Best Home Appliance Maintenance Tips For 2018-2019 From Seattle Bellevue Kirkland & Tacoma Appliance Expert Repair Service Nearest You

1. Clean Refrigerator Coils

Over half of our service calls regarding refrigerators involve an issue with the coils. This is especially true on hot days. To access the coils, you will need to remove the front grill of the refrigerator unit. Next, you will need to brush the coils to get them clean. You can find a good coil cleaning brush at most hardware and home stores. After brushing the coils, pull the unit back, attach a hose to your home vacuum cleaner, and vacuum the area clean. Not only will clean coils prevent your fridge from breaking down, you’ll also notice a decrease in your utility bill.

2. Get Rid of That Smell!

As Washington natives, we are no strangers to the occasional power outage. This is especially true in the Puget Sound area. When your power does go out for a long period of time, you are unfortunately faced with spoiled food, resulting in a horrible stench. We recommend doing the following to get rid of that toxic stink:

• If you are especially sensitive to smells, put a little essential oil on the tip of your nose, and cover your nose and mouth with a mask.
• Next, open the refrigerator door and remove any and all of the spoiled food.
• Wipe everything down with a disinfecting spray. This will lessen the chance of any residual bacteria getting into your food later.
• Repeat the same task for the freezer. Be thorough and clean all the nooks and crannies inside the fridge and freezer, especially the shelf supports.
• Just like a charcoal water filter, charcoal briquettes can be used to absorb moisture and odor from the air in your home. Here, you can use charcoal to remove fridge odors. Smash a dozen charcoal briquettes, spread the chunks on two trays, and place one in the fridge, and the other in the freezer.
• Next, to soak up any residual moisture, crunch up newspaper and fill the fridge and freezer shelves with it.
• Now, simply close the doors and let it sit for one week. Repeat this process once a week or until the stench has disappeared

Clean Refrigerator Seals & Gaskets

Over time, sticky condiments like jam, syrup, and other sauces can build up on your refrigerator door gasket, which results in your gasket getting glued to the frame. One good pull on a stuck door can result in tearing the gasket, which can cost you more than $100 to fix. Keeping your gaskets clean is essential toward the longevity of your refrigerator. Additionally, if your fridge door is not sealing properly, you’ll see higher utility bills and a poorer working unit. Cleaning your door gasket is simple! All you need is warm water and a sponge! Avoid detergents, as they can cause damage to the gasket.

Washer/Dryer Tips

1. Avoid Overloads

Whether you like to save time, have a larger family, or think you’re saving water and energy, do not overload your washer and dryer! Overloading your washer/dryer can result in expensive repairs, including damage to the motors, belts, and other essential parts. These repairs can be so expensive, that some owners end up buying a new machine!

2. Keep It Quiet

If you live in a smaller space, this is something you’ll notice right away. Both washers and dryers produce vibrations, rock, and can make a lot of noise, especially if they are not seated properly or are loaded incorrectly. To mitigate the noise, invest in some rubber anti-vibration pads. These can be purchased at most home stores, or online. This will save both your washer/dryer and your sanity.

3. Don’t Slam the Doors!

Be gentle with your washer and dryer doors! Overtime, slamming and/or dropping the lid to your washer and dryer will eventually result in a break to the lid or door switch. Lower the lid, or close the door slowly to avoid a $100 plus repair later.

4. Heat Up a Lukewarm Dryer

If you notice that your dryer is not heating your linens and clothing properly, first check to make sure it is on the right setting. If it is not set on “fluff air” or a non-temperature setting, check your lint filter. Even if the lint filter does not appear full, you may have a clog further up the line (the outside dryer vent) and the lint will need to be cleaned out. Additionally, dryer sheets leave a translucent film on the filter that can reduce the air flow, which shuts off the thermostat. Run your filter under water. If it holds the water, it is likely the problem, and needs a good cleaning. Take a stiff kitchen brush, and scrub your filter with hot water and small amount of laundry detergent.

Air Conditioner Tips

1 Clean Window Air Conditioners Before Turning them Off or On for the Season

Most people store their air conditioning units over the winter in places like the garage, an outdoor storage unit etc. Over the months your air conditioner is likely to pick up dust, insects, mold, and even droppings from vermin such as mice or rats. This can lead to health issues in the home later. Before hauling your unit to your window, vacuum all the surfaces and pay close attention to the fins on the exterior face of the unit, the cover panel, and the foam filter. When you are satisfied that it is clean, fire it up in the garage. It’s better to have dust spew out into your garage than in your bedroom or kitchen. You can also clean then seal your air conditioner in plastic over the winter. These techniques will also increase your unit’s efficiency and keep you cooler during those hot summer months.

Stove/Oven Tips

1. Clean Up Stove Spills

When we are called to address a broken stove, the likely issue is almost always food spills. The igniter on your stove can be compromised over time by various boil overs and spills. To mitigate this, apply a toothbrush to the electric ignition on the stove. It is a ceramic nub located on the stovetop or under the round ceramic seal strike plate. Also check that the ceramic strike plate is seated properly on the burner.

2. Electric Stove Burners Need Good Contact

In order for your stove to ignite, the plug needs to have clean contact with the burner. If it is not operating, make sure the stove is off, take the burner off, plug it back in and jiggle it around. If the contact feels too loose, remove the burner and gently bend the burner prongs slightly outward to ensure a tight, secure connection.

3. Re-calibrate Your Oven Temperature Setting

You can test your oven’s temperature settings with this simple trick. Buy a box of basic cake mix and bake it exactly according to the instructions. If the cake is not done (raw) in the allotted time, or burns, your oven’s temperature settings are off. Luckily you can recalibrate the temperature setting. Dust off your oven’s manual, or go online and type in the make/model/number to find a downloadable version of the manual. Place a high quality oven thermometer on the center shelf and wait for the oven to reach and maintain a persistent temperature. Then follow the instructions outlined in your manual to match the temperature setting to the thermometer reading.

Disposal Tips

1. The most common issues involve a food clogged filter. Because of the clog, the water cannot reach the top rack through the spray arms. Luckily, the fix is quick and easy!

First, pull out the lower rack, then remove the filter cover (you can locate its location by referring to your owner’s manual). Next, use a wet/dry vacuum to clean off the screen and slide the float switch up and down. If the cover sticks, wiggle it up and down while rinsing it with clean water.

2. Clean Out Disposer Crud

Does your disposal stink? Use baking soda and vinegar to get rid of smells.

• Pour 2 cups (440 g) of baking soda into the garbage disposal drain.
• Slowly pour in ½ cup (11 ml) of vinegar.
• Let the cleaner sit for an hour.
• After an hour, turn on the water and the disposal and run it for a minute.
• Also clean the splash guard. Simply lift the flaps and scrub them thoroughly on both sides with a toothbrush and grease-cutting cleaner.

3. Remember the Magic Button

Have you ever seen a garbage disposal demonstration where the presenter disposes of an entire pineapple? First, we recommend that you don’t try that at home. Secondly, all disposers have a safety feature that automatically shuts off the power. The motor over heats, and because it is overloaded, the garbage disposal system shuts down. In this case, run cold water down the disposal and once the motor cools; simply push the reset button on the side of or under the unit. Make sure the disposal is completely off before attempting this at home.