Looks like summer has finally come to Milwaukee! With temps hovering around 90 over the next few days, you might want to take extra care with your home appliances.
Keep these tips in mind:
1) The Heat Can Strain Your Refrigerator and Freezer
Obviously, your fridge will be the focus of appliance safety in the dog days of summer, because heat and humidity can make your fridge work harder than normal. There are several things you can do to help your food stay cool and safe.
Keep your fridge full whenever possible; consider putting bottles of water inside to fill it up. A stocked refrigerator has less room for warm air, so it’s easier for the unit maintain a cool temperature when it is opened more often than usual.
Check the unit’s temperature settings. Your refrigerator’s temperature should be 35° to 40° F, and the freezers should be between 0 and 5° F.
Keep the condenser coils clean to keep your fridge running smoothly and efficiently (https://www.allcitymilwaukee.com/post/clean-those-coils-here-s-how). Be sure to unplug the unit before cleaning.
Test door seals by closing the door over a piece of paper. If the paper pulls out easily, the seal might need replacing. Leaky doors let cool air escape, making the refrigerator use more energy to keep food cold.
Lastly, if your refrigerator or freezer is showing any of these signs, you should call All City Appliance for service as soon as possible, before your unit is damaged further or you start losing food:
· Leaking outside of any fluids outside the fridge
· Excess condensation inside the fridge
· Fan running constantly
· Fridge or freezer not maintaining temps and/or making more noise than usual
· Unusual odors coming from the unit
· The unit is tripping a breaker
If, for any reason, your fridge quits for more than a few hours, get rid of the food. You don’t want to risk food poisoning because the unit stopped and started again!
2) The Heat Can Lead to Washer and Dryer Overuse
During summer, you are probably doing more laundry than usual. When you’re heading to the beach, working in the yard, or going for a hike, you’re adding multiple changes of clothes, swimsuits, and towels to your laundry basket. If there are any existing issues with your washer or dryer, they will only get worse during the heat of summer!
Wash your laundry in cold water whenever possible, and hang your washing to dry outside. Consider spacing out loads of washing instead of doing several loads at once, to save a little wear and tear on your washer and dryer. And, though it might seem obvious, don’t wash clothes unless they’re actually dirty.
3) The Heat Can Tempt Critters to Pay a Visit
Finally, be sure you have a screen or trap over your outside dryer vent to prevent mice, chipmunks, and insects from getting into your nice, cool basement. While you’re at it, be sure the vent is clean from outside your house to the inside of your dryer. It will help your dryer run more efficiently and help prevent a dryer fire!