Treat Your Appliances with TLC and Save Money in the Long Run

By
Real Estate Agent with Keller Williams Capital Properties DC AB15253

The washer and dryer, dishwasher and refrigerator have changed life in the United States over the last 120 years or so.  We depend on our appliances to make home life more efficient, convenient and comfortable, but we don't always take those simple steps that prevent our appliances from breaking down or wearing out faster than they should. These are some of the most common blunders - and I have been guilty of many of these:

Washing Machine

Don't overstuff your washing machine.  It can damage the suspension and coils and may also damage clothes.  In addition, I have to believe that it is harder to get clothes clean when they are stuffed in to the machine and don't have room to get swished around and fully rinsed at the end.

If items such as coins and zippers rattle around inside the washer, they can cause damage. Check pockets before putting clothes in the washer, and zip up any zippers so they don’t damage the machine.

If you start a load of laundry and then forget to put it in the dryer when the cycle finishes, your clothes can get moldy. In addition to causing an unpleasant odor, mold can spread and damage the electronic components of the washer

Hair, lint and dirt can accumulate inside a washing machine and clog the motor, which can prevent the washer from agitating and getting clothes clean. The washer needs to be cleaned periodically to remove any accumulated waste that could cause damage.  (This sounds like a job for a professional.  It is less expensive to pay a professional for a cleaning that to replace the machine entirely!)

Refrigerator
The compressor in a refrigerator is usually located in the back. If it isn’t cleaned regularly and gets covered in dust, it’ll be unable to provide the condenser coils with enough air, which means the refrigerator will be unable to cool.

Overfilling your fridge can lead to problems. Blocking the air vents in the back of the refrigerator can prevent it from cooling food adequately and can cause the condenser coils to overheat.

Leaving the refrigerator door open unnecessarily can cause it to adjust to the outside temperature. That can cause strain and make the refrigerator less efficient.

Oven
An oven is designed to cook food, but homeowners sometimes run into problems when they use the appliance in a way that wasn’t intended. Using an oven to heat a house can damage the internal components.

Keeping the oven clean can keep it working efficiently. Failing to clean up spilled food can cause damage to electronic parts and make the oven struggle to cook food.

Dishwasher
If you are running a load of particularly dirty dishes, don't add extra dishwasher detergent. The truth is that too many suds can damage electronic components. The normal amount of dishwasher detergent should work fine.  Try rinsing the food off first.

Avoid Unnecessary Bills
Broken or worn-out appliances can be expensive to repair or replace. Appliances often become damaged by common mistakes. If you’ve been making any of these blunders, change your habits and use your appliances the way they were intended so they’ll last as long as possible. After all - even the Bethesda condo queen likes to save money. 

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Re-Blogged 1 time:

Re-Blogged By Re-Blogged At
  1. Brian England 02/24/2021 07:00 AM
Topic:
Home Improvement
Tags:
tips to maintain appliances
bethesda condo queen

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Rainmaker
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Michael Jacobs
Pasadena, CA
Los Angeles Pasadena 818.516.4393

Hello Lise -whether it's a major appliance, ones home/vehicle or even yourself - proper maintenance makes a big difference.  

Feb 23, 2021 06:39 AM #1
Rainmaker
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Lawrence "Larry" & Sheila Agranoff. Cell: 631-805-4400
The Top Team @ Charles Rutenberg Realty 255 Executive Dr, Plainview NY 11803 - Plainview, NY
Long Island Condo and Home Specialists

Lise, I find that the dryer is one of those appliances that needs the lint filter changed often, expecially after wahsing towels. I do this on a regular basis!

Feb 23, 2021 06:50 AM #2
Rainmaker
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Nina Hollander
Coldwell Banker Realty - Charlotte, NC
Your Charlotte/Ballantyne/Waxhaw/Fort Mill Realtor

Hi Lise... great tips. I've always taken good care of my appliances and even after 15 years they are like new.

Feb 23, 2021 08:40 AM #3
Rainmaker
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Roy Kelley
Realty Group Referrals - Gaithersburg, MD

This is good advice to share.

