How to Extend the Life of Your Kitchen Appliances

After years of repairing appliances across Mountain View, Palo Alto, and the Peninsula, I've noticed that the homes whose appliances last the longest do a small set of things consistently. None of these are complicated and none take more than a few minutes a month. Here's the short list.

Refrigerator

• Vacuum the condenser coils once a year. They're on the back or under the front grille. Dust on coils is the #1 cause of premature compressor failure.
• Don't pack the freezer too tight. Air has to circulate around the items. An overstuffed freezer leads to a warm fridge and a cold compartment.
• Clean the door gasket monthly. A wiped-down gasket lasts twice as long as one with sticky residue from cooking grease and milk drips.

Dishwasher

• Pull the filter and rinse it monthly. Two minutes of work prevents most "bad smell" and "won't drain" calls.
• Run a cleaner cycle quarterly. Affresh, Cascade Platinum, or even a cup of white vinegar on the top rack with hot water and an empty machine.
• Use the right amount of detergent. Bay Area water is on the harder side; check the dispenser recommendations. Too little and the cycle won't clean; too much and you'll get residue and seal damage over time.

Washer

• Leave the door cracked between loads. Front-loaders especially. Closed doors trap moisture, which becomes mildew, which becomes the dreaded "stinky-laundry" problem.
• Clean the gasket monthly. Wipe down the rubber door seal with a damp cloth. Mold lives in those folds.
• Use HE detergent in HE machines. Regular detergent in a high-efficiency washer creates excess suds that coat the drum, the bearings, and eventually the pump.

Dryer

• Clean the lint trap every load. Yes, every. single. load. This is the difference between a dryer that lasts 14 years and one that fails at 8.
• Vacuum the vent run every 6 months. The duct from the dryer to the outside cap fills with lint over time. A clogged vent is both a fire risk and a workload-doubling inefficiency.
• Don't overload. If the drum is more than three-quarters full, clothes can't tumble properly and dry times double.

Range, oven, and cooktop

• Clean spills the day they happen. Burnt-on food becomes carbonized, which can damage the surface and the gaskets.
• Don't use the oven for storage. Plastic items melt onto heating elements; pizza boxes block convection fans.
• Run the self-clean cycle sparingly. Every self-clean cycle stresses the door latch, the lock motor, and the high-temperature wiring. Once or twice a year is fine; once a month is a path to early failure.

Microwave

• Don't slam the door. The door switches are the #1 failure point. Close it gently.
• Don't run it empty. Microwave energy with no load to absorb it cooks the magnetron. Ten seconds is fine; a minute will shorten the life of the unit.

Do these and you'll get the upper end of every appliance's lifespan. We're happy to help with anything that's already gone wrong — see our full service list or call us directly.

Need something fixed today? Call (650) 691-3065.