Monday, February 27, 2012

How to Organize Your Wine Refrigerator

Being a wine connoisseur, you know the importance of proper temperature and storage. You keep your collection preserved in a wine cooler or refrigerator, providing an ideal home and storage space for your family’s favorite dinner-time beverage.


As your collection grows, it is helpful to adopt a separation strategy for your wine cooler. Here are a few ways to keep your wine separated:

  • Color/Type:
    • Separating your wine by color is the easiest strategy to organize your collection and doesn’t require as much knowledge of wine as the Maitre d' at the Italian restaurant around the corner. Sort the reds from whites, cabernets from pinots and your collection will begin to show some organization.

  • Geographic Location:
    • Wine color and flavor varies drastically from location to location. Try organizing your collection by country – keeping your Italian moscato separated from your California sauvignon blanc. You can take your collection even further by organizing by color/type after separating by location.

  • Brand:
    • Another simple way to organize your wine cooler is to separate your collection by brand. Separating by brand works great if you continually buy certain brands or have a special affinity for a specific winery.  

  • Price:
    • A truly special wine should be saved and shared with special people. Organizing your collection by price is a great way to determine when to bring out your best bottle for enjoyment.

 
If you own a Wine Enthusiast wine cellar cooler or refrigerator and it is not working correctly or if your Wine Enthusiast control board needs repair – do not fear the well-being of your favorite vino. CoreCentric Solutions, based out of the Greater Chicago Area offers a return for repair service on the following parts for a variety of models (Part No: 280-06-26-98 & 280-06-26-00). For more information on CoreCentric Solutions’ RFR, call (866) 737-2244 or visit http://www.corecentricusa.com.

Thursday, February 16, 2012

What is the ideal temperature for your refrigerator?

When you open your refrigerator, you see a world where your fresh produce, lunchmeats and favorite beverages live harmoniously. What you don’t see is the ongoing, microscopic battle between your food and the bacteria that is attempting to overthrow your refrigerator and stake claim on everything from your Clementine oranges to the Chipotle burrito you did not have room to finish.

 
Your refrigerator’s job is to keep the items inside preserved – slowing the growth of bacteria and keeping your food fresh. The low temperature creates an environment that keeps your food items edible and tasty while keeping bacteria in check. The lower the temperature, the fewer bacteria can thrive and multiply on your food.

 
So what is the best temperature to keep your refrigerator? If you keep your refrigerator too cold, your vegetables get mushy and your Diet Coke cans explode causing a sticky mess. Keep your refrigerator level too warm and bacteria will overrun your entire fridge spoiling all of your items, wasting food and requiring another trip to the grocery store.

 
The best temperature to keep your refrigerator is anywhere between 35 and 38 degrees Fahrenheit. Keeping your fridge in this “sweet spot” will prolong the life of your food and keep bacteria at bay. Most refrigerators have temperature control settings, commonly located in the back of the unit. Newer models even have the temperature panels located on the refrigeration door for easy temperature adjustment. Depending on the contents in your fridge, the temperature will vary which is why it is important to take the time and determine the optimal setting regularly.

 
By achieving the ideal temperature for your refrigerator, you can prolong the life of your foods, save money and energy, and avoid sharing your favorite dish with your microscopic adversary. Here are a few great tips to keep your refrigerator running in tip-top shape:

 
  • Clean your refrigerators condenser coils at the bottom and in the back. Freeing up dust particles makes it easier for your refrigerator to obtain the proper temperature - saving money and electricity
  • Overloading your refrigerator with lots of warm food upsets the temperature and condensation balance. Let your food cool off a bit before putting it away
  • Refrigerators and freezers operate best when they are full and have space between the items for cold air to circulate – put your Tetris skills to work!
  • Close the door! When your refrigerator door is open, you let out more cold air than you think. Do your best to avoid keeping the door open for extended periods of time
  • Refrigerator seals wear out over time and let the cool air out causing your fridge to constantly be running in the cooling cycle. Take a dollar bill and close the refrigerator door on it. If the bill easily slides out, you may need to replace your seal

 
Is your refrigerator not working at all? If you cannot diagnose the problem you may need to have a repair technician come take a look. Choosing the Right Appliance Repair Technician is important to ensure your appliance gets back to running in tip-top shape.

