Regular maintenance is the key to getting the most out of your household appliances.
Home appliances make our lives easier by washing our clothes, helping us cook meals, heating and cooling our homes, and providing us with our daily coffee fix. As much as we may rely on energy efficient appliances to help us fulfill everyday household needs, they need a little TLC in return every now and then to ensure they continue to run efficiently .
Ahead, find out some of the best ways to maintain the most used appliances in your home, so you can avoid costly repairs or replacements.
- Keep those fridge coils clean
When dust, hair, and other debris build up, they block the coils from releasing heat, making the refrigerator’s condenser work harder to keep things cool inside. Keep the coils clean by vacuuming them once a year with a soft brush attachment.
- Delint your dryer
While cleaning a year’s worth of laundry lint out of a dryer vent may not be your idea of a fun afternoon, this once-a-year chore isn’t one to skip. A clogged exhaust vent forces your dryer to work harder to dry your clothes, straining its motor and shortening its life. What’s more, a build-up of dryer lint also creates a fire hazard.
Pull the dryer away from the wall, then disconnect the vent. Remove any built-up lint from the dryer vent and hose then reconnect it.
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Yes, your dishwasher has a filter
Many people don’t know there is a filter at the bottom of their dishwasher that should be cleaned about once every 6 months. Fail to do so and prepare to face a nasty smell, cloudy glassware, and a less efficient dishwasher.
Slide the bottom rack out to expose the round filter then turn it counterclockwise to remove it. Rinse it in the sink and reinstall. You can also extend your dishwasher’s lifespan by pre-rinsing dishes and only running full loads.
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Sediment is your water heater’s enemy
It might be tucked away in the basement, attic, or crawlspace and easy to forget about, but you’ll definitely notice when the water heater quits. To avoid the unpleasant surprise of an icy shower, flush it every four months and give it a thorough cleaning once a year to keep sediment—the water heater’s worst enemy—from building up and cutting its lifespan short. Also, swap out the anode rod, which traps sediment before it settles, every two to five years.
- Follow the 3-month filter rule for your AC
Ignore the needs of your air conditioning unit and it might just leave you to wilt in a midsummer heat wave. While having your central AC serviced by a pro once a year is a good idea, there are other things you should be doing.
Changing your HVAC system’s air filters every 3 months is crucial. Clogged filters force the air conditioning unit’s compressor to work harder to cool the home, taking years off its life. You should also make sure the area around your AC unit is free of vegetation, so the fan can keep the appliance cool.
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Demineralize your coffee maker
If your coffee maker’s stream has slowed to a trickle or just a drip, it’s likely clogged from mineral buildup. Hard water leaves behind scaling that can block the machine’s parts. To fix it, pour undiluted vinegar into the reservoir and run a full cycle. Then, fill it with water and run another cycle to rinse out the vinegar. For very hard water, you might want to look into getting a whole-home water softener
