As a homeowner, you want to extend the life of your appliances and allow them to continue running for years to come. When appliance parts start failing, it can cause more strain on the other parts. What was once a simple fix can now turn into a much larger issue. Fortunately, a few minutes of preventative maintenance will save money on repair bills and appliance replacement. Following these few simple tips will save you money and unnecessary stress and help you extend the life of your appliances.
Extend the Life of Your Appliances and Avoid Repairs
Clean the Refrigerator Condenser Coils.
Refrigerator condenser coils tend to gather hair, dust, food, and other debris, causing restricted airflow. To avoid costly repairs, the condenser coils should be cleaned regularly to remove the debris. We recommend using a brush to wipe the coils and remove the excess dirt. A vacuum works well to remove hard-to-reach debris that has become lodged underneath and behind the fridge. For best results, clean your refrigerator’s condenser coils twice a year or more if you have shedding pets.
Clean the Dishwasher Filter.
The dishwasher filter is one area a lot of people forget to clean and maintain. To prevent solid items from getting into to pump, make sure to clean the filter on a regular basis. Most modern dishwashers have a removable filter in the bottom. To remove turn ¼ turn to remove and reverse to put it back in. Make sure to give it a bit of a tig once reinstalled ensuring it is seated properly. If your dishwasher is different consult owners manual. If it is an older unit the filter may not be removable without disassembling the pump, we do not recommend disassembling the pump as you may cause additional issues. Make sure as much as possible to scrap dishes or solid things and remove any chunks. The dishwasher is designed to be loaded with dirty dishes.
Protect Your Washing Machine.
Loading too many clothes into your washing machine can lead to serious issues and poor cleaning. It’s best to have clothing of like size and weight to ensure a proper balance of the clothing in the wash. If the clothing is not balanced the right way, it will cause vibration, noise, and needless wear on the machine. Loads of heavy towels should be smaller which will allow smoother operation. A good rule of thumb, towels with towels and jeans with jeans. Wash blankets or other large items alone or if they exceed the size of the washer don’t force it. It won’t get clean and may damage the machine. Don’t fill front load units more the ¾ full and ½ full if you are doing fluffy towels. It is much cheaper to wash a blanket or large item at the cleaners or laundromat than it is to pay for a repair or replacement.
On top of ensuring a balanced washing machine, avoid using too much detergent. High amount of detergent can leave residue on clothes and increase wear and tear on the pump, motor, and seals. Stick to the recommended amount to avoid buildup and excess suds. More detergent doesn’t meet cleaner and more softener doesn’t mean more fresh. Excess detergent with eat away at the seals and bearings dramatically reducing the lifespan of the machine.
Clean Your Icemaker.
Stand-alone ice makers are a convenient and useful home appliance. That’s why it’s important to maintain them. To avoid ice maker repairs, use the recommended descaling cleaner every 6 months. To learn how to use to cleaner properly, look for Instructions printed on the inside of the door. If you can’t locate the instructions, consult the owner’s manual for instructions. The lifespan of the unit will be directly related to how well it is maintained.
Degrease Your Microwave.
One of the best things you can do to avoid microwave repairs and keep the appliance working for years to come is to clean the inside and venting to avoid grease build-up. Grease can breakdown the enamel and cause plastic parts to become brittle. Clean or replace filters to keep grease from coating the ventilation. In addition to cleaning the inside, remove the extra racks if you’re not doing multi-level cooking.
Don’t Overfill Your Trash Compactor.
Trash compactor bags are designed to keep form when the ram is lowered. Using bags other than trash compactor bags is risky because they can get intertwined in the ram mechanism. Don’t allow the trash height to get to more than 90% full. If trash is overfilled, it can fall off and cause issues with drawer alignment and operation.
Unclog Your Garbage Disposal.
If you’ve ever lived without a garbage disposal, you’re likely aware of how inconvenient it is. To keep your disposal working in tip top shape, avoid throwing in certain foods that will stick or solidify to the drain, such as grease, oil, fat, harsh chemicals, egg shells, peelings, and other non-biodegradable food.
A clogged disposal can be fixed by following a simple checklist. First, check for foreign objects in the drain. Use a screwdriver or service key to dislodge it. Some brands have a spot for a service key or Allen wrench on the bottom to manually rotate blades to aid in dislodging foreign objects. There is also a red reset breaker on the bottom that may need to be reset. If it’s leaking, put a bucket under it to identify if it’s disposal, pipe issue, or draining issue.
Clear Out Your Dryer’s Lint Filter.
The dryer is one of the most used and neglected appliances in the home. To avoid unnecessary and costly dryer repairs, make sure to clear out your lint filter before each cycle. When the dryer lint filter is clogged, air is not able to circulate through the machine properly. The lint won’t escape easily with poor airflow, making it harder for the machine to dry the clothing. If your dryer starts to take multiple loads get it serviced before you have parts fail.
So what’s the takeaway? The lifespan of your appliances is directly related to proper cleaning and maintenance. Take care of your home appliances so they can make your life easier for years to come.
Repairing what you have may be a lot wiser and less expensive than buying brand new. Our trustworthy and experienced appliance technicians can help you with that decision.
Call in the Appliance Repair Pros at iFiX!
We believe in taking on each job like it is our own home. We know the same headaches and frustrations of waiting for a service company to arrive. Our technicians are honest, reliable, and dependable. We work hard to provide our customers with the best appliance repair possible.