 
Occasionally, refrigerators will need to have their control board replaced. If the refrigerator part is no longer available for purchase, try CoreCentric Solutions’ Return for Repair service to breathe new life back into your old appliance! Our fast turnaround time of 24-48 hours gets your appliance back working again in no time and saves you the hassle of purchasing a new refrigerator. Call 1866-737-2244 for more information on our Return for Repair service.

Friday, February 10, 2012

Bringing Old Appliances Back To Life

By William Hageman, Chicago Tribune reporter
February 10, 2012

A simple broken part can often signal the end of a major appliance, sending a consumer out to shop for a new refrigerator, stove, air conditioner or clothes dryer.

To make matters worse, if that old appliance isn't collected by the retailer, it's hauled to the curb.

A Glendale Heights business, however, has a better idea.

CoreCentric Solutions remanufactures electronic and electromechanical controls, taking previously useless items and putting them back in circulation.

"We're in the green business, the sustainability business," said Badal Wadia, CoreCentric's president and CEO. "We're providing a service where there's a need. Parts cost a lot today. And we're keeping parts from going into landfills."

There are several components to the 16-year-old company's operation: It remanufactures nearly 30,000 pieces a month; it is a supplier of parts for all major brands in the appliance, fitness and heating, ventilation and air conditioning industries; it has a booming return for repair service; and last year it started an appliance recycling program that has gone national. Advances in technology are opening doors.

"Basically, you have to keep service parts alive seven years," Wadia said. "Some expensive brands keep them alive longer. In the old days with a washer, say, the colors would change, the knobs would change, but the guts stayed the same 15 years. … Today, technology is speeding up. Things change quicker."

As manufacturers move on to products with more advanced parts, consumers will have a 4-year-old dishwasher that is outdated.

When a manufacturer can no longer supply a part, consumers, service people and third-party warranty providers turn to CoreCentric (corecentricsolutions.com).

"It can be an economic catastrophe, global conditions or it's just not economical for them to produce the part," Wadia said. "We fit in. We're between the original supply manufacturer and the consumer. From the end consumer to manufacturers to third-party service providers, we run the gamut."

CoreCentric repairs nearly 5,000 parts, he explained. "In most cases, unless it's broken into pieces or burned up, we can make the repairs."

The process begins with CoreCentric's 30-person electrical and mechanical engineering staff, which analyzes and tests each item. They then write the book, literally, on repairs, preparing a work instructions book that is used on the production floor.

"From an engineer's perspective, (the job) is great because they get to see so many lines of products: microwaves, dishwashers, ranges, built-in ovens, all kinds of cooktops," Wadia said.
When the engineers are finished, the repair crew has a detailed road map for each product, including its specs, possible areas of trouble, how repairs should be made and how the remanufactured item should be tested.

Donna Barbic, vice president of sales, said that when the engineers are done, all the questions have been answered and the issue has been debugged. Mechanical parts are torn down into individual components, then rebuilt. The finished product has essentially been remanufactured.
"We're not just going to repair the flat," Wadia said. "We'll replace all four tires."

He said that consumers are often surprised not only that CoreCentric's service is available, but also at the cost.

Replacing a refrigerator with a decent model can cost $1,500 to $2,000, and a built-in range can cost from $500 to $7,000. Typically, though, a failed part can be replaced for $60 to $120. Some are a little more, of course, such as parts that are not as frequently called for. Others can run a little less.

Also impressive is the turnaround. The return-for-repair service, for example, generally takes 24 to 48 hours. And even that time frame may be a little misleading.

"Most of our repairs come in through a parcel service," Wadia said, "so by the time they arrive and we get them into the system, a day is gone."

