Large Appliance 101

When it comes to your major appliances, some of them are clearly more fundamentally important than others. It doesn’t take living through a Calgary winter to realize the furnace is more vital than a dishwasher. However, even if you can live without your laundry machine for a week or two, it’s still a good idea to keep all your large appliances running smoothly.

Furnace.

The most important thing you can do to help maintain your furnace is changing the filter regularly. A clogged filter forces your furnace to work harder. It spends extra energy, heats your home less efficiently, and wears out more quickly. Beyond your monthly to quarterly filter changes — check your manual, you’ll also want to invest in an annual inspection. These inspections ensure that your furnace is running as it’s supposed to and stays in top form.

Dishwasher.

Beyond wiping down the outside of your dishwasher, you’ll find this hard working appliance is quite easy to maintain. As long as you run the dishwasher at least once a week, you shouldn’t have problems with mould or odor — though you may find the dirty plates inside it smell after just a day or two. We do have one tip though! Choose powder or dry tablet detergent over gels as the bleach in the gels can dissolve seals and gaskets.

Washing Machines.

Unlike your dishwasher, soap suds and scum can build up in your washing machine. Once a month, you’ll want to wipe away any detergent residue. If you have a high efficiency machine, remember to run a self-cleaning cycle or run it with a manufacturer-approved detergent on a short cycle. Other than that, use a gentle soap and hot water to clean out any goopy residue from detergents or softener in the dispenser, and that’s it!

Hot Water Tank.

These tanks are in most residential homes, and they hold 20-80 gallons of water at any time. As you can imagine, this means any leaks or complications with your tank can lead to flooding and many other problems no Calgarian wants to deal with. Apart from keeping an eye on your tank to make sure there are no leaks, you’ll also need to annually have it inspected and drained so that any sediment can be removed.

Here at Plumbing Paramedics, we enjoy helping Calgarians to get the most out of their large appliances. These devices represent a substantial investment, so it makes sense that Canadians are interested in maintaining their large appliances. If you want to help your major appliances to last longer and run better, contact the experts at Plumbing Paramedics today!