The holiday season is just around the corner. Your homes will get busy with all the festivities, out-of-town guests, and family visits. With so many things going on, your appliances will be working overtime. From cooking holiday meals for several people to cleaning right after a celebration, you wouldn't want something wrong when doing your holiday chores. So before preparing for the holiday rush, ensure your appliance is up for the tasks.
If you like to play host to family and friends and gather everyone for celebrations, getting your home ready for the holidays is a good idea. When preparing your home for the holidays, it's best to start preparing early. Keeping your appliances in proper working order ensures you are ready for all the holiday guests and activities. Home appliances such as your stoves, furnace, refrigerators, dishwashers, and laundry equipment are essential during the holiday season. If you have reached this page, you are one step ahead of preparing for the holiday rush. Preparing your devices for the holidays makes sense. And Home Alliance is here to help.
Prepare Your Kitchen Appliances
A brief test and cleaning can go a long way to ensure your kitchen appliances are holiday ready. You wouldn't want your oven to stop working while roasting that luscious ham for the holiday evening. A simple cleaning can help reduce any issues on your appliance so you can enjoy quality time on your holidays. Here are some preparations and home appliance maintenance tips we suggest for your holidays.
Appliance Care
Caring for your appliances is crucial to avoid any sudden malfunctions—some of which you can do on your own. Routing cleaning and maintenance are the best ways to ensure your unit works efficiently and lasts long. You can find instructions on how to do these things in the product manual. If not, there are several DIY cleaning and maintenance online, which we will also discuss here.
Cleaning your appliance will help the unit's overall efficiency and performance. Wipe both the interior and exterior of your home appliances. And declutter the counters so you have plenty of prep room. Remember to dust behind appliances to avoid fires and shortages. For more in-depth maintenance and cleaning tips, here are appliances you should do maintenance on before the holidays.
Refrigerator
One of the most essential and often-forgotten parts of kitchen appliance maintenance is cleaning the refrigerator, especially the condenser. Dust and lint accumulate over time. This debris buildup prevents the refrigerator from releasing heat leading to the appliance using more energy than necessary, and it can even cause the condenser to burn out. Not just that, several things need maintenance on your refrigerator, such as:
- The door gasket, also known as a rubber door seal, keeps warm air from seeping inside the refrigerator, affecting its temperature and energy efficiency. A worn-out or torn gasket needs replacement immediately to avoid further problems and increased energy bills.
- You can clean your condenser coils with a bristle brush and vacuum to quickly remove any debris stuck on the coils.
- Clean the interior using a rag and cleaning solutions to remove any stains and spills from the inner walls and shelves.
- If your refrigerator has an ice maker and/or water dispenser, replace the filters to prevent the water from getting contaminated by bacteria.
- The most extensive holiday storage is often the refrigerator and the freezer. So clean and declutter them before any significant festivities and events.
Dishwasher
To ensure that you get your dishes cleaned throughout the holidays, maintaining your dishwasher is the best way to avoid problems. Here are some tips to reduce the occurrence of issues.
- Remove any debris, such as bones, toothpicks, fruit pits, and other tough objects that could disturb the operation of your dishwasher.
- Scrape off any excess food particles left on the dishes to avoid clogging the dishwasher drain and prevent mold growth.
- Check the door gasket for leaks to prevent water from leaking from your dishwasher.
- Add a lemon solution to remove any buildup and make the appliance smell fresh and lemony.
- If the dishwasher is leaking or making unusual noises, troubleshoot and replace any broken parts to prevent a complete appliance failure.
Oven
Although most ovens nowadays have a self-cleaning function, there is still some maintenance outside the oven. Here is some maintenance advice for your oven.
- Test the oven thermometer. If the oven temperature is accurate, you are all set. If not, you will need to have it calibrated.
- Check the gas line for any leaks and tears. You will need to replace it if needed. You don't want any gas leaks in your kitchen.
- Deep-clean the grates and grills on your to remove any food debris accumulating.
- Use vinegar, baking soda, and water to make a DIY oven-cleaning solution.
Range & Cooktops
One of the essential range maintenance tips is cleaning range burners. Regular cleaning will go a long way in reducing the risk of costly repairs due to greasy buildup, not to mention gas fires. Here are some tips for cleaning range burners that make for easy regular maintenance:
- Clean the burner grates: remove them and soak them in the sink for several minutes—scrub the remaining buildup with a sponge or toothbrush.
- Use a non-abrasive cleaning spray to remove any grease and dirt on the surface.
- Stubborn stains on burner grates can be removed by spraying them with oven cleaner, placing them in sealed plastic bags overnight and then washing them with soap and water.
- For your range hood, clean the grease filter and the thin silvery screen. It traps airborne oils and grease to keep them out of the blower and exhaust vent.
Washers & Dryers
Your laundry equipment should also get maintained during the holidays. Laundry isn't a one-time thing and should also be taken care of during the holidays. You can get a variety of cleaning products for your washers and dryers. Mainly added during a washing cycle, cleaning products can prevent mold buildup and sanitize your unit. Here are the steps to clean your unit on your own.
- Clean out the vacuum cleaner and hose. Empty the canisters or bags and place them clean so they are easily accessible.
- Check the washer and dryer to see if the gaskets have leaks and need replacement.
- Do an extra cleaning on lint filters. This is crucial as lint collects in your unit and causes efficiency issues and, potentially, dryer fires.
- Clean the lint filter in your dryer after every load to keep the air flowing freely. If that's not enough to ensure that your clothes dry correctly, the unit's ductwork and vent may need professional cleaning.
- And one final tip, wash your towels, rugs, and bed sheets before the season, so you don't overload your unit during the holidays.
Furnace
Furnaces are one of the most common appliances in homes during the holidays. As part of the HVAC system, it warms the house and keeps you comfortable with the cold breeze of winter. Here are some maintenance tips to keep your unit in top shape.
- Replace your air filter monthly for optimal furnace performance. Also, be careful to avoid choking your furnace by closing off too many vents in an attempt to save on your utility bills.
- The ductwork may become damaged or clogged if certain rooms are not warm enough in the winter. HVAC service should be done often for better efficiency on your unit. So before the holiday starts, schedule an HVAC service or air duct cleaning to ensure you stay comfy in your home.
One Last Tip For The Holidays
Appliances are a large purchase and will cost you a substantial amount of money. But now is the time to make your purchase. Holidays are the season of giving and sharing. And stores are sharing that blessing too. You can get fantastic holiday appliance sales that will save you some cash. If you buy during a holiday sale, you can spend as little as half of what you would pay if you purchased at regular prices. It's also great for holiday appliance maintenance promos and holiday appliance repair offers. If you are having trouble with your home appliance, appliance service companies offer excellent deals that you would want to take advantage of.
Prepare For The Holidays With Home Alliance
Suppose one of your kitchen appliances needs to be fixed at peak performance before the holidays. In that case, you need a repair or service check on your unit. Make sure to call an experienced appliance repair company that will restore it to top condition. Proper appliance maintenance is the key to keeping your home running smoothly and safely all year. With Home Alliance, you can get the best results for your home repair service.
Who To Call for Appliance Repair On A Holiday
Home Alliance is the trusted home service company that you can count on. We specialize in repairing appliances of all brands, such as Viking, Sub Zero, KitchenAid, Thermador, GE Monogram, and much more. Contact our appliance repair service to get on the schedule to prepare your appliance for the holidays.
