We have depended heavily on our home appliances for years. They have been forced to their utmost to keep our interiors safe and comfortable. It’s time we give something back to the appliances we really couldn’t do without, from forgetting about changing the filter in your washing machine to cramming the fridge to its maximum capacity. Some appliance mistakes could lead to expensive repairs.
Maintenance is the real key that prolongs the life of your high-quality kitchen appliances. Here’s what you need to do to keep your fridge, freezer, washing machine and oven in tip-top condition for as long as possible.
22 Signs Appliance Misuse Can Lead to Expensive Repairs
Oven or Stove Misuse
#1 Lining the oven with tin foil
Many think that lining the bottom of the oven or grill with aluminium foil is the perfect way to protect it. But reducing the amount of cleaning it requires, it’s actually proven to be highly dangerous. Not only does foil reflect heat, leading to overcooked food, but it could also burn out the heating elements inside your device. Foil restricts heat and airflow, and could even melt onto the oven’s bottom, damaging it irrevocably. More importantly, if you have a gas oven, foil could become a genuine fire hazard.
#2 Ignoring a loose oven door seal
A stylish kitchen is on the wish list for most people. But that defective door seal might not only raise your energy costs. It could also make your oven totally unreliable, elongating cooking times and hindering air movement. The door seal of the oven is responsible for keeping the heat inside. So if yours is loose or broken, hot air is free to flee. The seal also serves as a smart buffer, preventing the oven’s fragile components from making contact with each other. The wrong seal could irrevocably destroy your appliance. Luckily, the replacement seals are cheap. So, with a little DIY know-how, you can solve this little problem.
#3 Not cleaning spills quickly
Waiting for food spills to be burnt off? This is a disaster in the making. Not washing food or grease gathered at the bottom of your stove will damage the heat source and possibly the oven liner, when it gets scalding where the spill occurs. This could cause the appliance to overheat and even stop working.
#4 Not checking the oven door gasket
A broken oven door gasket will lead to heat leaking out of the oven, which allows the temp inside to fluctuate. It also loses resources since it makes it difficult for the appliance to keep a constant temperature. Look out for the oven door for moisture, since this is a telling indication that the gasket is damaged.
Dishwasher Misuse
#5 Washing items with labels
It also seems logical to strip the paper labels glued to containers and packaging by running them through the dishwasher. But the paper and the glue are going to absolutely clog the filter and the pump of your dishwasher. This will lead to costly repairs and a shorter life.
#6 Filthy filter
Dishwashers typically have filters that trap pieces of solid particles and prevent them from recirculating to dishes, pans and silverware after being cleaned clean by water and detergent. There might not be a self-cleaning filter in your dishwasher, and it must be washed at least once a month.
#7 Wrong position of dishes
Always place the dishes properly – upside down.
#8 Not removing residue
Before placing the dishes inside the washer, remember to clean away any food and fat residues by rinsing the dishes in your sink.
#9 Dishes touching each other
When placing your dishes inside the washer, make sure to place them in such a way that they don’t touch each other and don’t hinder the rotation of its water sprinkler.
#10 Using ordinary dishwashing liquids
Use specially made dishwashing powders and tablets only. Using ordinary dishwashing liquids will lead to malfunctions.
Refrigerator Misuse
#11 Keeping it too full
Cramming too much food in the refrigerator limits air movement, rendering it difficult for the appliance to keep food cold enough. This provides the right atmosphere for the mould to grow. And it makes the engine work overtime, which can lead to unnecessary wear and tear and an untimely breakdown. Like when you’re on a break or on a day of holidays.
#12 Not cleaning condenser
You certainly don’t think the condenser coils in your refrigerator are the first area in your appliance to be cleaned regularly, but they need to be. Failure to do so is actually asking for trouble. Clean the condenser for around every six months.
#13 Proper Transportation
The first steps towards the proper maintenance of your refrigerator must be taken before it is even delivered to your home. Help make sure that the refrigerator is shipped upright and that the angle is not more than 40 degrees. Otherwise, the compressor oil could leak and destroy the whole equipment.
#14 Turning on Fridge Immediately Upon Delivery
Switching your refrigerator on immediately after it’s been delivered to your home can also cause its compressor oil to leak. If you know for a fact that your fridge was not tilted properly during transportation, wait for at least 4-6 hours before turning it on. When in doubt, better to wait for about 24 hours.
#15 Putting Hot Dishes in Fridge
Never put hot food into your refrigerator! Make sure to let them cool down first.
#16 Not Defrosting
Modern refrigerator models don’t need to undergo complete defrosting twice a year. However, it is still worth giving your fridge a full cleaning now and then, having disconnected it from the socket beforehand.
#17 Not cleaning the back
Remember to clean the back of the refrigerator from dust occasionally. You can use a vacuum cleaner if needed. But before doing so, you need to unplug your fridge first.
Washing Machine Misuse
#18 Overlooking washing machine mechanisms
It is necessary to clean your washing machine regularly. But it’s also crucial that you don’t forget all the main mechanisms that can keep the system running. Almost all of the washing machine leaks are caused by defective hoses, so be sure to search yours periodically for corrosion signs. The filter should not be overlooked, either. Make a point of eliminating any grime that builds up there once a month. Using that would protect the life of the equipment and help keep operational costs to a minimum.
#19 Do not place heavy objects on top of your washing machine and don’t stand on it.
Your washing machine is not a table or a desk that you’ll put any objects on too. Doing so would damage the top cover, even worse, break your washing machine completely.
#20 Forgetting to empty pockets
When you put your clothes in the washing machine, don’t forget to search all your pockets thoroughly. Remove loose changes and other items before beginning the wash cycle.
#21 Clean rubber parts regularly
After each wash, wash the rubber parts inside the unit. Remove the drawer of the dispenser, clean it and leave to dry. Regularly do this to avoid the development of mould.
#22 Don’t leave laundry loads in too long
Remove finished loads the moment it’s done. Allowing heavy damp laundry to sit inside the machine for a long time can damage its drum.
Misused your appliance? Let us fix it!
Here at Fix Repair, we offer reliable and affordable repair services for home appliances. With an experience of over 10 years within the appliance industry, we are a leading and authorized company that can provide repairs for all major kitchen and other household appliances such as dishwashers, ovens, stoves, washing machines, and refrigerators.
Our exceptional repair services are available for the residents throughout Toronto and GTA. Get in touch with our expert repairmen today!
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