As a homeowner, it’s your responsibility to keep your refrigerator in top shape. The cool thing is that there are plenty of tips you can use as given by refrigerator repair professionals. Some of these tips include:

Set the right temperature

For your refrigerator to function efficiently, you need to set it at the right temperature. The right temperature to set the unit is between 37 and 40 degrees Fahrenheit. When it comes to the deep freezer, you should keep it at 5 degrees Fahrenheit, for optimal freezing.

When you set the refrigerator at the right temperature, you ensure that the food tastes good, the fridge isn’t overburdened, and the electric bill is low all the time.

Avoid setting the fridge too low as you will damage the food. You also should avoid setting it too high as the food might rot.

Some thermostats are difficult to set. If this is the case with yours, you should ask a professional to help you out.

Keep the fridge full all the time

If you ask many people, they will tell you keeping the fridge full makes it work harder as there is a lot of food to cool, but this isn’t the case. You should note that cold foods help each other to stay cool.

When there are a lot of empty spaces in your fridge, the compressor tends to work harder to cool the empty spots, hence it ends up consuming a lot of energy.

Do you want to conserve energy? Keep your fridge well stocked. When you look inside the unit and notice that you are running low on foods, you should simply restock it.

If you don’t have the money to run to the store, consider restocking it with bottles of water that will make up for the wasted space

Give the fridge some space

Where have you placed the fridge? If you are like most other people, you have placed it close to a wall. When it’s at this position, it doesn’t breathe as well as it’s supposed to, which makes it work too hard.

For the refrigerator to function optimally, you should keep the fridge as far away from the wall as much as possible. You also should keep it away from direct sunlight and other sources of heat.

You should note that when the fridge is in a hot area, it tends to work harder hence you end up with a large energy bill at the end of the month.

Keep it clean

It goes without saying that you should keep the refrigerator clean at all times. A dirty fridge is not only unsightly to look at, it also tends to consume a lot of energy. A dirty fridge has also been found not to cool the food as fast as it should.

At least once a week, you should inspect the unit and get rid of any dirt it might be having both inside and outside the appliance. You also should get rid of the expired food products that might be inside.

When you are cleaning it, you should use a food-safe solution. Avoid using chemicals that can harm you or the fridge.

Keep the food covered

If you are like most other homeowners, you return leftover foods to the refrigerator. It’s always wise to keep the food covered at all times. When you cover the food, you lock in the moisture, preventing the refrigerator compressor from working too much.

What is the consequence of this? You have a low energy monthly bill.

Fix the faulty parts

Regardless of how well you maintain your fridge, it will come a time when it will break down. Problems with the fridge range from failure to start, to noises when working. When your refrigerator develops problems, you should fix them as soon as possible.

As a rule of thumb, you should ensure that the issues are fixed by an experienced and certified appliance repair Springfield professional. You should avoid working with a cheap contractor as he/she will most likely cause more problems than were already there.

As an appliance owner, it’s your responsibility to take care of your gas stove.  The cool thing is that there are plenty of things you can do to keep your appliances in top shape. Here are some of these things as given by appliance repair professionals:

Wipe down as soon as spills happen

When you are cooking, it’s common for spills to come about. When you allow the spills to settle on the gas stove, stains result. It’s recommended that you get rid of the spills as soon as they happen to prevent permanent stains from developing.

The cool thing is that it’s easy to remove the spills. All you need to do is to wipe down the surfaces with water and a scrubber. You also should remember to use a soapy detergent and apply some elbow grease to get the stains off.

For you to prevent the spills from coming about in the first place, use pots, and pans that are deep enough. This is to prevent boil-overs and splattering.

Regularly clean the stove parts

In addition to wiping down the stove after cooking, you also should periodically clean the parts of the stove. You need to wash the burner drip plates and other removable accessories. When cleaning, take care that you don’t clean the electric burner coils.

You can clean the parts using your hands or by running them with your next dishwasher load.

You also need to clean the knobs. You should note that you need to first remove the control panel knobs before you clean them. After removing the knobs, wash them in hot, soapy water. You should then rinse and dry them, before replacing them.

Clean the burner

The burner heads are the heart of the gas stove and it’s here where you supply the gas. The burner is made from high-grade metal with many pores in it. Moderate amounts of gas are emitted through these pores in a circular pattern.

This enables the fire to spread more out, and cover a large surface area.

When oil and grease spills happen, they might drip down and cover the pores, which reduce the overall performance of the burner head.

For you clean the burners, you need to soak them in hot water and a liquid detergent. Do this for 20-30 minutes, then use a toothbrush to scrub off the stains. For you to clean the pores, you should use an unwound paper clip.

Clean the grates

Grates provide support for the utensils and at the same time prevent them from touching the burner head. When you are cleaning them, you should follow the same cleaning procedure you use when cleaning the burner head.

You need to soak the grates in hot water and liquid detergent for 20 minutes then use a scrubber to remove the grime.

