Cleaning your house is an activity that should really include inspecting your home appliances. What good is it to dust the microwave oven if it doesn’t work? Most people shy away from this activity thinking that only certified professionals can do maintenance or an electrical safety inspection. This is only partly true, as regular visual maintenance could and should be carried out by homeowners. They can even repair and replace parts that are not related directly to electricity.
Let’s face it, all the parts that are dangerous to handle are probably encased with several nuts and bolts, and they have a huge red sign “do not open” written across them. We are not talking about these, but about parts of appliances that are easily accessible and that are subject to wear and tear. These are the ones that need to be properly maintained. That is why simply cleaning home appliances, no matter how thoroughly you do it, is never enough.
Here is a list of some of the things that you can start checking today to save money on later repairs that might be needed due to poor maintenance.
Refrigerator Coils
Coils inside the fridge ensure that air flows unobstructed and the refrigerator works properly. If they get clogged and dirty in any way, the unit will use more power to cool, increasing your electricity consumption (and bill). Use a simple cloth to remove any debris, dirt or muck that might have accumulated on the coils over time.
The Kitchen Ventilation
The main purpose of any ventilation is to pump in fresh outside air. Kitchen air vents use the same principle, just the other way around: they pump cooking smells outside. Since airflow in them, all kinds of particles, most commonly dust ones, get trapped in air vents. Not only them, but mould and other hazardous materials can find their way inside. This is dangerous because you breathe in this air every time you enter the kitchen.
That is why you need to check if charcoal or paper filters need replacing regularly. The metal ones have to be cleaned from time to time, and this is done by soaking them into hot, soapy water. Then you rinse them, and after they dry naturally, you put them back into place.
Dishwasher Maintenance
Homeowners have great trust in their dishwashers, so they start thinking about their maintenance only after breaking down. Don’t be like this and take great care of this appliance that saves you hours of man-labour. First of all, always aim to run them as often as possible. If they sit around for a long time, their parts become corroded and useless.
Then you have to search for dishwasher spare parts and pay to have them installed. Regular maintenance prevents this, so merely wiping around the door seal can get you far. You can use vinegar for this, and soapy water is ideal for cleaning the filter located at the bottom of the dishwasher, just like in a washing machine.
Air Conditioners
Filters are crucial to another appliance that we couldn’t do without during hot summer months. The AC unit circulates air through our home, so it is essential to keep its filter clean. The homeowner can do this routine cleaning and possibly replacing the filter. The easier solution is to call the AC guy who will inspect the AC in its entirety to ensure that there are no malfunctions.
The Oven Seal
The oven door is something you contact every time you cook, but are you sure they are not malfunctioning? Once closed, they should be airtight to prevent hot air from escaping when the oven is operational. If the seal is worn out or missing in some places, you will lose heat energy.
This means that the inside of your kitchen will heat up instead of the meal inside the oven. Not only that, the food you are preparing will be unevenly cooked, or it will take longer to prepare. These are all reasons why you have to replace any faulty gaskets on the oven. With a little help from the internet and skilful enough, you can do this on your own.
Maintenance is the key action that will prevent your appliances, such as the dishwasher or the oven, from breaking down. To avoid paying for expensive repairs, check up on your home appliances now and then.
Author Bio: Patrick Adams is a freelance writer and rock-blues fan. When he is not writing about home improvement, he loves to play chess, watch basketball, and play his guitar. More than anything, he loves to spend his time in his garage, repairing appliances and creating stuff from wood.