Consider just how much money you have put into the major appliances in your home. The washer, dryer, oven, dishwasher, and refrigerator. All these appliances cost a fortune to get, and will cost a fortune to replace. Eventually they will wear out, but if you're smart, you will maintain them to keep them around as long as possible and keep them running safely.
When you are doing other home maintenance, put your appliances on the list of things that need a once over and a little TLC.
Washer and Dryer
On the washer, one of the biggest threats is the hoses that carry the water in and out of the machine breaking. You should keep a close look at the hoses in the machine and as they start to look old, replace them to keep them strong. Another tip for your washer is that it's worth it to wait until you have a full load to wash. Many people choose the small load setting if they don't have a lot of clothes to clean, but that is still making the machine go through the process, not to mention costing the same in electricity as a bigger load, so you should wait and get the most return for the wear and tear.
When it comes to the dryer, lint is your enemy. You should make sure to clean out the lint trap before each load of laundry is dried. Lint getting caught up in the system can not only slow down the dryer but also be a fire hazard in your home.
Refrigerators or Freezers
More power is wasted and food lost from a weakened seal around the doors of refrigerators and freezers. There is an easy test to do to see if your seals are in good working condition. Take a dollar bill and close it in the door, with part of the dollar sticking out. If you can easily pull the bill out with the door shut, it's time to replace the seals.
Oven and Stove
If you have a stove with burners you need to regularly clean out the drop pans below the surface to keep fallen food and other debris from being a fire hazard.
Just like refrigerator and freezer doors, the door seals on your oven can get old and stop working. Utilize the dollar bill test on your oven door when you are testing your refrigerator and freezer doors and see if it needs replacing.
Dishwasher
As a way to keep the dishwasher operating in good health for a long time you should make sure to check for obstacles before running a cycle. Once you are hearing the thump-thump of the rotating arm hitting a pot or pan, you could have already damaged the mechanism that operates the sprayers in your dishwasher. Instead, get down and make sure the rotating arms have a clear space to spin before you start.
Household appliances will put you back a pretty penny every time. While no one debates the importance of the investment into these items, you should also be wise with these investments and do the most to keep them running as long as possible.
For more home improvement tip please visit the HandyPro website www.handypro.com
HandyPro Handyman Plymouth, MI (800) 942-6394
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