The average American home owner spends more than $1,000 on appliances every year. If you’re planning to move house any time soon, you can expect to spend more too.
For most people, fridges, stoves, and other large appliances are investments. Once you’ve invested that money, you want to be sure to take good care of them. With the right appliance maintenance, you can keep everything in your home in great working order.
Wondering how you can keep your appliances in tip-top shape for years to come? This guide to how to maintain appliances tells you everything you need to know.
A Clean Appliance Is a Working Appliance
The first step to good home appliance care is taking the simple step of cleaning them. Fridges, dishwashers, stoves, and even washing machines should all be cleaned.
Cleaning spills can help prevent staining in ovens and fridges. Filters in fridges and dishwashers need to be cleaned on a regular basis. Dishwasher filters can become filled with food, which then prevents water from getting to your dishes.
The results? Your dishes are still dirty when they come out. Keeping the filter clean and food-free will help prevent this from ever happening.
You may also want to clean your washing machine from time to time. Use a washing machine cleaner to get rid of dirt and minimize mildew. Also leave the door open between loads to let the machine air out.
Don’t forget about the dryer filter either. Even if the lint trap looks clean, you may want to give it a rinse. It may be covered in a fine layer of lint, which can reduce airflow and prevent the dryer from heating up.
Cleaning dryer vents is also important, as built-up lint can cause more than damage to the dryer.
Use the Appliance the Right Way
Home owners often misuse their appliances, then wonder why they don’t work. It’s easy enough to do. You may think you’re saving energy or water by cramming all your clothes in the washing machine.
You might also overfill the dishwasher. By doing this, you only need to do one load.
Unfortunately, this can cost you more in the long run. Overloaded machines don’t run nearly as well. The large load also puts more strain on belts, motors, and much more.
The result of this could be an appliance that stops working long before its lifetime should be over. That can lead to expensive repairs.
Instead, read the manufacturer’s directions. By following their instructions, you’ll use your new appliance in the recommended way. That will keep it working optimally for years to come.
Do Regular Appliance Maintenance
If you’re following the manufacturer’s instructions and your keeping your machines clean, you might think you don’t need to do much more.
With use, though, appliances will still experience wear and tear. The best thing you can do is schedule regular preventive maintenance for your appliances.
This may seem like an added and unnecessary expense, but it can keep your appliances in good working order longer. Doing a few small repairs now could save you the big bill from a total breakdown later on.
Many new appliances come with manufacturer warranties. If you’re buying the appliance new, you may be able to get it on a repair or maintenance plan.
If you have a service plan for the appliance, then an expert technician will regularly check in on your machine. In turn, you can be sure that minor wear-and-tear issues will be addressed before they can become big problems.
Minimize Appliance Use
Another way to keep your appliances in good working order is to reduce your use of them. Less use means less wear and tear. In turn, the appliance will last much longer.
This may seem a little contradictory, since one of the tips was “don’t overload your machines.” So, how do you minimize use?
You might want to consider how many loads you run through the dishwasher. Could you wash some of the dishes by hand? This can help you reduce use, while also ensuring you’re not overloading the machine.
If you have a yard, you might consider hanging your laundry up to dry outdoors in nice weather. This can save you both some electricity and some wear and tear on the dryer.
It can be more difficult to reduce use of appliances like refrigerators. After all, these appliances must always be on to keep your food cold. The temperature settings are important here.
Reduce the temperature to the minimum needed. If you keep the fridge too cold, it will need to run harder and more often to keep to the optimal temperature. This is especially true if you live in a warm climate or keep your house hot.
Know a Good Repair Team
As noted, even if you do everything right, your appliances will still experience wear and tear. The more you use them, the more various parts will wear out.
You already know the importance of regular maintenance. It’s a good idea to find a shop offering appliance repair in your area early on. That way, you can get to know the team and have them conduct regular maintenance.
It’s also a good idea to have them on speed-dial in an emergency. That way, when your fridge stops working or your dryer won’t dry your clothes, you know exactly who to call.
You can start with a simple Google search, like “appliance repair near me.” This will help you find trusted local providers. Knowing who you can call can save you time and frustration when something does go wrong.
Keep Your Home Working while You Work from Home
Proper appliance maintenance can help you keep your machines in great working order. Of course, being prepared for them to need repair is also a good idea.
If you’re working from home more often, then you’re probably thinking about your space a lot more too. Check out more of our how-to guides to help improve your space and keep your home in great condition.