Township, Winnebago County
Appliance Repair in Harlem Township, IL
Updated
Harlem Township in short
- 310
- mg/L, City of Loves Park water (wells untested)
- 1986
- median year built (county 1972)
- 90.7%
- heat with gas or propane (county 85.8%)
- 15,171
- occupied homes, 76.6% owned
- 310
- mg/L, City of Loves Park water (wells untested)
- 1986
- median year built (county 1972)
- 90.7%
- heat with gas or propane (county 85.8%)
- 15,171
- occupied homes, 76.6% owned
Water
How hard the water is in Harlem Township
Harlem Township's tap water carries a lot of dissolved rock. Illinois EPA's lab tested City of Loves Park water 1 time between 2018 and 2018, and the median result was 310 mg/L of total hardness, about 18.1 grains per gallon. That is a single state sample, so treat it as a snapshot rather than an average.
Homes in Harlem Township that are not on a public water main draw from private wells, and a private well is the owner's to test. Homes on a private well in Winnebago County can have their water tested through the City of Rockford Environmental Laboratory, according to the Winnebago County Health Department, which also permits and inspects private wells. The public systems listed here draw from the same regional aquifers, so their numbers are a fair first guess for a well, not a substitute for a test.
Here is where that shows up in a house. GE says hard-water buildup can damage dishwasher components over time and that a freestanding ice maker may need cleaning as often as every six months in hard water, because minerals on the freezing plate stop ice from releasing. Angi notes that ice maker water inlet valves are prone to mineral buildup, and InterNACHI warns that the mineral content of water can shorten a water heater's life. If your dishwasher has a hardness setting, set it to your number; GE's SmartDispense models take it from a test strip.
Housing
The homes in Harlem Township
There is no single era to Harlem Township's housing. 41.1% of homes were built before 1980 and 23.1% since 2000, with a median year built of 1986 (Winnebago County: 1972).
76.7% of homes have three or more bedrooms and 18% have four or more (Winnebago County: 60.4% and 18.7%) . That is a typical family-sized housing stock for the Rockford area. 76.6% of households own their home.
Harlem Township vs Winnebago County
| Measure | Harlem Township | Winnebago County |
|---|---|---|
| Residents | 39,116 | 283,292 |
| Occupied homes | 15,171 | 116,014 |
| Owner-occupied | 76.6% | 65.9% |
| Median year built | 1986 | 1972 |
| Built before 1960 | 15.3% | 35.5% |
| Built 2000 or later | 23.1% | 13.6% |
| Single-family detached | 77.1% | 70.4% |
| Three or more bedrooms | 76.7% | 60.4% |
| Heat with utility gas | 90% | 83.5% |
| Heat with propane or tank gas | 0.7% | 2.3% |
| Heat with electricity | 8.6% | 13% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2024 5-year (2020-2024), tables B01003, B25003, B25024, B25034, B25035, B25040 and B25041.
Gas, propane or electric
What powers the appliances in Harlem Township
The Census asks how each home is heated. In Harlem Township, 90% of households use utility (piped) gas, 0.7% use bottled or tank gas such as propane, and 8.6% use electricity (Winnebago County: 83.5%, 2.3% and 13%). Heating fuel is not the same as cooking fuel, but a house with a gas furnace already has gas piped in, which is what makes a gas range or gas dryer an easy choice.
Natural gas dominates in Harlem Township. For a gas appliance the first checks are simple: Whirlpool says a gas dryer drum will turn but not heat if the shutoff valve is closed, and GE says most burners that click without lighting are wet, dirty or have a misplaced cap. If you smell gas, Nicor Gas says to leave first and call 888-642-6748 and 911 from outside.
Old appliances
Getting rid of an old appliance in Harlem Township
- Garbage hauler
- In unincorporated Winnebago County, County Code Sec. 70-4 requires garbage to be kept in covered metal or plastic containers and removed at least once a week, and every household generating garbage has to keep a record of who is removing it. Garbage hauling vehicles must hold a county permit. source
Whatever hauler a Harlem Township household uses, the state rule is the same: Illinois has banned white goods from landfills since July 1, 1994 unless their mercury switches, refrigerant and PCB components are removed (Illinois EPA, 415 ILCS 5/22.28), and federal rules put the refrigerant recovery duty on the final disposer, who must keep a signed statement for a fridge that arrives empty. Before replacing, see repair or replace.
About Harlem Township. Harlem Township is a civil township with 39,247 residents and 16,565 housing units at the 2020 census. Wikipedia
ZIP codes. 61115 (33% of its land), 61111 (27% of its land), 61011 (21% of its land), 61073 (20% of its land). Census 2020
Nearby, sharing a ZIP code with Harlem Township
Common questions
Appliance repair questions, Harlem Township
How hard is the water in Harlem Township?
Illinois EPA lab samples of City of Loves Park water from 2018 to 2018 had a median of 310 mg/L of total hardness, about 18.1 grains per gallon. The USGS calls anything over 180 mg/L very hard.
Who picks up an old appliance in Harlem Township?
In unincorporated Winnebago County, County Code Sec. 70-4 requires garbage to be kept in covered metal or plastic containers and removed at least once a week, and every household generating garbage has to keep a record of who is removing it. Garbage hauling vehicles must hold a county permit. Ask the hauler about appliances before setting one out: Illinois bans white goods from landfills unless their refrigerant, mercury switches and PCB parts are removed.
How old are the homes in Harlem Township?
The median home was built in 1986. 15.3% were built before 1960 and 23.1% in 2000 or later, according to the Census Bureau's 2020 to 2024 American Community Survey.
Do homes in Harlem Township use gas or electric appliances?
For heating, 90% of households use utility gas, 0.7% propane or other tank gas and 8.6% electricity (Census ACS 2020 to 2024). Where gas is piped in, gas dryers and ranges are common.
What does appliance repair cost in Harlem Township?
National 2026 cost guides put a refrigerator repair at $150 to $400, a washer at $180 to $250, a dryer at $100 to $430 and an oven at $130 to $310, with a $70 to $130 service call for the visit and diagnosis. The technician quotes the exact price before any work starts.
Appliance down in Harlem Township?
Tell us the appliance, the brand and what it is doing. A local technician who covers Harlem Township calls back with a time and a price before any work starts.