Cold side of the kitchen
A refrigerator that runs all the time, feels warm or leaks needs its condenser area and airflow looked at first; see condenser and airflow care and a refrigerator that runs constantly. If the fresh-food side is warm while the freezer stays cold, read this walkthrough. Codes such as FF, DE / dE and PF are explained in the code library. Our refrigerator repair page covers the rest.
Freezers show a different pattern: frost that keeps coming back, or a controller reporting E8 or E9. Start with frost buildup and the freezer repair page. Ice that stops arriving belongs with a stopped refrigerator ice maker or ice maker cleaning and water supply, and the ice maker service page. A wine cooler that wanders off temperature is covered in temperature drift and door seal and loading; the wine cooler repair page has the service side.
Water and laundry
| Symptom | Safe check | What it can point to |
|---|---|---|
| Dishwasher leaves water in the tub | Visible drain hose, air gap, disposer | A drain restriction; see C3 and FTD / F56 |
| Water on the kitchen floor | Door seal, supply valve | See water in front of the dishwasher |
| Washer ends with water in the drum | Drain hose position, load balance | See water left in the drum |
| Dryer runs but clothes stay damp | Lint screen, vent run outside | See damp clothes after a full cycle |
For dishwashers, also try filter and loading habits and the dishwasher repair page; H2O means the unit saw too little water at fill. Washers add UE for an unbalanced load, and front-loaders can develop odor, covered in gasket care. If a washer will not stop filling, read this guide and book through the washer repair page.
Dryers that smell hot or burnt deserve attention right away: burning smell or too hot and lint and vent path cover it, and gas or electric explains why the fuel matters. See dryer repair.
Cooking and ventilation
Ranges and wall ovens report trouble through F-codes, such as F3 and F9, and each one asks for a technician. Slow preheating is discussed in oven preheat problems, a locked door after cleaning in the self-clean lock, and a gas burner that clicks without lighting in burner clicks, no flame. If gas is in the air, leave the home first. Before booking, collect the details in what to note, then see range repair or wall oven repair.
Microwaves bring sparks and sudden stops: sparks inside, stops mid-cycle, and codes like F1. See microwave repair. A hood with weak airflow or a dead fan is covered by weak airflow and noise and the range hood repair page.
Built-in and countertop extras
A few smaller symptoms come up often. A microwave that shows 888 after a power blip is simply asking for the clock to be set, which the PF / 888 entry confirms. A washer that says Lid wants the lid opened and closed before the next cycle, as the Lid code page explains. A top-load washer showing dE is telling you the lid is open. These are the simplest problems to resolve, so check them before you worry.
In older San Francisco buildings, shared laundry rooms and long dryer vent runs are common, and so are tight cabinet cutouts around microwaves and hoods. When the same symptom keeps returning after the usual checks, the cause is often something about the installation rather than the appliance, and a visit can sort that out.
Still unsure?
Write down what you see, take a photo of the label and any code, then send a request. The FAQ answers the usual questions about estimates and approval.