August 2007
Appliance upkeep
Some TLC will make your appliances last longer--and save you money
In his 20 years of selling parts to both repairmen and people trying to fix their own appliances, Chip Thomas, assistant manager
at Jacoby Appliance Parts in Irvington, N.J., has learned better than most how to shorten the life of any appliance. Not enough
condensation in your refrigerator? "Just keep holding the door open in the hot weather every 10 minutes and make sure nothing
moved," Thomas advises jokingly, recalling one of the mistakes he's heard about. Want to make your dryer a fire hazard? Just
don't clean out the lint trap. Feel like burning out the igniter on your range? Spray it with oven cleaner.
When pressed for serious advice, Thomas also has plenty--most of which, he says, you can learn simply by reading the manufacturer's manual. "Most people don't realize how important it is to read manufacturer guidelines to cleaning and maintaining machines," he says.
Our Kitchen-Planning Guide will help you find the right appliances to make your house a dream home. And our Appliance repair or replace timeline (available to subscribers) will help you decide when it's time to buy new. But proper care of your appliances, both big and small, can extend their life and save you money in the long run. So while you dig for the manuals for your dishwasher, microwave, and water heater, here are some basic maintenance tips for several major appliances:
When pressed for serious advice, Thomas also has plenty--most of which, he says, you can learn simply by reading the manufacturer's manual. "Most people don't realize how important it is to read manufacturer guidelines to cleaning and maintaining machines," he says.
Our Kitchen-Planning Guide will help you find the right appliances to make your house a dream home. And our Appliance repair or replace timeline (available to subscribers) will help you decide when it's time to buy new. But proper care of your appliances, both big and small, can extend their life and save you money in the long run. So while you dig for the manuals for your dishwasher, microwave, and water heater, here are some basic maintenance tips for several major appliances:
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