It’s About Time: Semi-annual appeal to save someone’s life…maybe your own.

March 9th, the nation will be moving back to daylight savings time, resetting our clocks and losing sleep…so remember to reset your clocks this Saturday night. Time is short and goes by quickly. It is also time to change the batteries for safety’s sake. Take the time in the spring and in the fall to replace those semi or fully worn out batteries in all of your smoke detectors. While most detectors provide that wonderfully annoying beep, some do not and the batteries might be too weak to even do that. That annoying beep, is the reminder that time is ticking, like a potential time bomb to a tragedy, change the battery! Countless tragedies occur with the loss of life and severe injury to people and pets needlessly when a simple, functioning smoke detector could have provided the life saving alert to get loved ones out from harms way to safety. Please do not roll the dice…get the battery’s and find the time to replace them. The same can be said of monoxide detectors, they save lives. In fact, they are required in Illinois by law. Generally, monoxide detectors become less critical by spring, but with the country being held firm in the grip of winter 2014, we are still housebound. Homes and buildings remain shuttered from the cold, and all monoxide threats continue to press on. Punxsutawney Phil was right, it’s going to be a long winter, but don’t blame him, he’s just a groundhog. Digital readout monoxide detectors sample the air every few minutes to eliminate false positive alarms and to ensure a positive alarm if necessary. Please, be sure you have a functioning digital readout monoxide detector within 15 feet of any sleeping quarters as the life saving alarm it is designed to be. The life it saves may be your own. Time, the bi-annual time change remains a powerful symbolic marker, a powerful call to action to check other household items that may have been neglected over time. Clogged dryer vents are one of the primary causes of house fires, serious injury and even death in our nation, completely preventable. Please, check and clean those dryer vents! Insurance companies will reference household water damage from floods directly as a result of burst washing machine hoses. If they are not braided stainless steel, please replace them. The same can be said of plastic icemaker water supply lines, replace them. Plastic lines while inexpensive dry out and become brittle and crack, causing unexpected slow to fast water leaks. They should be stainless braided or solid copper lines up to the icemaker or refrigerator. Gas leaks and fires from old worn out leaking gas connectors that connect dryers, ranges and stoves to the buildings are also sources of safety concerns. They rust from the inside, become brittle and crack as well. If not stainless, replace them. Even professional property management teams need the nudge and reminder to get those connectors replaced or at minimum checked and inspected and well as checked for monoxide output. Safety first is not just a quip or phrase tag line, it is crucial. The life you save just might be your own. Written by James C Dolbeare CSM, the Appliance Mr Fix it, President/Ceo of AAA appliance Service Center in Chicago www.aaaasc.com and President of United Servicers Association a premier North American international trade organization

Annual Condenser Cleanings

Refrigerators require a minimal amount of maintenance to run effectively; however, this regular maintenance should be done annually to get the longest and most efficient life out of your refrigerator, wine cooler, freezer or any other refrigeration appliance. The condenser coil should be cleaned at 12 month (or less) intervals. This essential maintenance is quickly and easily performed in an hour or less, and the procedure and recommendation can be found in your refrigerator's "Use and Care Manual."

Condensor cleaning is a service we provide to our customers on a regularly scheduled maintenance service should you so desire. We do provide 2 levels of service for our customers: Standard condensor cleaning with spray application and the NuCalgon cleaning with special disinfecting pads and application.

For those who prefer to do this essential cleaning themselves:

== Steps ==
1. First and foremost. IMPORTANT -- Disconnect. Shut off the circuit breaker, remove the fuse or slide the refrigerator away from the wall as needed(use care to avoid damage to the floor) AND UNPLUG the refrigerator's plug from the electrical outlet. SHUT OFF WATER SUPPLY LINES if equipped with ice maker or water dispenser.
2. Locate the condenser coil. There are two sets of coils for cooling appliances like refrigerators, they are called the evaporator and condenser coils. Overly simplified, the two coils are filled with gas and liquid respectively. The gas filled evaporator coil is located in the space to be cooled, and performs the task by absorbing heat from that space. It is usually protected from damage and out of view inside the freezer section. The "heated" gas is compressed by the compressor, where it is further heated (hot to the touch) by the compression process. The heated gas and liquid is passed through the condenser coil that is located away from the cooled space. This condenser coil is where some of the heat in the liquid is released to the air. The cooled liquid is then drawn through the expansion valve by the suction of the compressor, where the liquid immediately boils off to a gas. This causes the temperature of the gas to drop significantly (well below freezing) in the evaporator coil. The process repeats until the thermostat in the space is satisfied. Because the condenser coil is exposed to the ambient air on the refrigerator, it requires regular cleaning. There are a few locations that the condenser coil may be
3. Older refrigerators have the coil (a grid-like structure often painted black) mounted on the rear of the refrigerator.

