Appliance upkeep: Some TLC will make your appliances last longer—and save you money

In his more than 20 years of selling parts to both repairmen and homeowners trying to fix their own appliances, Chip Thomas, assistant manager at Jacoby Appliance Parts in Irvington, New Jersey, has learned better than most how to shorten the life of any appliance. Not enough condensation in your refrigerator? "Just keep holding the door open in the hot weather every 10 minutes and make sure nothing moved," Thomas advises jokingly, recalling one of the mistakes he's heard about. Want to make your dryer a fire hazard? Just don't clean out the lint trap. Feel like burning out the igniter on your range? Spray it with oven cleaner.

When pressed for serious advice, Thomas also has plenty—most of which, he says, you can learn simply by reading the manufacturer's manual. "Most people don't realize how important it is to read manufacturer guidelines to cleaning and maintaining machines," he says.

Our Kitchen-Planning Guide will help you find the right appliances to make your house a dream home. And our appliance repair-or-replace time lines (available to subscribers) will inform you on when it's time to buy new. But proper care of your appliances can extend their life and save you money in the long run. So while you dig for the manuals for your dishwasher, microwave, or water heater, follow these basic maintenance tips for several major appliances.—Helen A.S. Popkin

For your kitchen essentials

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For gear around the house

Comments

[Michael Larkin]

Has anyone seen comparisons betwee water tanks and on-demand water heaters? I have a 40 gallon water tank in my house am I am considering changing to an on-demand water heater.

[Eric M]

I am looking for a comparison of the various manufacturers of kitchen cabinets. Can anyone help me determine the relative quality of several manufacturers?