Care and Maintenance Tips for Your Appliances

We love our appliances, don't we? Our dryers, washers, refrigerators, trash compactors, dishwashers, sinks, stoves, grills, air conditioners, heaters, does it ever end?  They make our lives so much easier. However, we often forget to take proper care of them. Proper care and maintenance of your appliances is critical to their survival. Maybe it is because our lives are so busy that we often do not have the time to follow the simple care and maintenance tips that are mentioned in the brochures. Yet we spend a small fortune to companies like Westinghouse, Viking, Frigidaire, Kenmore and others to get the best. We need to understand that appliances require a certain amount of care and maintenance. Not only that, they need proper maintenance because improper maintenance can damage the appliances

Electric or Gas Stove

• If the gas appliance is not working, that could be because the pilot light has gone out. If it has, be careful when lighting it but soon you will be cooking.
• When your gas stove starts giving yellow flames, it usually indicates that there is some sort of problem with the stove. Get it checked.
• Do not store paints, solvents and other chemicals near the gas appliance. They are very flammable.
• Replace your electric burner if the stove is not working.

Refrigerator

• Check the door seal occasionally to ensure that it is okay. If it is not okay, then you may need to adjust the door or replace the seal. A bad seal or miss-aligned door could secretly be costing you a fortune in wasted energy costs.
• Exposed condenser coils should be vacuumed regularly for proper air circulation.
• Keep the temperature constant to prevent food from spoiling

Washing Machine

• Never overload the washing machine because that can throw it out of balance.
• Putting too much detergent is not good for your washing machine.
• Clean the cold water inlet regularly.
• Clean out the lint trap because the unit needs to breathe. Don't know where it is? It is usually right next to the door opening. You will know if it is full, as heat will not be able to travel to your clothes, and they will take much longer to dry!
• Lower the water temperature to warm wash and cold rinse to reduce your energy bills.
• Occasionally run the washing machine empty with hot water and put in a quarter cup of baking soda. This will clean out the washing machine. Of course, be sure to check the manual first.
• If your washing machine is rattling, check if it is leveled properly.
• Never let lint or debris accumulate under the dryer because that can become a fire hazard.
• Replace your old washing machine hoses with tougher metal hoses.

Water Heater

• Set your water heater temperature under 120 degrees to prevent scalding injuries.
• Keep the path from the water heater to the floor drain clear so as to minimize flood damage.

General Tips

• If you are using an extension cord, make sure that it is the right size for your needs, and away from any water.
• Always ensure that the extension cord connections are secure.
• If an appliance is not working, first test the outlet with a lamp or radio. many times, it is simply the outlet or breaker that has tripped.
• Taking proper care of your appliances ensures that they last longer and give efficient performance. Moreover, proper care and maintenance also prevents accidents like fire and flooding. By following proper care and maintenance and operational tips, you also help save energy dollars. It takes no time at all to follow the care and maintenance tips. It is better to give some time to maintenance procedures than pay hundreds of dollars to the repair man.