Essential Home Appliance Maintenance

Oakland doesn’t have the intense heat that other parts of California are known for, and it almost never goes below freezing, either. That said, there can be some heat and there is plenty of humidity, all of which can wreak havoc on your appliances.

Kitchen: The hood range on your oven should be cleaned occasionally, and you should run the oven’s self-cleaning cycle once or twice a year. You should also regularly vacuum out the coils behind or under your refrigerator and check the pan under the fridge to make sure it’s not collecting mold.

Dishwasher: Clean your dishwasher occasionally by running a dishwasher cleaner through it and then rinsing thoroughly. While doing so, clean out the garbage disposal, too.

Laundry: Your washer needs to be washed once in a while, especially when you start noticing smells or you feel your clothes aren’t getting cleaned like they should. Get some washing machine cleaner and use it according to the directions.

You should also occasionally wipe down the washer drum and make it a habit to always leave the door of the washer open when you remove a load. That way mildew doesn’t have a chance to grow.

Dryer: You should always be cleaning out the dryer lint trap between loads, but it pays to clean out the hose and the vent a couple of times per year. And once a year, take off the back and vacuum the lint out of the whole interior, or call your Oakland appliance repair professionals to do it for you.

Electronics: Believe it or not, there are some basic maintenance tips that you can follow for your TV and computer. Always use a surge protector and make sure that it is mounted or placed where there’s room for heat to dissipate around it.

Clean your TV and your computer with an anti-static cleaner regularly to help repel dust. You can also use electronic vacuum pumps designed for household electronics to vacuum away excess dust. Ensure to turn off and unplug your appliances before doing so.

When Oakland’s temperature and humidity soar, there are a few things you can do to protect your appliances and get the most out of it.

Kitchen: Your fridge and freezer are at risk when the heat rises, especially if your kitchen isn’t adequately air conditioned. When the room is hot, the appliances has to work harder to do its job, which wears things out fast.

Do everything you can to keep the area around the fridge cool, and give it plenty of space to put off heat. Clean the coils even more frequently during these times.

Laundry: The laundry room already has a tendency to get humid, and when the humidity soars outside, it just makes the problem worse. The heat and humidity are hard on your washer and dryer.

If the weather forecasts a break in the humidity, hold off doing the laundry until then. If things are really bad, consider getting a good quality dehumidifier for the laundry room to help the dryer work even more effectively and keep mold and mildew at bay.

Electronics: The biggest dangers to your electronics are condensation and heat buildup. Try to avoid using TV and computer in extremely hot conditions and always make sure the intake and exhaust vents on the electronics are clear.

Condensation forms when there is an extreme temperature difference, so if you’re moving a device from a climate controlled environment to the outside, or vice versa, wait a while for the temperature to equalize before using it.

All your appliances will work longer and offer you fewer issues if you keep up with regular maintenance, do everything you can to protect them from heat and humidity, and protect your electrical outlets from power surges during storms.