By Carol Trehearn
In the modern home, white goods – fridges, washing machines, driers, and ovens – are essential. Not only that, but they can be costly, with luxury white goods costing upwards of $1000. With that in mind, most homeowners are not keen on replacing their appliances when they fail. Furthermore, the cost of replacement is often compounded by the cost of removal, with bulky items often needing professional assistance to get out of the house unless you happen to own a truck or van.
Most appliance breakdowns are perfectly preventable. Somewhere along the line, replacement became more of a cultural norm than repair or upkeep, and this cultural shift has cost American homeowners thousands of dollars in unnecessary appliance costs. Here are some easy ways to ensure that your household appliances last as long as possible.
Cover Your Back
Sometimes a genuine malfunction does occur, so it is best to cover your bases and acquire some warranty when purchasing white goods. Companies like Cinch offer home warranties that cover a number of different appliances, including covering regular wear and tear. You’ll need to shop around for the best deals on warranties. Always read the small print! However, some issues don’t require a full scale repair or replacement, and doing some of the following things can help give your machines extra life.
Clean Your Dishwasher Filter
People often think that their dishwasher is malfunctioning because of a filter issue. Are your plates coming out after a wash covered in disgusting gunk? Is your dishwasher making unnatural choking sounds and heating up? In these circumstances, it is highly likely that you can extend the life of your dishwasher simply by regularly taking out and cleaning the filter.
Filters catch particles of dirt by design, and over time these particles of dirt can accumulate. This clogs up the exit route for water inside the washer and causes all sorts of malfunctions. If it seems like something is going awfully wrong with your dishwasher, it might be worth checking the filter before calling a plumber or buying a new appliance.
Keep Your Refrigerator Coils Clean
Far too many people don’t give their fridges much love until it breaks down on them. A simple, regular cleaning of the coils (usually located on the back of the fridge) can keep it working efficiently for a very long time. Condenser coils condense and cool the refrigerant that is then pumped through your appliance, so when they get dusty, they are far less efficient. Cleaning the dust and dirt from these coils reduces the number of refrigerator call-outs by an average of around 70 percent. Not bad for something you only have to do once or twice a year!
Wash Your Washing Machine
Are you concerned that your washing machine has stopped cleaning clothes properly? Although most people consider this a sign that your machine is on the brink, it’s actually not usually a concrete sign that there is a breakdown. Instead, your machine likely just needs a good and thorough cleanout.
Start with the detergent draws and then move onto the drum and the filters. Deep cleaning your appliance should extend the life of your washing machine by a great deal of time.
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