And with 10 employees dedicated to the return-for-repair service, some customers can wait for their part to be worked on.

"We even had somebody drive from Indianapolis to get a part fixed," Wadia said. "He called and arranged it ahead of time, and came in and waited for it."

Wadia said that in the last two years the company has added more than 100 employees as it has expanded its offerings. (One of 2011's successful strategies was the appliance recycling program. Recycling units were set up at six Chicago-area locations of Automatic Appliance Parts. Later, D&L Parts Co. instituted a program at locations in North and South Carolina, and Dey Distributing did the same at locations throughout the North Central U.S.)

Wadia plans to add 40 or 50 employees this year. Down the line, the company could grow more, tackling small appliances, for example.

"We see that depot repair is an area where we have room for growth," Barbic said. "Refurbishing the entire product, not just the components as we do today."
And, she said, "We're always asked about nonappliance items. Games, musical instruments all have electronic components. We could parlay that into depot repair as well."

Friday, February 3, 2012

Choosing an Appliance Repair Technician

Keeping your household running can be a daunting task! Your famous casserole dish needs to be ready by 6:00, and your son has a pile of laundry you can barely see over. Luckily, your trusted washing machine and oven have stood by you for years – keeping your clothes fresh and bright and your family’s stomachs from grumbling.


Unfortunately, when your home appliances stop working, life keeps going. Your son’s laundry pile soon engulfs his room and the toaster oven just won’t cut it for your casserole. What are you going to do?


As commander-in-chief of your household, there are a few different options to get your appliances back into working condition. Many household appliance issues can be solved with a little do-it-yourself knowledge and a screwdriver. Over the course of your appliance’s life, hundreds of dollars can be saved on costly repair bills through proper maintenance and quick-fixes.


Sometimes your home toolbox will not be enough to get your appliance working properly and a repair service will need to come take a look. It is important to do your research and find a trusted, experienced technician to resolve your appliance issue.


A great place to start your search for the right repair service is by calling the manufacturer of your appliance. The manufacturer will most likely be able to give you a list of certified repair servicers in your area. Many times, the manufacturer can give you information on your product, decipher any error messages, walk you through troubleshooting procedures or even identify the problem over the phone.


Word-of-mouth is another way to find quality service. Neighbors, friends and family may have insight on a local, trusted repair service to get your appliance running again. If your neighbor had a great experience with a service, chances are you will have exceptional results as well.


Your local yellow pages or an online search is another way to locate servicers in your area. These are two great tools to find a repair service; however, it is important to do your homework before you select a servicer. Check to see if the servicer is accredited through the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and is in good standing. Lots of great information is available on the BBB website that can give you an understanding of the company you to let into your home to handle your appliance. Simply enter your zip code and the servicer’s name!


Another way to find local, trusted repair service is through online membership sites like Angie’s List and Service Magic. For an annual fee, Angie’s List will give you access to an online database where consumers rate the service they receive on many different aspects from price to quality of work to ensure you receive the best work possible. Service Magic is a free alternative that gets you in contact with trusted and screened servicers in your area.


What is next after you think you have located the right servicer for your appliance? After finding a trusted repair service, it is important to be sure that you receive a fair quote for the labor performed and/or parts associated with the repair. Keep in mind that some servicers charge fees for a variety of things. Ask before work is performed to avoid surprises on your statement.


In some cases, the appliance does not work due to a malfunctioning or faulty control. The repairman will likely replace it with a new or refurbished part. What happens if the part is no longer available?


Just because the part you need is no longer available does not mean your appliance is doomed to the end of the driveway. CoreCentric Solutions, located out of Glendale Heights, IL offers a wide range of repair services for appliance controls that are no longer available. This solution allows you to avoid a costly product replacement; and will keep your appliance operational for years to come! Control board repairs are performed in-house at CoreCentric Solutions are usually within 2-4 business days after receipt and carry a full 6 month warranty. Visit their website or call 1-888-737-2244 for more information.