How to Extend the Life of Your Home Appliances | Home ...

Household appliances like refrigerators, television sets and ovens are the kinds of things most of us don?t think about much until they break down. That?s when homeowners realize the extent of their dependence on appliances. Believe it, when you?re refrigerator breaks in the middle of July, you?re going to develop a very serious appreciation for the luxuries of modern life.

The day your major appliance breaks down will also, in all likelihood, be the day you wonder why if you should have become a refrigerator repairman. Having a repairman come to your home to work on your refrigerator is a very expensive and, fortunately, very avoidable situation.

Here?s a few tips that homeowners can use to extend the life of their household appliances.

Invest in a Service Plan

Long ago, manufacturers stood by their products and the two-year, five-year; even lifetime warranty on big ticket appliances was pretty common. These days, the average warranty is more like 90 days, unless you?ve invested in a service/repair plan.

We won?t argue with anyone who says that the service plans big box appliance stores sell, above and beyond the ticket price of the item. There?s no question that businesses should stand behind what they sell, but they don?t. We?re stuck with service plans and we advise every consumer to take advantage of them.

The upside to service plans is that you only need to use them one time to recoup their initial cost. Oftentimes, retailers won?t even attempt to repair your appliance and will just replace the broken one with a new model; no questions asked.

Read the Manuals

How many times have you read the operator?s manual that came with your new television, refrigerator or washing machine? In all likelihood, you probably read the first couple of page before tossing it in your kitchen drawer.

While no one is saying that these books are great reading, they do offer tidbits of advice that can help you learn how to use your new appliance without driving it into the ground. Furthermore, the operating manual usually includes a troubleshooting section that can help resolve minor malfunctions.

At the very least, keep the manuals for all your appliances together in one easy-to-find spot so that you don?t have to tear your house apart finding them when the appliance does break down.

Keep it Clean

You probably don?t think of your refrigerator or stove as a high tech appliance but, if it was manufactured in the decade or so, it is definitely high tech. These devices are full of sensors, monitors and processors of all kinds. Unfortunately, it doesn?t take much to throw these fragile electronics into a tailspin, especially when the appliance isn?t clean.

Keeping your major appliances neat as a pin is something that not only makes your house look better, it helps extend the life of your pricey household items. Applying some good old soap and water to the insides and outside of stoves, refrigerators and laundry appliances won?t take long and can actually be enjoyable.

Finally

Today?s high-tech household appliances aren?t built to last the way their predecessors were, but with a little extra effort, you can extend their lives well beyond the manufacturer?s expectations.

Peter Adams writes about home and family. He writes for AppliancesConnection.com.

Source: http://www.oyeblikk.net/how-to-extend-the-life-of-your-home-appliances/

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