Checklist: Caring for Your Appliances

While appliances make our lives much easier, they also pose significant risks if not maintained properly. Use this guide to take a quick inventory of the health and safety of the appliances in your home:

Kitchen:

If a gas appliance stops working, check to see if the pilot light has gone out.

Wait until you have a full load of dishes before running the dishwasher.

Whenever frost gets to be 1/4-inch thick in your freezer, it's time to defrost.

Has a burner on your electric stove stopped working? They are easily replaced.

Yellow flames in a gas stove are an indication of a problem. Flames should always be blue.

Laundry Room:

If the hoses in your washing machine are old, consider replacing them with the tougher metal hoses available at hardware stores.

If your washing machine rattles when it runs, it may need leveling.

For most items, lowering the water temperature to warm wash and cold rinse will get your clothes clean and reduce your energy bills.

Clean the lint trap before you use your dryer. This will prevent a fire hazard, save you energy and make your clothes dry faster.

Regardless of what kind of exhaust tubing you have, clean the outside vent once a year and make sure it opens when the dryer is on and closes properly when the dryer is off.

Don't let lint and debris accumulate under a dryer or it can become a fire hazard.

Water Heater:

Lower the thermostat on the water heater to 120 degrees to prevent scalding injuries.

To minimize flood damage, make sure there is a clear path from the water heater to a floor drain.

Always:

Make sure that extension cord connections are secure.

Use an extension cord that is the appropriate size for your needs.

If an appliance stops working, test the outlet with a lamp or radio.

Never store paints, solvents and other chemicals anywhere near an appliance with a pilot light.