Appliance repair on the Westside

Mar Vista: post-war houses and garage laundry

Los Angeles neighborhood

Mar Vista means 'sea view' in Spanish, and from some of its higher streets you can see why. Much of the neighborhood was built as single-family houses in the years after World War II. Among them is the Mar Vista Tract, a group of modernist houses designed by architect Gregory Ain in the late 1940s and now protected as a historic district.

In many of these homes, the washer and dryer live in the garage. Garages run hot in summer and dusty all year, which is hard on lint paths, vents and rubber hoses. A garage dryer usually vents through a short duct to the outside, and a duct that's flattened or clogged with lint often explains slow drying.

If you can reach the outside vent hood safely from the ground, feel for strong, warm air while the dryer runs. Weak or cool air there points to the duct rather than the dryer.

Palms: apartments, renters and building owners

Los Angeles neighborhood

Palms is one of the oldest neighborhoods in Los Angeles. It was founded in the 1880s and became part of the city in 1915. Today it's mostly apartment buildings, from small two-story walk-ups to large complexes, and the E Line stops at Palms station on its way between downtown and the coast.

Most people here rent, and in a rental the fridge, range and dishwasher usually belong to the building. The owner may need to approve a repair or may already have someone they call, so check with your manager or landlord before you book. It saves everyone a step.

Apartment dishwashers usually drain through the sink plumbing or a garbage disposal. A slow sink and a dishwasher full of water can share one clog, so clear the sink drain and rinse the dishwasher filter before you book.

Del Rey: mid-century houses along Ballona Creek

Los Angeles neighborhood

Del Rey is a small neighborhood of the City of Los Angeles, tucked between Mar Vista, Culver City and Ballona Creek. Some addresses here use Marina del Rey as the mailing name, which is why the two get mixed up, but Del Rey is part of the city. Most streets hold mid-century single-family houses, with small apartment buildings along the busier roads.

Laundry might be in the garage, a utility room or a hookup off the kitchen. Tell us where it is and whether there's a driveway we can pull into. A photo of the setup helps too.

A house that's been updated over the years often pairs a newer fridge or dishwasher with a kitchen built decades earlier. That's perfectly normal. Send us the make and model with your request, and we can look into parts before the visit.

Cheviot Hills: quiet streets and family houses

Los Angeles neighborhood

Cheviot Hills is a small, leafy neighborhood just south of Century City, beside Rancho Park and the Hillcrest Country Club. Most homes are single-family houses built from the 1920s through the 1950s, in a mix of traditional styles, and many have been enlarged or remodeled since.

A remodel often brings built-in refrigeration, a wall oven or a range set into custom cabinetry. Those openings are made to measure, so a replacement may not drop straight in, and repairing what's there can be the simpler path. On a built-in, the model tag usually hides inside the door or behind the grille.

Many houses here also have a side gate, a detached garage or a back entrance closer to the kitchen. A note about which way to come in, plus a photo of the model tag, helps us arrive ready.

Ladera Heights: hillside houses above the basin

Unincorporated LA County community

Ladera Heights is an unincorporated community of Los Angeles County, on the hills between Culver City, Westchester and Inglewood, with the Kenneth Hahn State Recreation Area just to the north. Its curving streets are lined mostly with single-family houses built from the late 1940s on, many on sloping lots with views across the basin.

On a sloping lot, the house may sit above or below the street, and the laundry may be a level away from the kitchen. Let us know which level the appliance is on, whether there are steps from the street, and whether we can park in the driveway.

Houses here often keep their original laundry spot while the kitchen gets updated. If a newer, bigger dryer has moved into an older space, check that its vent hose isn't squeezed flat behind it.

Also on our route

We also make house calls in Santa Monica, Beverly Hills and West Los Angeles.