Something's not working? Check these first.
Pick the appliance, find the symptom, and work the list in order — what to look at first, the likely cause, the fix, and the point where it becomes a warranty call. Most of these take ten minutes and a flashlight.
The 60-second check
Four things to do before any symptom on any page. Half of every "it's dead" call is one of these.
Find the plate
The model and serial plate sits inside the door, behind the kick plate, on the back or on the lid. Every warranty call, part and manual starts with those two numbers.
Prove the power
A dead outlet looks exactly like a dead machine. Plug a lamp or a phone charger into the same outlet; a 240V outlet needs both breaker legs, so reset the breaker fully off and then on.
Read the manual's own reset
Most control boards reset by unplugging the machine for five minutes. Many error codes clear on their own once the cause is fixed — write the code down before you clear it.
Look before you order
Water, gas and 240V work belong to a licensed installer. Everything below is safe to look at with the machine unplugged or the gas shut off at the valve.
Brand new? Read this first
A new oven smokes on its first heat, a new dishwasher can have water in it, and a new refrigerator pops and gurgles. Before you troubleshoot a machine that has just arrived, see what is normal for it.
Symptom by symptom, kind by kind
When it's not a DIY moment
Everything on these pages is safe to look at with the machine unplugged or the gas shut off. These three are not a look — secure the appliance and call.
Gas smell
Close the appliance's shutoff valve if you can reach it safely, open a window, leave the room, and call the gas utility from outside. No switches, no flames.
Burnt smell, a melted plug, arcing
Shut the breaker off, not just the appliance. A scorched cord, plug or outlet means an electrician looks before anything is plugged back in.
Water that will not stop
Close the supply valve at the appliance first (washer, dishwasher, fridge line, water heater cold inlet), then unplug. Mop before you diagnose.
Text us the model number and what it's doing — we'll point you at the next step.
A fix, a part, or a warranty call — the plate's model and serial plus one line about the symptom is all it takes to tell which.
These pages are educational. Every appliance is a little different — follow the manufacturer's manual and local code, and leave gas, water heater and 240V work to a licensed installer.
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