Maintain your appliances and save money

Even though Danby said they’d honour my 18-month warranty — Are you kidding me? Eighteen months? – they never did. Lesson learned. Even as I was shelling out more money for another fridge I was asking myself, “Was the death of my fridge in some way my fault?” After all, there are things you’re supposed to do to keep your appliances humming along. How many of these things do you do?

Fridge
• Vacuum your compressor coils every six months to keep ‘em clean so your fridge doesn’t have to overheat by working harder.
• Wipe down the door gaskets with dish soap so they connect flush with the fridge. (Test your seal by closing the door on a piece of paper. If the paper slides out easily, you may need new gaskets.)
• Don’t overstuff the fridge. The air needs to be able to flow around your food to keep it cool. Do fill your freezer. The frozen food traps the cold and helps maintain a steady temperature.

Dishwasher
• Remove and wash the filter every three months.
• Check spray arms for any clogged holes that may need cleaning (especially if you have very hard water.)
• Clean the seals to prevent mold and leakage.

Washing Machine
• Make sure it is leveled so it runs evenly. If it shakes during the spin cycle, it may not be level.
• Don’t overload. Empty pockets and avoid clothes with heavy metal fasteners that may damage the drum.
• Don’t overuse soap or fabric softener, which can end up leaving a residue.

Dryer
• Clean lint filter between every load. Yes, EVERY load. That lets the air flow evenly so the dryer doesn’t overwork.
• Dry in smaller loads for less wear on the machine. And switch to the new load while the dryer is still warm.
• Clean the duct to the exhaust once a year.

Furnace
• Annual cleaning.
• Replace or clean filter once a month to keep the air flowing evenly.

There was no way that fridge compressor was my bad. But it did make me sit up and pay closer attention to what else in my house needed to be maintained. Expensive lesson well learned.