Parents and casual onlookers alike can agree that the work involved in raising a family is a full-time job. This may be why home appliance maintenance tasks so often get postponed, as commitments to the family and the paying career take precedence over those involved with the somewhat boring tasks involved in maintaining a home.
But home appliance maintenance is important because it helps to prevent the household from experiencing the inconvenience and expense of non-working appliances. If you are guilty of slacking on your home's appliance maintenance tasks, here are some tips to help you get back on track.
Create a master list of appliances and necessary maintenance tasks
When life is hectic, it can be difficult to keep track of all the tasks that need to be done, especially if they are maintenance-related chores that are only needed a few times each year.
A good way to overcome this challenge is to take a few moments to create a master list of all appliances in the home and a basic maintenance checklist and schedule for each. Your list might include the following examples:
- changing HVAC filters regularly
- checking hoses and connections for signs of leaks or damage
- cleaning the door seals on the refrigerator each month
- checking to make sure that appliances are level and adjusting the legs, as needed
- cleaning the hot water heater tank to remove lime buildup and installing a new anode rod
- calibrating ovens and checking interior fridge temperatures
Service manuals for the appliances will offer more information about necessary ongoing maintenance tasks that homeowners can use to create a proactive master list.
Devote time periodically to cleaning and solving minor issues
Once homeowners have created a master list of necessary maintenance tasks to work from, they can then decide how to allocate time for accomplishing the tasks.
Devoting just an hour or so each week can help homeowners manage many of the tasks on their lists without affecting family life. If there are children old enough to help, teaching them to help with maintenance tasks offers an excellent time for communication.
Hire an appliance professional for repairs and annual servicing
While homeowners can handle many of their home's appliance maintenance chores, having an appliance repair professional check each appliance and perform annual servicing should be considered. This type of service visit by a reputable appliance service repair contractor will help appliances last longer and operate much more efficiently. Be sure to find an expert who specializes in a wide range of home maintenance services.
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