Ways You Are Damaging Your Major Appliances 

Although sometimes appliances fail in ways we cannot control, many times the failures are caused by avoidable mistakes we make. Your home appliances are almost like an extension of yourself and your ability to perform everyday tasks. 

Here are some of the behaviors and misbehaviors that can make or break your relationship with your home appliances: 

1. Disregarding Manufacturer Instructions: as appliances are more and more complex, manufacturers rely on consumers to actually read their included manuals and instructions. Ignoring them is a one-way ticket to a broken appliance. In the example of a fire, there is nothing worse than disregarding a manufacturer’s warning relating to an electrical appliance.
   
   
2. Installing a Complex Appliance Alone: putting in a major appliance might be exciting, but that’s no excuse for flouting safety. Dryers and ovens should be installed by a professional in order to keep the appliance functioning safely and properly.
   
   
3. Not Performing Regular Maintenance: this is a big problem that we all have from time to time if we get a bit lazy. Unfortunately, an ounce of prevention is really worth a pound of cure, and maintaining your appliance will prevent it from breaking or causing damage to your home and loved ones. Nearly all homeowners surveyed have said they’ve neglected at least one of their home appliances, with only 45% saying that they have a regular maintenance schedule.
   
   
4. Ignoring the Filters: your stove’s ventilation system and hood are grease traps that accumulate over time and become a fire hazard. Also, dirty vents will make the mechanical components work harder, causing your home to smell more like a sweaty kitchen than a tasty meal. Cleaning filters all across your appliances is key to making sure you and your family are consuming healthy products and are staying safe!
   
   
5. Letting your Dryer Lint Accumulate: this is a major no-no that can easily cause a fire that can take down your entire home! Over 50% of dryer owners surveyed said that they have forgotten to clean out their dryer for some period of time. According to the National Fire Protection Association, the number-one cause of fires is letting lint stack in the catcher or the vent pipe.
   
   
6. Ignoring Mold: this is a common problem in home appliances like a front-loading washing machine. Although some machines are more prone to mold building up than others, all things that use water and get wet can develop some nasty spore growth. To prevent this, make sure you leave the washing machine as open as possible after use to allow for air to circulate through the appliance. For preventing mold in a dishwasher, choose the heat-dry option before doing the dishes, and leave the door open somewhat to the appliance after use.
   
   
7. Overloading the Dishwasher: this is a common reason for early burnout of your appliance; baby boomers were the number-one group surveyed that admitted to causing their dishwasher to throw in the towel due to overloading. When the parts are overstrained, not only will your appliance wear out faster, but it won’t even perform the job it was designed to do with the efficiency intended!
   
   
8. Using Too Much Soap: this is a common problem because people tend to think that more is better when it comes to cleaning agents. However, this is rarely the case, and too much soap causes a film to build up that interferes with the mechanical components of your home appliances. Also, it is not skin-friendly to be wearing clothing all day that is impregnated with soap! Make sure to follow the labels and research what soaps work best for what you’re trying to accomplish and in what amounts.
   
   

If you have an issue with a household appliance, give Professional Appliance Repair a call and we will help your appliance run like new!