Don’t Make These Holiday Appliance Mistakes!

The holidays are in full swing! The act of cooking big meals for your friends and family is often incorporated within your holiday traditions (along with eating said meals!). While your appliances are working overtime, be sure to pay attention to what is going on to avoid mistakes and consequential repairs.

Here are 5 tips to avoid a holiday appliance faux pas!

1. Decorating near the oven or stove

   If you are the type of person who has garland and paper snowflakes strung upon every surface of your house, you may want to skip decorating the kitchen! Avoid any decorations within the a few feet of the stove and oven. Both these appliances are extremely hot while turned on, and they can ignite your pretty decorations and may start a house fire!

2. Storing items inside the oven

   You might need a new oven before the end of the year if you store items inside it on a regular basis! In many cases, you might forget about the pans, pots or other items being stored inside the oven. Preheating the oven with these items inside will only result in melted or charred conditions. Find space for your holiday dishes outside the over for safe cooking.

3. Forgetting to clean out those fabrics

   Be extra careful about checking the laundry for holiday items before washing and drying them. Holiday crafts and candy can easily be overlooked in pockets, for example. All of these items will clog washers and melt against the dryer’s surfaces. Shake out all of your fabrics before washing them, and you should be able to avoid any damages to your appliance.

4. Cooking with the Microwave

   Microwaves are best for reheating food, not cooking food. Microwave manufacturers advertise that their products can cook an entire holiday meal, but it’s not ideal. food pops and damages the microwave’s interior when cooking for a long time. Instead, use your oven and stovetop for big meals!

5. Blocking Your Exhaust Openings

   Your home could be full of smoke with significant damage to the oven or stove when exhaust openings are blocked. Before you start cooking, check your system’s exhaust ports. They may be located on an exterior wall or rooftop. Keep these openings clear, and you’ll avoid more damage to your appliance during the holiday.

From all of us here at Westside, have a wonderful holidays and a happy New Year! To give the gift of appliance repair or parts, call us at 515-276-8899.