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Packing for a Move

Costly Mistakes With Your Washer And Dryer

8 May 2015

Aaron Carroll

Even though it's often not difficult for a repair shop to fix your washer and dryer, breakdowns are something that you'll want to avoid. With the average appliance repair call costing between $260 and $330, it makes sense to take measures to prevent a costly repair. However, most homeowners make a number of simple mistakes that could seriously reduce the lifespan and effectiveness of their appliances.

When it comes to your washer and dryer, the necessary precautions are simple and inexpensive. By taking steps to avoid these common mistakes, you'll give yourself the best possible chance to enjoy a long, repair-free life out of your washer and dryer.

Washing Machine Mistakes

Your washing machine is not a terribly complex machine. That said, the combination of significant movement and heavy, wet clothing creates a perfect scenario for unnecessary damage and repairs. Here are the most common mistakes made with washing machines:

• Poorly leveled installation--When a washing machine is not set evenly on all four legs, it will rock back and forth during certain wash cycles. This rocking motion is more than just an annoying noise creator--the movement can damage the drum and motor of your machine. To avoid this, make sure to check if your machine is level every year, and adjust immediately when rocking motions and noise are observed.
• Washing lots of small loads--Your washing machine has to power up, fill with water, and spin for a certain length of time for every wash. When you wash three small loads instead of one full load, you force your machine to go through that process 300% more often in the same time span. The wear and tear that this creates for your machine will create repair issues in a hurry.
• Using too much detergent--With today's concentrated detergent products, it's easy to over-fill your washing machine. This won't cause your clothing to come any cleaner, but it will create additional suds. Your clothes will need extra rinse cycles as a result, increasing the workload on your machine. Make sure you measure your detergent every time you fill the washer.

Dryer Mistakes

Your dryer is an even simpler machine than your washer. There are still areas to consider, though. Here are the most common pitfalls you can fall into with your dryer:

• Not cleaning the lint screen--The lint trapper is an important--if easily forgotten--component of your dryer. When it is filled with lint, air cannot flow freely through your dryer, which makes it more difficult to dry your clothes. Clean the lint screen after every load to maintain proper air flow and ensure that your clothes are properly dried.
• Under-utilizing dryer racks--A great deal of your clothing is not dryer-friendly. These items will often dry quickly when left on a rack in your laundry room and could be damaged by the heat of a typical home dryer. Purchasing a couple of dryer racks will reduce the number of loads you need to dry and increase the lifespan of your appliance as a result.
• Forgetting the exhaust duct--Even when you clean the lint screen religiously, the exhaust duct will also collect lint as time passes. This will reduce the effectiveness of your appliance and also create a fire hazard for your home. Pull your appliance out from the wall and clean out this duct yearly, at a minimum. 

Your washing machine and dryer are integral to the functioning of your family and your home. While periodic repairs are inevitable, these mistakes often create unnecessary financial and logistical hardship for homeowners. Fortunately, a little bit of planning and attention is all that's required to avoid these problems in your home.

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