This Valentine’s Day, lavish a little affection and attention on your trusty household appliances to keep them humming all year long. These simple maintenance tips can extend the life of your largest electric appliances and help them operate more efficiently, saving you money on your monthly energy bill.
Once a year, shut off the water to your water heater and drain the tank completely. Then turn the incoming water on and off alternately for 20 seconds to flush minerals and sediment that collect at the bottom of the tank and cause it to operate inefficiently.
If you have a refrigerator with condenser coils at the back or bottom, vacuum them to remove dust that can impede the efficiency of the unit.
To ensure refrigerator and freezer doors seal tightly, place a dollar bill between the door frame and the gasket. If the dollar bill pulls out easily or falls out, the gasket needs replacing.
Pull your clothes dryer away from the wall and detach the vent tube from the back of the dryer. Using your hand and a vacuum, clean out built-up lint from the back of the dryer and inside the vent tubing.
Remove plant overgrowth and debris from around the air conditioner’s outdoor compressor unit or your heat pump to prevent the system from working harder than necessary to heat and cool your home. Have the HVAC system inspected and serviced annually.
