Your home appliances work hard every day. A little routine maintenance can go a long way toward keeping them running properly, improving efficiency, and catching small problems before they turn into expensive repairs.
The good news is that you do not need to be an appliance technician to take care of the basics.
Here are seven simple appliance maintenance tips homeowners can use to help keep refrigerators, washers, dryers, dishwashers, ovens, and other household appliances in better shape.
## 1. Keep Your Refrigerator Coils Clean
Your refrigerator has to move heat away from the inside of the appliance to keep your food cold. When condenser coils become covered in dust, pet hair, and debris, the refrigerator may have to work harder to maintain the proper temperature.
Depending on your refrigerator, the coils may be located underneath or behind the unit.
Periodically cleaning accessible coils and keeping the area around the refrigerator free of excessive dust can help maintain proper airflow.
Pay attention to warning signs such as:
If your refrigerator is not cooling properly even after basic cleaning and temperature checks, there may be another issue that needs to be diagnosed.
## 2. Clean Your Dryer's Lint Screen After Every Load
This is one of the easiest and most important appliance maintenance habits.
Clean the lint screen after every load of laundry.
Lint buildup restricts airflow, which can increase drying times and make your dryer work harder. If clothes suddenly require multiple cycles to dry, do not assume the dryer itself has failed.
The venting system may also be restricted.
If you have cleaned the lint screen and your clothes are still taking much longer than normal to dry, the dryer or vent system should be inspected.
## 3. Don't Overload Your Washer
It can be tempting to squeeze one more towel or pair of jeans into an already-full washing machine, but regularly overloading a washer can put unnecessary stress on several components.
An overloaded washer may have trouble properly balancing, spinning, or draining the load.
Follow the manufacturer's recommendations for load size and distribute clothing evenly inside the machine.
Pay attention if your washer begins:
Those symptoms can be signs that something more than an unbalanced load is going on.
## 4. Check and Clean Your Dishwasher Filter
If your dishwasher is not cleaning dishes as well as it used to, the problem is not always a major failure.
Many modern dishwashers have a removable filter near the bottom of the tub. Food particles and debris can accumulate there over time and affect performance.
Check your owner's manual for instructions on removing and cleaning the filter for your specific model.
You should also watch for food or debris around the spray arms and make sure dishes are not blocking their movement.
Persistent standing water, leaks, unusual noises, or dishes that remain dirty after a complete cycle may indicate a drain, pump, spray, or other mechanical problem.
## 5. Keep Oven and Range Surfaces Clean
Spills happen, but allowing grease and food debris to accumulate around burners and cooking surfaces can eventually interfere with normal operation.
Clean spills after the appliance has cooled and follow the manufacturer's recommendations for your particular cooktop or range.
For gas appliances, avoid poking objects into burner or igniter openings. If a burner is not lighting properly, repeatedly clicking, or producing an unusual flame, it is better to have the problem properly diagnosed.
For electric ovens and ranges, uneven heating, unusually long preheat times, or inconsistent temperatures can indicate problems with heating elements, sensors, controls, or other components.
## 6. Pay Attention to Small Changes
Appliances often give you warning signs before they stop working completely.
Do not ignore a new noise simply because the appliance still works.
Changes worth paying attention to include:
Catching a developing problem early may prevent additional components from being damaged.
If you smell burning, see smoke or sparking, or suspect an electrical or gas problem, stop using the appliance and have it inspected.
## 7. Don't Ignore the Owner's Manual
It may not be exciting reading, but your appliance's owner's manual contains maintenance information specifically designed for that model.
Different appliances can have very different requirements.
Your manual can tell you how often to clean filters, which cleaning products are safe, how to properly load the appliance, and which maintenance items are designed to be handled by the homeowner.
Following the manufacturer's recommendations is one of the simplest ways to protect your appliance.
## A Little Maintenance Goes a Long Way
Routine maintenance cannot prevent every appliance failure. Parts wear out, electronics fail, and even well-maintained appliances eventually need repairs.
But keeping appliances clean, using them properly, and paying attention when something changes can help you catch problems sooner and get more dependable performance from the appliances you rely on every day.
If something does not seem right, FixSota Appliance Solutionz can help.
We provide professional appliance repair throughout Blaine, the Twin Cities, and the North Metro. From refrigerators and freezers to washers, dryers, ovens, ranges, dishwashers, microwaves, and more, we'll diagnose the problem, explain what we find in plain language, and help you decide the best next step.
Need appliance repair? Call 844-FIX-SOTA or book service online with FixSota Appliance Solutionz.