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Few events are as devastating to property and homeowners as flooding. After the waters recede, your appliances may look relatively unharmed. But flooding can cause serious damage to appliances and make them hazardous to operate. Follow these post-flood appliance safety tips from UL’s guide, “After the Storm: Floodwater Safety”, the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the American Red Cross. If…

Yes. This is a thing you actually have to do. It cleans, so you don't have to clean it, right? WRONG. Just like your towels (which BTW, you aren't washing enough), you have to keep your washing machine clean — weekly. And if you're doing heavy loads or washing things every day, then you may want to bump that up…

Thumping, bumping, and knocking sounds Clothes dryers are pretty simple but can be confusing at the same time. Be sure to follow safety precautions while working on an appliance. There are a variety of sounds that a dryer can make that indicate that some sort of service is needed. The moving parts of the dryer include: Motor Idler (Belt Tensioner)…

At this writing, the Mid-Atlantic states are preparing for Hurricane Florence to reach landfall. Say you’re not evacuating, instead staying in your home, and you lose power in the storm. How long can you count on the food in your refrigerator? Fortunately, Accuweather offers some valuable information in this short and timely column, “If a hurricane knocks out power, is…

When you're whipping up your famous beef Bourguignon or paella, the thought of saving money and energy probably isn't at the front of your mind. Yet you could be saving money every single time you cook these recipes--or any other dish--if you have an energy-efficient stove. You may have comparison shopped for the least expensive stove at your local appliance…

There's an art and a science to stacking a dishwasher. Peter Cade/Getty Images If the dishes are not coming out of your dishwasher as clean as you'd like, you might be tempted to blame the appliance or your brand of detergent. But the problem might just be in the way you're stacking the machine. Fortunately, it's easy to maximize its…

oday's high-tech dishwashers technically do a much better job at sanitizing than a simple handwashing. Erik Tham/Getty Images Someone needs to erect a statue of Josephine Cochrane. If it wasn't for this daughter of the Victorian Age, all of us would be washing dirty dishes by hand. Not only would that really suck, but it wouldn't be at all sanitary.…

Dishwashers need some loving. Wipe them down and remove their filters every now and then. donald_gruener/Getty Images The very name "dishwasher" implies that the appliance is self-cleaning, which it is for the most part. Every now and then, however, the trusty and beloved kitchen accessory needs a hand in order to keep functioning in peak condition. This is especially because…

I had a visit from two men last week, and they gave me a dark prophecy. Thus spake they: “Soon, you will be replacing your refrigerator.” The appliance in question was purchased less than eight years ago, shortly after we moved into our house. It replaced a landlord special in that peculiar shade of brown that shouts the 1970s. There…

The definitive guide to taking care of all your big and small household appliances—so you (almost) never have to replace them. Refrigerator Make-it-Last Habit: Condenser coils—the large, radiator-like element at the back of or under the appliance—remove heat from your refrigerator and freezer. When dust and dirt stick to the coils, the machine can’t shed heat as efficiently, which can…