May is National Home Improvement Month Fixing appliances is easy with help from the Internet

To help homeowners tackle appliance repair during National Home Improvement Month, RepairClinic.com President Chris Hall offers some quick maintenance and repair tips.

“While automotive repair has become increasingly more difficult over the last ten years, appliance repair has become easier,” said Hall. “Almost anyone can tackle most appliance repair jobs with a few simple tools.”

Ten Helpful Tips from RepairClinic.com (www.repairclinic.com)

1.    Ice Maker: If the ice cubes from your ice maker smell unpleasant or have a bad taste, consider adding a water filter to the inlet line to take out impurities in the water – make sure you change it once or twice a year. Also, clean or replace the freezer’s ice bin as it may have absorbed odors over the years. Finally, remember to keep all foods tightly covered in the refrigerator, as odors will travel to the freezer and can effect the quality of your ice cubes.

2.    Refrigerator: To keep it working efficiently and extend its life, clean the condenser coils under your refrigerator at least once a year. Use a specially made condenser brush and your vacuum cleaner to make quick work of this project.

3.    Washing Machine: As a proactive measure against potentially major leaks, replace the rubber inlet hoses on washing machines every five years. Use stainless steel hoses for even more peace of mind.

4.    Dryer: Clean the area around the lint filter and the dryer vent at least once a year. Most people already know to clean the lint filter on their dryer after every load, but don’t realize that some lint invariably escapes and accumulates in the dryer and the venting.

5.    Stove/Cook top: Replace burner bowls and knobs. This is an inexpensive way to give a stove a fresh, clean look and helps the burners work more efficiently by reflecting heat from the burner.


6.    Dishwasher: Repair or replace chipping or rusting dishwasher racks because the metal flakes can ruin the motor seals. Patching kits are available to help make this project easy. If the rack is not repairable, replace the whole thing to avoid future costly repairs.

7.    Microwave: Clean the interior of your microwave regularly. Food particles and splatter absorb energy while the unit is operating and can cause burns and other damage to the microwave.

8.    Trash Compactor: Many trash compactors have a charcoal filter to clean the air inside the unit. Remember to replace the filter annually. Also, don’t use regular garbage bags as they can jam easily. Use bags made for your compactor.

9.    Freezer: For manual-defrost freezers, make sure to defrost it when the frost has reached an inch in thickness. Do not use any sharp objects to scrape the ice, as this could damage the refrigeration system. Instead, use a flexible plastic spatula to loosen the ice. For self-defrosting freezers, make sure to clean the condenser coils and the drip pan (if it is removable) at least once a year.

10.    Garbage disposal: For a quick and inexpensive way to clean and deodorize garbage disposals, grind half a lemon or lime. There are other products specially made for this application which are also effective.

For more helpful information about home appliance care, expert advice, troubleshooting tips and diagnostic advice, visit www.repairclinic.com.





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