An appliance expert discusses ways to maintain existing appliances, choose new ones.
- Be sure to wash your refrigerator shelves and drawers in warm--not hot--sudsy water. The hot water can cause appliances to crack and warp.
- Use a wet/dry vacuum to clean up spills in the refrigerator.
- The refrigerator is one of the most expensive appliances in your home, so you want to make sure it lasts a very long time. One thing you can do to make this happen is to clean the coils underneath the unit every four months. The coils are used for releasing heat produced by the refrigerator while it cools the inside. Over time, they can collect dust and lint, which forces them to work that much harder. To clean them, simply get under the refrigerator with a long-handled brush and wipe them off. There are brushes made specifically for this that are available at appliance stores. Once the dust is off the coils, vacuum to remove any remaining lint and dust.
- It is also important to keep the interior of the freezer clean of debris that may find its way into the drain that is used to move water during the defrost cycle. If you do not have a self-defrosting freezer, make sure you are very careful when you defrost this part of the appliance. Don't be tempted to use a really sharp object to do the job, as it can puncture the fragile refrigerator tubing and could destroy the unit. Try using a windshield scraper from the car. The plastic is rigid enough to remove the ice, but it is not sharp enough to do any damage to the appliance.
- Keeping appliances clean is the best way to ensure a long life out of it, including a clothes washer. One part that people tend to forget about is the filter in the nozzle of the incoming water. If this gets clogged, the water has a hard time getting through and the machine has to work that much harder--always a recipe for damage.
- To clean this screen, just remove the incoming water hose, and carefully reach in the hole with a small screwdriver to pry it out. Scrape it off with a knife and put it back in.
- Always be sure to unplug your appliances when working on them.
- When it comes to buying used appliances, is it better to buy one that has been reconditioned or simply a used one that may have had one item repaired?
- If you can, always go with the appliance that has been reconditioned. When an appliance is reconditioned, it has been fully disassembled, cleaned, any broken parts have been replaced and the rest are checked, and then the machine has been reassembled just like new. When only one part has been replaced, you have no idea as to the current condition of the remaining parts of the machine.
- Try to buy a used appliance from a source that can offer a warranty. When you buy any machine from a stranger with no warranty, you obviously don't get the peace of mind you should have after spending that much money.
- When buying a used refrigerator, make sure the gasket (seal) on the door is still creating a tight seal. Make sure the gasket is not dried out and cracked. Also, check to see if it is sealed completely around the door. If it is not, the motor will be forced to work that much harder to keep the inside cool.
