Top rated appliance repair techs discuss motor failure
Most of us don’t think about it but our daily lives are powered by a lot of different types of motors. In fact, almost every appliance in the house runs on at least one motor. The refrigerator has a motor, as do your washer, dryer, dishwasher, and vacuum cleaner. Your AC has one, as does the furnace and well if either are featured in your home and that’s not even bothering to go into the detailed differences between the motors in each appliance. However, one thing that all motors have in common is that they need appliance repair and to be well-maintained to run smoothly and no motor lasts forever.
When an appliance dies, quite often the problem is with the motor itself which can often be replaced to breathe new life into your possessions. If you have an appliance, HVAC system, well pump, or another motor in your house that’s been behaving strangely, it may be time to call for repairs. Here are the 5 clearest signs that a motor is on its last legs.
1) Overheating
The number one sign of a motor working too hard for not enough result is overheating. Motors naturally generate heat and are almost always warm to the touch but usually, they are not meant to burn your hands or scorch nearby objects. If your motor has begun to give off what seems to be a dangerous amount of heat, the first step anyone should take is to unplug the device and clean the motor along with the area around it. This is because a thick blanket of dust can trap heat causing overheating problems with otherwise healthy motors. If, after cleaning, you’re still having a heat problem, call a professional for a consultation and don’t be surprised if you need a replacement.
2) Signs of Moisture
Moisture is one of the most common motor killers unless the motor was built to be submerged as they often are with well pumps. Moisture is most likely to become a problem with furnace motors and motors that are part of a machine that also handles water like the washer or dishwasher. If either condensation or leaks saturate your motor, the damage can be either temporary or permanent depending on the extent that the water got into your motor. Check around for signs of dew or puddles to see if this could be your problem.
3) Excessive Noise Needs Appliance Repair
Motors usually operate with a light hum. When your refrigerator hums, for instance, that sound is the motor running the compressor. However, when something has gone wrong inside your motor or it’s working much harder than it should to accomplish the task at hand, the noise can increase and even become irritatingly irregular. If a motor in your home has recently become much louder or less routine than usual, this could be a serious problem with the performance and you’ll want to call a professional for a consultation, especially if the motor is also hot or cold to the touch.
4) Unusual Power Consumption
Another sign that a motor in your house isn’t doing well and may need replacing is a spike in your power bill. When an appliance can’t achieve it’s performance goals, it tends to draw more power or stay in a high-power state trying to reach its ideal state. This happens with AC if the filters aren’t clean, for instance, because the air has to blow much harder to get through clogged filters. Likewise, if a motor is working too hard, creating too much heat, and/or consumes more than the usual amount of power, it could easily be on its last legs. Just don’t forget to clear the dust out first before giving up your motor, as dust is terrible for machine efficiency.
5) Unreliable Performance
Finally, while all the previous signs could also indicate a motor in need of maintenance and repair, one of the clearest signs of a nearly dead motor is unreliable or intermittent performance. Motors often change modes during the day from off to low to high but they also perform steadily when not switching modes. If your motor has been revving and giving up several times a day, it’s definitely time to start looking into a new model.
Motors are a central part of modern technological luxury but most people only think about motors as having to do with cars. In truth, there’s a motor in almost every appliance or tool you use and if it starts to malfunction or gets too old, the only way to maintain your comfortable modern lifestyle is to find a replacement or an expert repair service. If you have started noticing any of these signs in one of your home appliances, contact us and we’ll help you take care of that ailing motor and get your appliance back into fine working condition. For more information about SoBellas Home Services give us a call.
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