burholme and Lawncrest in 19111, Bustleton in 19115 and Rhawnhurst in 19152 make up a broad stretch of the Northeast near Roosevelt Boulevard. The housing mixes rowhouses with garages, twins, single homes and garden-apartment and condo complexes.

Every type has its own repair setting, from a basement laundry to a shared laundry room run by a condo board.

Many households have lived here for decades, and many newer residents have recently bought older homes. Either way, the appliances may be older than the paint, and the hookups behind them may be original.

In condo and apartment complexes, who owns each appliance matters. In-unit refrigerators and dishwashers may belong to the owner, while common laundry machines may belong to the association or a laundry route company. We work with property managers, HOAs and condo boards; just confirm who authorizes repairs and where the approval should go.

Coin- or card-operated machines owned by a route company are usually serviced by that company. Association-owned equipment can be scheduled through the board or management office, and multiple machines can be inspected on one visit.

Before an in-unit repair, ask the management office whether the building has rules for contractors, such as permitted work hours or check-in at the office, and pass those details along when you schedule.

Rowhouses and twins with garages often put the laundry in the basement next to the garage or in the garage itself. That makes service and replacement easier, but also exposes appliances to cold in winter and heat in summer. A refrigerator or freezer in the garage may struggle in both seasons.

In garden-apartment and condo units, laundry is usually stacked or compact and set inside a closet. Those units need proper airflow and a clean vent; a closet with a solid door can trap heat and make the dryer cycle off.

Plenty of households here bring in a used washer, refrigerator or range from a relative or a resale listing. Those can be good buys, but problems often appear in the first few weeks: a refrigerator moved on its side that cools poorly at first, a washer missing its shipping bolts or installed off level, or a range with the wrong orifices for natural gas.

Let a refrigerator stand upright for several hours before plugging it in after moving. Keep the model and serial numbers handy, check for recalls, and have the hookups looked at before relying on the appliance.

Used dryers also deserve a look at the vent and the power cord or gas connector they arrived with. A previous owner's hookup may not match your house, and reusing an old flexible gas connector is not recommended.

Gas dryers are common in these homes. When a gas dryer heats briefly and then quits, the culprit is usually a failing igniter, a flame sensor or gas valve coils. When it heats but runs forever, the vent is often restricted. A clean, short metal vent improves drying and reduces carbon monoxide risk.

Keep a carbon monoxide alarm near gas appliances. If you smell gas, leave the house without using switches and call PGW or 911 from outside.

Gas ranges are common here as well. Burners that light slowly, flames that are yellow instead of blue, or an oven that smells of gas when it starts should be checked promptly by a technician.