If you’ve given your home appliances TLC and they’re still malfunctioning, give iFiX a call today for all your appliance repair needs.
If this article helped you extend the life of your appliances, please share it or leave a comment below! Make sure to check out our other articles that you might enjoy on our blog.
19 Responses
It’s good to learn that you should be cleaning out a dryer lint before you use the appliance every time. My wife and I are wanting to get new appliances and we were wondering how we could ensure the new dryer lasts a long time. I’ll be sure to tell her that we should be cleaning the dryer lint out every time.
I know nothing about appliances or how to fix them. Thanks for adding how more strain on other parts can happen if certain parts begin to fail. I don’t know how to swap them out, but I bet I can buy some spare parts and have them ready for a professional to fix up my appliance.
I have some suggestions to increase microwave oven life. Never put any metal utensil or container and not even an object with metal trim inside the microwave. Always remember to remove the aluminum foil from the food item before putting them inside the microwave to avoid any fire hazard. Never heat any flammable food and beverage inside the microwave to avoid fire or explosion. Do not heat any sealed food container or packed food or beverage item. Always remove the seal first and then heat items to avoid explosion. When the microwave is in use, do not cover the top. Clean the food spills and stains inside the microwave after every use to avoid any rotten smell.
Thanks for explaining that if appliance parts fail, it puts strain on other parts. I recently discovered that my refrigerator had a part fail, and I want to fix the problem before it causes the refrigerator to fail. I’ll look for spare parts that I can get to fix my appliance. https://www.abco.com.au/spare-parts
Wonderful! what a nice blog! these tips are really helpful. I know nothing about appliance so always prefer to call the expert Appliance Repair Service. Thanks for sharing this information. I am surely follow these steps. Keep it up
I have a tip To avoid unnecessary and costly dryer repairs, make sure to clear out your lint filter before each cycle, and I recommend using a soft bristle brush to clean the lint screen at least once a month hire room to invent
Amazing piece of content, Thank you for sharing this blog….
This is an interesting blog that you have posted, you shares a lot of things about.
Its nice when you said that when using a washing machine, it is good to avoid using too much detergent. I suspect that something is wrong with my washing machine and I want to get it checked out. I would need to talk to a professional to help me determine what is wrong with my washing machine. Thanks for the article!
Thank you for the list on how to extend the life of your appliances. It is interesting that when appliance parts start failing, it causes more stress on other parts. This is a good reason to keep up with them. We just lost the ability to keep our food cold in our refrigerator. We will be looking for an appliance repair professional within the week.
Thank you for pointing out that you have to clean the dishwasher filter. It makes sense that this helps to prevent solids from getting lodged into the pump. This is something we never did. As a result, we had to contact an appliance service professional to get it going again.
I could not agree more when you said that stand-alone ice makers must be maintained well since they are a convenient and useful home appliance. This is something that I will share with my parents so they can hire an appliance maintenance company for their ice maker and refrigerator. They use them a lot at home on a daily basis, especially since they love making their own beverages. I will be sure to ask her to do your tips to extend the life of her important appliances.
It’s excellent that you mentioned that it’s best to avoid using too much detergent while using a washing machine. My washing machine seems to be having a problem, therefore I want to have it looked at. To find out what’s wrong with my washing machine, I’d need to speak with a professional. I appreciate the article.
Whoa, what a brilliant idea of yours! Thanks a bunch for telling us that our microwave oven could have a better lifespan if we clean it intensely every time we spot some greases inside of it. The one in my kitchen seems to be emitting some foul stenches occasionally since last week and I wonder what might’ve caused it. Hmm.. aha! I know, I’ll call a technician to look deeper into the matter and repair any rising issue immediately.
Thanks so much for explaining how to properly use and take care of your washing machine. I’ve gone through two washing machines in my life and I’d like to make them last much longer than they have been. I should look into knowing some nearby repair companies to help with issues when I have them.
I love that you talked about how proper cleaning and maintenance have a direct impact on the longevity of your equipment. My mother noticed how some of our appliances were damaged so easily given that it’s from a good brand. Thank you for the information about your article, I’ll make certain to tell her to hire an appliance service for maintenance, repair, and tips on how we can keep its durability of it, thanks!
I appreciate that you mentioned how regular cleaning and maintenance directly affect how long your equipment lasts. My mother noticed that despite being from a reputable brand, some of our appliances were breaking so easily. Thank you for the information in your article; I will make sure to advise her to hire an appliance service for upkeep, repairs, and advice on how to prolong its useful life.
You mentioned that since they are a practical and useful home appliance, stand-alone ice makers must be maintained properly. I couldn’t agree more. I’ll let my parents know about this so they can hire an appliance repair service for their refrigerator and ice maker. They frequently use them at home, especially since they enjoy brewing their own beverages. I’ll make sure to ask her to follow your advice in order to prolong the life of her crucial appliances.
You mentioned that as they are a practical and valuable home item, stand-alone ice makers must be maintained properly. I couldn’t agree more. I’ll let my folks know about this so they may contact an appliance repair service for their refrigerator and ice machine. They frequently use them at home, especially since they enjoy brewing their own beverages. I’ll be sure to advise her to follow your advice in order to prolong the life of her crucial appliances.