How to Help Your Kitchen Appliance Last Longer

Posted on September 10, 2021 by oozle

On average, we typically replace our kitchen appliances every 10 to 15 years. While there is no universal lifespan for every major appliance in your kitchen once an appliance has reached its lifespan, it doesn’t typically work like it used to. However, with regular maintenance and professional repairs, you can beat your appliance’s life span and make them last longer.

How to Make Each Appliance Last Longer

Your Kitchen Oven and Range

If you’re wanting to expand the life of your oven, you must keep it clean and maintain all of its components. The type of cleaning and maintenance your oven and range need depends on what kind of appliances you have.

Gas Ranges: When it comes to your gas ranges, the best thing you can do is check your burners regularly. Turn on your stove and check the flame. If the flame is blue, that means your range is working efficiently. If the flame is yellow or orange, this means the burners need to be cleaned. While you will still need to give each burner a deep clean, there are quick temporary options. For example, if you need to use your stove, you can clear out any debris by poking a needle through each pilot hole.

Electric Ranges: With an electric range, the biggest thing you’ll need to worry about is the coil burners. While most ranges have a self-cleaning feature, this doesn’t always remove the debris. We suggest giving your range a deep clean at least once a month to keep working properly.

Ovens: The best way to lengthen your oven’s lifespan is with a little TLC. As with ranges, you’ll want to keep it clean. Food build-up just means your oven will have to work harder to cook your food. If your oven has a self-cleaning feature, don’t use it. Heat overload will prematurely wear out your oven, instead, clean your oven by hand. Lastly, you’ll want to replace your drip pans every couple of months, this helps prevent your heating element from short-circuiting.

When it comes to your oven and ranges, the best thing you can do is keep it clean. If you spill, clean it up immediately, and be sure to do deep cleaning when you can. By keeping it clean and doing regular maintenance, your oven should work better and last longer.

Your Kitchen Refrigerator

Most arguably, one of the most important appliances in your kitchen is your refrigerator. Refrigerators use quite a bit of energy and can cost a lot when it’s time to replace it. To help your fridge run more energy-efficient and extend its lifespan, here are some things you’ll want to do:

• Keep the Heat Away: Heat sources make your fridge compressor work harder, spending more in energy and shortening its life span.
• Replace Your Door’s Seal: When the seal is worn, cold escapes making your fridge work harder. Over the years, the seal becomes brittle so try and replace it every five years minimum.
• Clean Your Condenser Coils: It’s common for your coils to get full of dust, cooling down your fridge. You’ll want to clean them at least once a month to improve efficiency.
• Use the In-Door Ice Dispenser: One of the best ways to improve your fridge’s life span is by opening it less. If your fridge has an in-door ice dispenser, use it instead of getting ice out of the freezer.

Replacing your refrigerator is frustrating and costs you a lot of money. By doing these little things, your refrigerator can work well beyond its life span and require fewer repairs throughout the years.

Dishwashers

According to most dishwasher manufacturers, your dishwasher should last about 10 years. However, that doesn’t mean 10 trouble-free years. According to Consumer Reports, homeowners experience problems with their dishwashers after five years of use. To help keep your dishwasher working properly, try these maintenance tips!

• Scrape Your Plate, Don’t Rinse: Most dishwashers don’t require a pre-rinse, but you’ll want to be sure to scrape off any solid foods before using your dishwasher.
• Remove Hard Water Residue: Hard water is tough on a dishwasher. Installing a water softener can fix this, but if you are unable to install one right now, you can remove build-up with proper cleaning solutions.
• Don’t Overload: Overloading your dishwasher can restrict the water spray pattering and prevents a proper cleaning. You’ll have to rewash your dishes, running your machine unnecessarily.
• Inspect Spray Arms: Every couple of months you’ll want to check the spray arms to make sure they’re clean and no food is stuck inside. This will help your dishwasher run properly and prevent it from breaking.

By doing these small things, along with regular maintenance, you’re helping your dishwasher last longer and avoiding any costly repairs.

How Proserv Can Help

Here at Proserv, we service all major brands and models of electrical and gas household appliances. We have been servicing the greater Las Vegas area for over 20 years and can help you repair your appliances. Contact us today, and we’ll send one of our technicians out for your free quote!