Pay attention to the hood

If your stove doesn’t have a sealed cooktop, it’s common for food and grease to fall down under the burners. It’s easy to forget about the debris that you aren’t seeing; therefore, remember to lift the cooktop and clean beneath it.

While lifting the stove seems straightforward, many homeowners make the mistake of lifting too the wrong way, causing damage.

After lifting the top, clean the buildup with a sponge and warm, soapy water. Once you are done, rinse with clean water and sponge.

Undertake regular inspections

For you to avoid the surprise of your appliance grinding to a halt in the middle of a busy day, you should make a habit of hiring an oven repair professional to inspect the unit and if there are any issues, fix them.

For you to get the most from the inspection, ensure that the contractor you hire to undertake the inspection is certified and experienced enough. The last thing you want is hiring someone who will cause more harm to your appliance.

Remember the range hoods

The range hoods work hard at absorbing grease, moisture, and cooking odors when you are using the cooktop. For you to keep them working efficiently and looking good, commercial appliance repair Alexandria professionals recommend that you clean them regularly.

You need to clean the metal with a non-abrasive cleaner or ammonia and water solution. When cleaning, pay attention to the filters. If they are too dirty, clean them. If you find them damaged, you should simply replace them.

Do you have a dishwasher? For the unit to last for a long time, you should take good care of it. One of the most effective ways of doing it is by observing a set of dos and don’ts. Here is what you need to do as given by appliance repair professionals:

Do run full loads

The purpose of doing this is to minimize the amount of water that the appliance uses when doing the dishwashing. When you run the unit half full, you tend to spend a lot of water that you shouldn’t.

For you to conserve water, you should always run full loads of the appliance.

While you should run when the unit is full, you should take care that you don’t overfill it. This is because doing so leads to a malfunctioning appliance. You also tend to damage your utensils.

Don’t face all the plates in one direction

How you place plates has a great impact on how clean they get among many other things. One of the mistakes you should avoid making is placing the plates in such a way that they all face the same direction.

The best way of going about it is placing the plates on the bottom rack while they are facing inwards towards the spray arms. When it comes to the small plates, place them in front of the larger ones. This is to ensure that the spray reaches them.

When you are arranging the utensils in the dishwasher, you should arrange them in such a way that you are going to save time when unloading. This calls for you to put the forks with the forks and the knives with the knives.

You should place the handles facing up so that you don’t get poked or punctured as you are taking them out.

Spoons are bound to stay dirty if you place them in a spooning position; therefore, you should insert some of them with the handles facing down.

Do clean the dishwasher

It’s a no brainer that you need to clean the dishwasher. The cool thing is that it’s easy to clean it; therefore, you don’t need to worry about hiring a professional to help you out. All you need to do is to remove all the dishes in the unit and carefully clean the unit. You should also remember to clean the outside.

For you to keep all the parts running, consider running an empty cycle at least once a day. The best time to do it is at the end of the workday.

Don’t wash the dishes beforehand

To make the work easy for the dishwasher, it’s recommended that you remove the excess food that might be on the dishes. Some people go to the extent of pre-washing the dishes.

You don’t have to do this as it would be pointless putting the pre-washed dishes into the dishwasher.

It would be better simply washing the dishes by hand, don’t you think? If you have to remove the excess food materials, you should simply scrape them off—don’t go to the extent of washing them off.

Do use hot water

Most of the dishwashers are connected to the hot water. This water is meant to melt the fat that might be present and at the same time disinfect the machine and plates. Hotter always means cleaner; therefore, you should always use hot water.

If there are plastics in the batch that you are cleaning, you should take care that you don’t use extremely hot water that will cause damage.

Don’t unload from the top to bottom

Did you know how you unload the dishwasher is important? If you unload it the wrong way, you might have to repeat the cleaning process all over again. As a rule of thumb, you should avoid unloading the dishwasher from the top rack. This is because the rack might be containing water that can spill onto the dishes below.

Commercial appliance repair Northern VA professionals recommend that you unload the dishwasher from the bottom. Obviously this way there is no way you can spill the water onto the other dishes.

As a homeowner, it’s your responsibility to take care of your washing machine. According to commercial appliance repair professionals, there are plenty of tips that you need to consider for you to keep the unit in top shape. Some of these tips include:

Use the right detergent

When it comes to the detergent, you should use one that is made for high-efficiency machines. You should avoid regular detergents as they tend to produce more suds and when you use them for a long time, they build up a film on the drum and hoses. The film becomes a breeding ground for mold.

You should note that some detergents are marked as high-efficiency compatible, but they still produce a lot of suds that are difficult to rinse out.

Even when you get the right detergent, you should take care that you don’t use a lot of it. Just use minimal amounts of it and you will be good to go.

Watch out for fabric softeners

If you need your clothes to be ultra soft, you should wash them with a fabric softener. When using the softener, be on the lookout that you don’t use too much of it as you can end up damaging the machine.

