Most homeowners don’t overthink their home appliances until they have noticed a potential problem with the appliance. This is ridiculously dangerous because sometimes the appliances may break down without warning.
With winter just setting in, the last thing you wish is to run into problems with your appliances. To help ensure that you get the most out of your appliances during this time, here are a few winter appliance tips for you-:
Outside venting maintenance
Outside venting is of great importance if you don’t want to worry about appliance repair in Verdun and Laval or in Montreal area when the cold weather comes calling. For appliances that have vent openings such as dryers, the opening needs to be well taken care of to reduce the chances of the opening being blocked, either fully or partially with snow from the outside.
When the vents are blocked, the snow can melt inside the ducts, and when this is mixed with the lint and dust that is normally present in the duct, this will result in damage. Here is exactly what you need to do to the vents before the cold weather comes calling:
- Check every vent opening and clean them to remove any free obstacles present
- If the ducts are longer than 4 feet, call for professional duct cleaning services to help you secure them for winter.
- Ensure that there is a clearance of at least 3 feet from the vent’s opening.
- After every snow or blizzard, be careful to inspect the vents in case they were affected in any way with snow.
The water piping
If your washing machine doesn’t fill up or the water is too cold, don’t run to call for appliance repair in Blainville or in Montreal area immediately since the problem could be due to water freezing in your laundry room pipes – this is very common during winter even for well-insulated houses. To see if this is the problem, turn off the valves to the washer, then turn on the hose to see if there is any water coming out.
If there is no water in the hose, then the pipes are frozen and you will have to wait for the outside temperatures to rise for the problem to disappear. Though this is a very common occurrence in winter, the best way for you to avoid this is to check the insulation of the pipes and always run hot water during the cold months.
Self-clean the oven before winter
You don’t want any problems with your oven during the holidays. It will not just be inconvenient, but also embarrassing, and could be very expensive. The self-clean cycle for ovens normally hit very high temperatures, and it can be used as a stress test to check if there are any components that are about to fail. Though you are likely to not find any problems, this is something you need to do before winter just to ascertain that your appliance will be in good condition when the weather dips.
Vent cover flaps
With cold temperatures, rodents and other small animals will be very happy to enjoy the warmth inside your home, and their best route to access the house is through the vents. Vents are normally fitted with flaps to stop the cold air as well as pests from getting into the house.
Before winter, therefore, check all the ventilation flaps to see if they are in good condition and actually close as desired. If you find damages of any kind, call for Whirlpool dryer, Samsung dryer or Kenmore dryer repairs and other brands, immediately before you wake up to losses you might not have planned for.
Take care of your refrigerator
Unknown to most people, the best time to clean your refrigerator is when winter is approaching. This is the time to check the coils and vacuum all the dust and debris that may have collected in the previous months. It is also the right time to check the drain pans and the door seals to ensure they are in good condition.
If you have any refrigerators outside which are not designated for outdoor use, they should be unplugged and kept in a safe place where they will not be affected by the cold weather. If they are left outside, water and the ice lines are likely to get frozen and the unit will heat up unnecessarily, compelling you to call for appliance repair service in Terrebonne, Repentigny and Mascouche and Montreal area.
Garage appliances
Most people have quite a number of appliances in their garages, and very little attention is normally given to them when the temperatures get low. Some of the appliances you are likely to find in the garages include dryers, washing machines, freezers and maybe a backup fridge. The first step to protect these appliances and the contents therein is to ensure proper insulation for the garage.
If the garage is not properly insulated, the refrigerant in the freezer and fridge are likely to change state, and this will make it difficult for the compressor to work properly. As a result, the efficiency of the appliances will be greatly compromised, not to mention that a potential breakdown may be looming. Therefore, avoid using appliances in a garage that is not well-insulated.
Clean out the dryer lint
Dryer lint is one of the major causes of home fires during the winter, and this is something you want to be very careful about when winter is approaching. Before winter, check the vent to ensure that the lint is not clogged, and make it a habit to clean the lint filter, as well as behind, under, and inside the dryer because lint buildup also happens in these places.
These tips, in addition to routine care and maintenance, should be sufficient to keep your appliances going during the winter. Be very keen to ensure you are not disappointed by appliance breakdown when you need them the most.
