Home appliances cost big bucks. So when you make the investment, you expect them to last for a long time, right?
Most consumers expect their appliances to last for around ten years and many manufacturers boast about their longevity. While some homeowners may be lucky enough to get the full ten years, at least one appliance will develop a problem or a quirk within the first five years of its lifespan. Even homeowners who don’t need to call a repairman usually see their appliances’ efficiency begin to fade around this time.
But there are steps you can take to avoid costly breakdowns and protect your investment. Here are three tips to help lengthen the lifespan of your home’s appliances.
Change the filters
We know it’s easy but don’t ignore those indicator lights! When an appliance flashes the light for a filter change or a routine cleaning, act as soon as possible. Dirty filters can clog up your appliances’ components and prevent them from working efficiently. Build-up and grime left unhandled can back up into unreachable parts of your appliances and cause permanent damage.
Schedule routine cleaning and maintenance
Each of your appliances requires regular maintenance in order to stay in tip-top shape. Take a few minutes to create a list of the manufacturer’s recommendations for cleaning, and then pick a chunk of time every few months to get it all done at once. Deep clean the filter on the dishwasher, defrost and clean the inside refrigerator and freezer, run the self-clean feature on the oven, and clean the hair filters and lint traps on your washer, machine, and dryer. Soap scum, food particles, hair, dust, and dirt all get trapped in the filters and crevices of your appliances and can severely diminish their efficiency.
Prevent hard water build-up
One of the biggest causes of appliance slowdown is hard water mineral build-up. Nearly 85% of all homes in the United States have hard water. You may recognize it from the crust that accumulates on your home’s faucets and showerheads. This same build-up occurs in the internal components of your home’s appliances. Over time, this build-up prevents the efficient flow of water through your dishwasher, washing machine, coffee maker, etc., leaving you with spots and chalky residue on your dishes and clothes that don’t feel fully clean out of the washer and expensive appliances that get run down faster. Shorter appliance lifespans mean more money spent on fixes or replacements.
The best way to prevent hard water mineral damage is to make sure purified water is running through your home’s pipes and appliances. A whole home water purification system can provide a customized solution to combat the exact minerals affecting your home’s water. These systems can help you use soap and detergents more efficiently, save time in scrubbing and cleaning, and improve the lifespan of your appliances, fixtures, and plumbing.
Schedule a FREE in-home water test today to find out exactly what’s in your water, how it’s affecting your home, and how a whole-home system can help.