March 22, 2010
Appliance Maintenance Advice – from RepairClinic.com
Appliance Maintenance Advice
We all have stories. A few years ago, our washing machine hose ruptured. Water leaked throughout the night and in the morning we discovered a deluge in our basement. Another time, when the kids were very young and we felt overwhelmed, our dryer stopped working. We called the repairman only to discover that we had completely forgotten that the filter needs to be cleaned. Cleaned frequently.
Well, many of these appliance problems can be avoided if you follow some basic procedures and maintenance routines. Here are a few suggestions from the experts at RepairClinic.com:
- Keep your appliances clean – Some can be cleaned with general household cleaners, but many require specialized cleaners. For example, to remove a moldy smell from your front-loading washer, try a product called Affresh. Just run it through the wash cycle and your machine will smell fresh and clean. Smooth cooktops on ranges must be cleaned with a special cleaner. If you use an abrasive chemical, not designed for cooktops, you could easily ruin the glass surface.
- Change the filters – If your appliance has a filter, it needs to be cleaned or changed on a regular basis. This is true for the filter on your refrigerator water dispenser; your microwave filter; and, the lint filter on your dryer. Don’t wait for something to go wrong. Be proactive.
- Don’t forget to remove the mold, rust, lime, etc. – Prevent buildup in your dishwasher, which can eventually lead to a loss in power, water pressure, or clogged hoses or tubes. Any time you have lime deposits or mold buildup, your appliance is either not going to run efficiently or is going to smell badly, or both. Keep it clean!
- Check your hoses – Check periodically to make sure that the hoses and connections on your appliances are tight and secure. You don’t want them to pop apart when you least expect it and cause a flood in your house.
- Don’t slam the doors – If you slam the door on your microwave, eventually the catch on the door will fail to latch. If you slam the door on your refrigerator, the hinges may become weak or misaligned over time. This can result in a door that refuses to close.
- Buy a surge suppressor – Be safe and keep power surges or lightning from damaging your appliances. Your local hardware store should have surge suppressors for all major appliances, such as refrigerators, freezers and dryers. The last thing you need is to replace an expensive circuit board because of a voltage spike or thunderstorm activity.
- Follow directions – It is important to read the owner’s manual and follow directions. For example, many manufacturers recommend that you use a specific type of detergent. This is especially important with front loading washing machines. They require a special HE-type detergent. This detergent doesn’t foam up as much, which is necessary for proper cleaning action.
You will greatly extend the life of your household appliances if you take good care of them. It is easy to do!
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