4. Newer refrigerators often position the condenser coil at the bottom of the refrigeration unit; however, it can be located at the top of the refrigeration unit. It is likely that a fan (that may or may not be readily visible) will be directed at the coil to assist with heat dissipation. Use a flashlight to assist locating the coil and fan if needed. The coil will be accessible from one of two places:
a. Toe space panel. Remove the panel at the bottom of the front of the refrigerator and carefully slide the condensate tray out (if present, the condensate tray may contain water). A visual inspection upward into this space may reveal a flat condenser coil when located here.
b. Rear access panel. If not found behind the toe space, the refrigerator will have to be slid away from the wall further to work from behind. Disconnect water supply lines if too short to allow enough room to work. Remove the fasteners that holds an access panel in position. The condenser coil may be flat, but will likely be cylindrical in shape when located here.
5. Disconnect power. IMPORTANT: Make sure the power to the refrigerator is disconnected.
6. Vacuum the coil. With a plastic crevice or brush attachment, carefully vacuum dirt and dust wherever it is seen. Use care not to damage the fins or coil. A breech created in the coil will allow the refrigerant to escape and will likely result in an expensive repair.
7. Vacuum the fan. If the fan is visible and accessible, cleaning it will help it move air across the condenser coil as designed. Dirt and dust, if allowed to accumulate on the fan blades, decreases airflow, affects balance and can contribute to early failure of the compressor.
8. Brush away stubborn dirt and dust. Use a narrow paint brush to gently remove stubborn dirt and dust from the coil and fan if able to get sufficient access.
9. Slide refrigerator back into position, taking care not to damage the floor. Plug the refrigerator back into wall outlet. Arrange any water supply lines and power cords so that they will not be kinked or crushed by the refrigerator.

Space Heater Dangers

AAA Appliance Service Center recognizes that space heaters take the chill out of a room, but NICOR Gas remindes us to use them with caution. If you use a space heater, be sure it includes a tipover switch that shuts the unit off automatically should it accidentally turn over. Keep space heaters off of carpeting and three feet from draperies, blankets or sofas. Stay warm, but stay safe.

Clean Oven a Few Weeks Before or After Holidays!

*Warning**

Using your oven's self-clean feature can expose weak spots in your oven components. If you have not cleaned your oven yet, either wait until you are done with all of your cooking, or clean it before you start so you can have it up and running should there be any service issues. If your oven fails a few days before the holidays, you might not get it repaired in time for the upcoming holidays due to part order delays. It is a busy time for shipping packages. Give yourself enough time to take care of all your holiday service needs.

If you do have a last minute emergency call us. We are here to help and have many parts in stock.

$20.00 off on any completed repair at AAA Appliance Service Center - Dexknows.com

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AAA Appliance Techs receive Alto-Shaam Combi-Oven Training

On October 25-26, Alto-Shaam (www.alto-shaam.com) hosted a training seminar that our commercial technicians attended on electric and gas combi-ovens, upright unibody warmers, cook and hold systems and quickchillers at the world headquarters in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin. It was lead by Ken Kruesher who had to leave and catch a ship on Norweigan cruise lines where 86 of these units are aboard. Alto-Shaam is the premier manufacturer of the patented cook and hold system and gas and electric combi-ovens which are manufactured in Wisconsin and utilized worldwide. Their products are used at finer hotels like the Peninsula, the Palmer House, The Park Hilton as well as museums like the Art Institute of Chicago, large catering operations, cruise lines, casinos, Dominicks (Safeway) and Jewel grocery stores as well as the Department of Defense.

Change the Time. Change the Batteries and Check Carbon Monoxide Detectors

• It's time for us to turn the clocks back. We begin to stay indoors with our windows closed and fireplaces burning. It is also time to change the batteries in our smoke detectors, and to make sure we have functioning carbon monoxide detectors located within 15 feet of our bedrooms. Monoxide detectors are required by Illinois State Law since January 2009. Many people are still not aware of this legislation to keep us safe. We recommend monoxide detectors that have a digital display like the Nighthawk brand that minimizes false readings by resampling the air every two minutes. This protects your family from severe injury by providing accurate readings, and protects the community by minimizing false positives which require response by your local fire protection district. Save the fire department the hassle by purchasing a good monoxide detector. The life you save may be your own. The Kiddie Nighthawk brand is available through our office or request one on-line at www.aaaasc.com at the Contact Us link.