Take care, be safe and have a great day.

Feb 23, 2021 08:48 AM #4
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Ron and Alexandra Seigel
Napa Consultants - Carpinteria, CA
Luxury Real Estate Branding, Marketing & Strategy

Lise,

Small or big, it does not matter to us.  It is something we both do naturally and without major thinking.  Good advice. A

Feb 23, 2021 10:38 AM #5
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George Souto
George Souto NMLS #65149 FHA, CHFA, VA Mortgages - Middletown, CT
Your Connecticut Mortgage Expert

Lise if we take care of our appliances they will in return take care of our needs for many years.

Feb 23, 2021 12:33 PM #6
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John Pusa
Berkshire Hathaway Home Services Crest - Glendale, CA
Your All Time Realtor With Exceptional Service

Hello Lise Howe very valuable report about treat appliances with TLC to save money in the long run.

Feb 23, 2021 04:01 PM #7
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Kathy Streib
Room Service Home Staging - Delray Beach, FL
Home Stager - Palm Beach County,FL -561-914-6224

Hi Lise- very good information!  I wonder if they make appliances like they used to (doubt it)  Our first W/D and Fridge were given to us by my grandmother and she purchased them at Sears. This was back in 1980. We had them for about 15 years and moved with them several times. We never had any problems and we finally sold them not because they weren't working but Larry felt it was time. 

Feb 23, 2021 06:43 PM #8
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James Dray
Fathom Realty - Bentonville, AR
Exceptional Agents, Outstanding Results

Morning Lise.

We have an electric heater in the master bedroom.  I was ready to throw it out, when my wife found that all it needed was the filter to be cleaned.  It sure saved us some cash.  Big or small, a little care is in order

Feb 24, 2021 12:14 AM #9
Rainmaker
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Brian England
Vacasa - Gilbert, AZ
MBA, GRI, REALTOR® Real Estate in East Valley AZ

Treating our appliances the way they should be treated is certainly important because they are expensive to replace.

Feb 24, 2021 04:47 AM #10
Rainmaker
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Joan Cox
House to Home, Inc. - Denver Real Estate - 720-231-6373 - Denver, CO
Denver Real Estate - Selling One Home at a Time

Lise, this is excellent advice, and especially cleaning the dryer vent.  We see fires in homes due to this issue frequently.

Feb 24, 2021 07:06 AM #11
Rainmaker
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Beth Atalay
Cam Realty and Property Management - Clermont, FL
Cam Realty of Clermont FL

Great post Lise Howe, I do property management, can't tell you how often tenants run into problems with their appliances not working properly, especially the washer by overloading.

Feb 24, 2021 07:43 AM #12
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Lauren Williams, CPO, CVPO
Casual Uncluttering LLC - Woodinville, WA
Professional Organizer: Puget Sound homes

Lise Howe OHMIGOSH SO TRUE. I can rant in vivid detail of the $1,000s of dollars I could have saved if I'd known the maintenance, installation, etc. histories and "needs" of some of my household machines. What you're saying about small appliances - think BIG too - like HVAC ducts. Lauren

Feb 24, 2021 09:54 AM #13
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Paul S. Henderson, REALTOR®, CRS
Fathom Realty Washington LLC - Tacoma, WA
South Puget Sound Washington Agent/Broker!

As a rental owner, I found out very early how bad people putting muddy clothes in a washing machine can effect the longevity of said appliance. Thank you Lise Howe 

Feb 24, 2021 11:14 AM #14
Rainmaker
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Patricia Feager, MBA, CRS, GRI,MRP
DFW FINE PROPERTIES - Flower Mound, TX
Selling Homes Changing Lives

Lise Howe - This is really good information. The moral of the story is it is better to maintain your appliances and keep them running as the manufacturer intended instead of replacing appliances or paying for costly repairs. 

Feb 25, 2021 04:35 AM #15
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Lise Howe

Assoc. Broker in DC, MD, VA and attorney in DC
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