Owning a home comes with certain maintenance responsibilities, from the care of the dwelling itself to the land it sits on, and everything in between. When it comes to maintaining overall function in your home, maintaining major plumbing appliances is a priority to ensure that your day-to-day routine continues to run smoothly. Fortunately, there are several easy preventive care measures that you can take, now, to save you costly repairs and replacements of things like your dishwasher, refrigerator and washing machine, down the road.
So, to increase the longevity of your appliances, it just takes a little TLC. And, with the help of these basic tips, you can avoid the need to retire your appliances before their time:
- Refrigerator – The best way to increase the lifespan of your refrigerator is to keep it clean. This means getting in the habit of cleaning it from the inside out, and don’t forget about the under and back side of the appliance as well as the front grill. This will help to improve the appliance’s air flow so that all of its components are able to work correctly. You also don’t want to overlook the fridge door and its seals. To clean them, you can simply use warm water and soap.
- Dishwasher – Dishwashers have a pretty intense, dirty job to do, as they keep your kitchen and household running each and every day. So, make sure you’re showing it the care that it needs to keep going. One thing you can do to ensure that it stays in top shape is to get in the habit of checking the filter. The filter system traps food debris during the wash cycle, so be sure to clean this out to avoid gross build-up and blockages. You should also be on the lookout for mineral deposits that can accumulate from hard water. You’re likely going to see this in the spray arm’s water holes. To take care of this problem, you can simply clean out the water jets in the spray arm. The same goes for your water inlet valve.
- Washing Machine – For those using newer, front-loading washing machines, regular maintenance and cleaning is essential. These, compared to top-loading machines, require a bit more care. One habit you’ll need to get into (in addition to the common-sense rule of not overloading the machine) is leaving the door wide open once you remove your clean laundry. This allows air to circulate so that moisture doesn’t get trapped, which can turn into tricky, nasty mold and mildew problems. It’s also a good idea to run an empty cycle once a month with just a cleaner (make sure it’s a cleaner made for your specific machine) to keep it clean and fresh. Each time you do this, it’s a good time to go ahead and check your machine’s door as well. You want to make sure the door’s rubber gasket is clean and intact for a proper seal.
Keeping up with the major appliances in your home really requires very little time and effort. It’s all about common sense and making a habit out of taking preventive measures to ensure the longevity of your home’s systems. Well-maintained appliances can run for many years, which is great news for your wallet! But, just in case you still run into some hassles or issues, your trusty Tritan plumbers are just a phone call away!