If you can go without the softener, you are better off without it. When it comes to bleach, you also should take care that you don’t use too much of it. High efficiency machines use less water; therefore, when you use too much of fabric softener and bleach, you will have a hard time getting rid of it.

When buying the softeners and bleach, ensure they are of high quality.

Run a monthly cleaning cycle

At least once a month, run a cleaning cycle aimed at keeping the machine clean. For you to do it you need to pour distilled white vinegar instead of laundry detergent into the dispenser then add one cup of baking soda directly into the drum.

The purpose of doing this is to neutralize the pH while at the same time providing a scrubbing action. You should then run the machine on the hottest cycle.

For extreme cases of mildew, you should replace vinegar with bleach and run a few quick cycles with hot water. Does your machine allow a self-cleaning cycle? Follow the instructions given in the manual to the letter.

Keep the filter clean

Every washing machine has a lint filter. Depending on the type of machine, the lint collector is located in the agitator tube, which is the center column of most machines. You can also find it near the top of the washtub. For your machine to run efficiently, you should clean the filter.

At least once every few months, you should take a look at the filters and if dirty, clean them. Sometimes the filters are too dirty or damaged for cleaning. In such a case, you should simply replace them.

Don’t overload the machine

To save time and water, some homeowners load as many clothes in their washing machines as possible. While this might save you some time, it often leads to inefficient cleaning. It also sometimes leads to damage to the washing machine.

For you to keep the unit in top shape, you should avoid overloading it. Even when cleaning the clothes, wash the heavy and bulky items in small loads as these are often harder on the appliance.

Clean the washing machine

While the unit is meant to clean the clothes, it also should be cleaned. For a crisp look, you should clean both the insides and outsides of the machine. You should clean out the washing machine door’s rubber seal using water and vinegar.

Are there hard to clean areas? Use Q-tips to clean them. During the cleaning, get rid of any bits of hair or fabric that you may find. These materials tend to trap odors, sludge, and provide a breeding ground for mold.

Watch out for the small objects

The small objects can easily damage your machine; therefore, you should keep your eyes open for them. To protect your machine, check your pockets for foreign objects such as coins, hair clips, and any others. If they are there, appliance repair Fairfax professionals recommend that you remove them.

A good refrigerator doesn’t come cheap; therefore, you should take good care of it. According to refrigerator repair professionals, there are plenty of ways in which you can keep your refrigerator running as good as new. These ways include:

Clean the coils

While you might not be seeing the coils from the outside of the fridge, you need to keep them free of debris, dust, and pet hair for the refrigerator to function smoothly and efficiently.

The coils are located at the bottom of the fridge or at the back. For you to access them, you have to remove the grill. This calls for you to snap off the plate and remove a few screws.

A vacuum cleaner is enough to give the coils a clean look. You only need to ensure that that the cleaner has an attachment or stiff brush. For you to give the coils a clean look, you only need to run the brush or vacuum over and under the coils and remove as much dust from it as much as possible.

When cleaning the coils, also remember to clean the condenser fan.

Set the right temperature

Just like your heating or cooling systems, you need to set the right temperature for the fridge to work efficiently. When you set a high temperature, the food in the fridge might rot. At the same time, if you set a temperature that is too low, you might end up damaging the food.

The ideal temperature setting is one between 37 and 40 degrees Fahrenheit. When it comes to the freezer, you should set it at 5 degrees Fahrenheit for optimal freezing temperatures.

When you maintain these temperatures you ensure that the fridge is working efficiently. The temperatures also ensure that the food tastes good.

Change the filters

Did you know that refrigerators have filters that need to be changed? You need to keep an eye on them and if dirty or damaged, replace them. When you keep the filters clean and in good condition, you keep the icemaker and water dispenser clean. This ensures that the components run efficiently.

Many people tend to forget replacing the filters in their refrigerators. A great way of remembering to do it is to replace them when you are replacing those of the heating and cooling systems.

When buying the new filters, ensure that they are of high quality. This way you are sure they will provide you with excellent services and at the same time last for a long time.

Keep the fridge door closed all the time

You might have grown up in a family where the mother used to tell you to keep the refrigerator door closed all the time, right? Turns out she was right. For your fridge to function as good as new you need to keep the fridge door closed all the time.

When you keep the door open, you make the fridge work harder than it should, hence it consumes more energy than it should. You should minimize the amount of time you keep the door open by thinking about the items in the fridge beforehand so that when you go to the fridge, you retrieve them all at once.

After getting what you want, keep the door closed tightly.

Keep the fridge full

For the refrigerator to cool the food better, you need to keep it full all the time. While it’s good to keep it full, appliance repair Alexandria professionals warn against filling it too much to the extent that you block the vents and controls.

When you fill the unit too much, you make it hard for the air to circulate which makes the fridge work harder than it should.