Electric or Gas: What is a better stove for you?

Oven Repair

Are you shopping for a new stove this season? The number of choices can be staggering and confusing. However, before you settle on an individual model, you'll want to address the question of whether you want a gas or an electric stove. There are advantages to each type of stove. The kind of stove that's best for you really depends on how you cook, your budget and your home.

Cooking with an electric stove

Choosing an electric stove has some distinct advantages. For one thing, buying an electric stove is virtually always less expensive than buying a gas model. In addition, if your kitchen is not equipped for a gas appliance, you'll save the expense of having a gas line run to accommodate your new stove. Electric stoves also frequently have more options, such as convention ovens and grills. An electric-powered oven is generally considered better for baking, as it cooks with dry heat and offers a more even heat distribution.

An electric stove isn't the right choice for every cook. If you live in an area with frequent power outages, an electric stove will leave you unable to cook while your neighbor with the gas range is cooking by candlelight. What's more: serious chefs complain that an electric stove has a slower response time than a gas stove. However, if the extent of your cooking arsenal is making boxed macaroni and cheese and ramen noodles, this probably isn't an issue.

Cooking with gas

Most professional chefs prefer to cook with a gas stove. Many explain that being able to adjust the flame at will gives them more control over the cooking process. For example, the cooking on a gas stove stops the instant the flame is extinguished. With an electric stove, it takes a while for the burner to cool down. Gas also offers a more even distribution of heat on the stove top.

Since the price of natural gas is lower than the price of electricity, a gas stove is generally less expensive to operate, even though the price of the stove itself is usually more expensive than an electric model. In addition to being more expensive initially, a gas stove brings with it the potential for gas leaks and fires, and the open flames of a gas range can be a hazard in a household with pets and/or small children. Baking is more of a challenge with a gas oven. Since natural gas produces moisture, baking with gas requires using higher temperatures than with an electric oven.

There's no wrong answer when deciding between an electric and a gas stove. The correct answer is choosing the type of stove that best suits your needs and your lifestyle. Regardless of your choice, be sure to read the manual and perform scheduled maintenance to ensure the long life of your stove, and delicious meals for years to come!

Campbell Appliance Heating And Air Inc
3591 Rocking J Rd
Round Rock, TX 78665
(512) 255-0506
http://www.ac-repair-round-rock.com/

Laundry Room: Making Laundry Fun

Washer & Dryer Repair

What's your idea of a fun place to do laundry? When you think about it, laundry is something that every household will be doing on a regular basis, for as long as people wear clothes or use linens. Which is pretty much unending -- and so you may as well make laundry enjoyable because it will need to be done anyway.

A nice laundry room set up is going to look different depending on how many are in the household and who is doing the laundry. The amount of room you have available will also be a factor, but even a small closet can be a fun place to do laundry.

That small closet could be painted your favorite wild color and equipped with a stackable washer and dryer. Shelves along the side or a pullout pantry slide can hold supplies on one side and a rollout hanging unit can roll out the other to put clothes on hangars as soon as they come out of the dryer.

A larger room might have a side by side washer and dryer with a counter to fold clothes and a pull-down rack to air dry delicates. It could even be incorporated into a mudroom with a spot to take off dirty boots or cleats and dump the dungarees or sports uniform right there where you'll wash them. The best laundry room is planned for the family using it and the activities they enjoy. What is annoying you about your current laundry set up? That's the thing to think about fixing. For example, are you always losing socks? A bulletin board or short clothesline could display the singletons until their match is found.

For some families, teaching the kids to do their own laundry and making them responsible for it has been the solution to their biggest laundry peeve. Put a low wide shelf in front of a top loading machine so a child can reach the controls. Other families need wheelchair accessibility. This is your place: make it fit your needs and desires, even down to the colors you choose.

The one thing that will guarantee enjoyable laundry duty is this: maintenance. If it ain't working, it ain't fun.

·         Wipe out your washer and dryer regularly. Pay attention to gaskets and seals.

·         Clean out lint traps! Do you know where they are? They can't work if they are clogged up.

·         The dryer has a lint trap you should clean out every time you use it...but it should also be gently scrubbed clean periodically to get rid of softener build up.

·         A common cause of fire is lint in the dryer vent. Make it a regular maintenance item to clean out this hazard.

·         Read the manual! Follow suggested maintenance schedules.

·         When it breaks down (and all appliances will eventually) call a reliable company to repair it.

A clean, well-maintained washer and dryer = clean clothes, strong appliances, and fun laundry for a long, long time.

Campbell Appliance Heating And Air Inc

3591 Rocking J Rd
Round Rock, TX 78665
(512) 255-0506
http://www.ac-repair-round-rock.com/

Washing the Dishwasher: A Guide To Cleaner Dishes

Dishwasher Repair

Many families consider a large and powerful dishwasher to be a necessity rather than a luxury. These appliances can take care of an entire dinner party's worth of dishes while you relax with your guests. However, a dishwasher can slowly lose its cleaning power over the years of daily use. This isn't a permanent change, and you can reverse these effects by practicing regular. Include a few simple practices as part of your spring appliance care routine as you check your refrigerator's temperature and clean out the garbage disposal.

Measure The Water's Temperature

While you may be able to wash dishes in lukewarm water if you put a lot of dish soap and elbow grease into the cleaning, hot water is required for effective scouring in the dishwasher. The heat of the water helps dissolve fats and oils. Particles of food also release their hold on the surface when moisture and warmth are combined. Check the heat of the water by setting a cup upright in the center of the top rack and pull it out with an oven mitt in the middle of a cycle. If your kitchen thermometer shows that the temperature is below 120 degrees Fahrenheit, turn up the heat. You may need to turn up your water heater or adjust the temperature dial on the unit. If you can't seem to find the temperature controls on the dishwasher, a professional appliance repair service will locate it and adjust it for you.

Clean The Filter

At the very bottom of the interior lies an important filter. This mesh sheet or cup catches food particles that fall off of the dishes and keeps them from clogging up your drains. Families that are careful to scrap off food and rinse the crumbs before loading it into the dishwasher may be able to go three to four months between cleanings. People who let the appliance do all of the scrubbing should empty the filter at least once a month. When the filter becomes clogged, the dishwasher could flood instead of draining. Keeping the filter clean and clear will protect your kitchen cabinets and floor from water damage.

Eliminate Lingering Odors

While the filter will trap most large food chunks, there are plenty of melted or dissolved residues that can gather in the drain and connecting pipes. Running an empty cycle with vinegar rather than dish soap often eliminates mild build up. If you can't dispel the smell with this simple trick, call a professional rather than trying to pour bleach or other harsh chemicals into the drain opening. These products can damage the pipes. A service technician can open up the drain and clean out debris or slime while checking if the drain is developing a clog further down the pipe.

Campbell Appliance Heating And Air Inc
3591 Rocking J Rd
Round Rock, TX 78665
(512) 255-0506
http://www.ac-repair-round-rock.com/