How to Avoid An Appliance Emergency on Thanksgiving

November 2nd, 2016

As Thanksgiving approaches, stress levels begin to rise. From planning to shopping to figuring out where to seat relatives who have opposing political views at the same dinner table, an American holiday that is meant to be relaxing and joyous can be anything but.

Many people’s worst fear, however? A failing oven, and by default, an under-cooked or burnt turkey. The absolute worst thing you can do, however, is wait until the last minute for trouble to befall: prevention and preparation is key!

So, how can you avoid an appliance-related Thanksgiving disaster? Just follow the steps below—no need to thank us.

1. Test run: Test out your oven, cooktop, fridge and dishwasher the week before the holiday! If you catch an impending issue ahead of time, you can receive repair service well in advance.

2. Don’t self-clean: Do NOT self clean your oven the day before or of Thanksgiving! Self-cleaning cycles can often cause the oven to malfunction or lock up.

3. Be mindful of your garbage disposal: Turkey bones, grease, egg shells and other animal byproducts should not be going down your garbage disposal, where they can get caught, clog, or cause nasty odors. These items should be disposed of in the trash!

4. Make sure your oven lock is functioning: If your oven locks up, it may trap food inside or make it so you’re unable to cook anything. Make sure the oven lock is functioning well before the big day by testing it out.

5. Free up your fridge space: If your fridge is jam-packed or overstuffed, as they tend to get around the holidays, you run the risk of the door popping open and having food spoil. Make sure your fridge wont falter by keeping it organized and leaving a little room.

6. Make sure your dishwasher is working: Nothing stinks more than having to handwash dishes during and after Thanksgiving, especially when you’re simultaneously trying to entertain guests and, you know, relax a little yourself. If your dishwasher seems to be failing, get it looked at ahead of time to avoid further damage.