3 Tips To Keep Your Appliances Winter-Ready

Winter is brimming with activity in the home. With the holidays afoot, most homes become a revolving door for friends, family, and neighbors, bringing with them food, gifts, and plenty of cheer. With guests and parties, of course, comes chaos, so you’ll want to set up your home for some serious stability while your mind is busy dancing with sugarplums. And for your appliances, this means some simple but helpful prep-work.
Here are some tips for getting your home appliances ready for winter:

1. Check your dryer vents for lint clogs. Dryer lint is the number one cause of dryer fires, especially during cooler weather when the heat is running inside!

2. Check for screens on your dryer so rodents don’t enter. Critters love to chew, so make sure that they do not have a point of entry into your appliance or your home.

3. Have your oven thermostat checked before the holiday cooking season. Nothing is worse than having a holiday dinner or delicious dessert ruined due to an inaccurate thermostat.

4. When the temperature drops outside, refrigerators that are kept outside (ones that are not designed for outdoor use) should be unplugged. If kept plugged in, the water and ice lines will likely freeze and the refrigerator itself will actually heat up.

5. Think about getting your indoor refrigerator serviced. It’s a perfect time to vacuum the coils and attend to some routine service needs before disaster strikes.