Our homes are full of machines and devices that help us get through the day. The only issue is that we often forget that these are actual machines that need to be maintained. The reason for this is simple. Most of us operate on auto-pilot at home.
You wake up, go to the fridge, get some food, get a few dishes from the dishwasher, and pull the clothes from the dryer. You do this all while paying very little attention to these appliances. Here are a few home common appliances that require maintenance, which you may have overlooked!
The Fridge
Let’s start with the fridge. After all, it’s the appliance we use the most. Your average fridge has a few failure points. The very first thing you need to check is whether the doors seal properly. If they don’t, your fridge will have to work overtime to keep the temperatures cold enough for safe food storage.
Avoid keeping the fridge empty. We live in a tough economy so this may not be as easy for some everyone, but it’s important. Every fridge needs something to cool down. In other words, it’s most inefficient when it’s cooling nothing but air. Cooling only air forces the fridge to work harder since air quickly warms up. Over time, this can cause actual damage to the fridge.
AC Unit
HVAC is a massive part of our daily lives, especially if you live in a tropical climate. Air conditioning units require periodic maintenance. The pros over at Cool Best Aircon argue that yearly AC maintenance can greatly delay air conditioner repair. If you run a dual AC system with the interior and exterior unit, the yearly maintenance cycle is a necessity!
It’s not only a matter of keeping the AC operational, but your health is on the line as well. If you pop the lid on the interior AC unit, you’ll find a massive radiator. Condensation forming on this radiator is a perfect environment for the growth of bacteria and other harmful critters.
Dishwashers can be real life-savers if you have a large family or if you’re just too busy to wash dishes by hand. There are people out there with schedules so tight that washing dishes simply isn’t an option. If you’re one of those people, it’s in your interest to properly maintain your dishwasher.
An average dishwasher uses a whole array of spray arms, pumps to drive the water to the dishes, pressure systems that keep everything moving, and many other parts. All of these are prone to wear, especially after years of continuous use. When something goes in a dishwasher, you’ll either be stuck with an appliance that no longer works, or it will simply do a poor job at washing dishes. Neither of these two outcomes is efficient.
Proper dishwasher maintenance comes down to checking the spray arms as they are the most common failure point on most models. Then there’s the door gasket which could potentially leak. Also, make sure to check the belts from time to time as they can wear out and snap.
Dryer
Using a dryer has made doing laundry so easy. However, as awesome as clothes dryers are, they can fail in more ways than one. In fact, there have been instances of dryers catching fire due to long term neglect.
What every dryer needs is proper cleaning from time to time. You’ll find that most models have a filter that collects lint all kinds of other debris. Cleaning this filter is the most essential part of clothes dryer maintenance. Cleaning also applies to the interior of the dryer. It’s highly recommended that you wipe the interior down every month or so.
Make sure to check the exhaust as well. Any blockage in the pipes can lead to the dryer overheating or worse.
Washing Machine
Dryers and washing machines are closely related and should be maintained at the same time. Washing machine maintenance comes down to properly setting up the machine, properly using it, and periodically cleaning it.
Washing machine drums spin at extremely high speeds. It’s absolutely essential that they are level when they reach top RPM. A washing machine that has some tilt to it will throw the drum out of balance, causing all kinds of vibrations. In some cases, these vibrations can be violent enough to cause damage to the machine or other appliances in the laundry room.
Cleaning and preventive care include checking the hoses from time to time as they tend to wear out. Clean all filters, lint screens, and the drum itself. Never overload the machine with too much laundry as that will only cause more trouble. Sometimes problems occur in the washer suspension rod and people don’t know the reasons behind it. So it’s important to know how to tell if washer suspension rods are bad. There are many only sources available which guide about the washing machine suspension problem. To know, go at TheHomeImproving.
Oven
An oven is usually the source of wonderful smells of baked goods or cooked dishes. That being said, ovens can also be a source of foul stench if you don’t clean it periodically. Health hazards aside, a dirty oven is a recipe for heater failure and more! Baking foods always leave some sort of residue behind.
That residue sticks to oven walls and other elements within the appliance. Cleaning the oven from time to time will ensure that all of these essential components are clean and that your next batch of cookies won’t be contaminated with potential health hazards.
We recommend that you use dedicated oven cleaners as they are known to break down even the most stubborn debris. All of the above also applies to cook tops and other cooking appliances.
How Often Should You Maintain Your Appliances?
Proper appliance maintenance usually gives you at least a year between two maintenance cycles. Naturally, this depends on the appliance itself and what the manufacturers of that specific appliance recommend.
As you can tell, most of the maintenance is easy and can be done within minutes. It’s best to include cleaning the appliances in your regular cleaning schedule as it doesn’t take long but makes a massive difference. If you do everything right, you’ll be enjoying your appliances for years to come without having to worry about costly repairs or replacing anything with an expensive new model.