A look into the service diary of a domestic appliance service engineer will tell you how unaware people are of ways in which appliances should be used. After all it’s a machine and every machine needs the ideal setting for optimum operations. One of the most mishandled appliances in our household is the washing machine. It’s expensive to repair, so here are some easy ways to extend the life of the machine and improve its functions.
- Load balancing: It’s something we don’t understand or care about and usually overload or under-load the machine. Not only it leads to wastage of water but depending on how we load the tub, the impact on the machine parts change. How would you know if you have loaded the washing machine incorrectly? The machine will make excessive bump like noises as soon as its switched on. Then, if you rest your palms on the top of the machine body, you will feel the uneven jerks caused by the container inside while it spins or rotates.
- Placement: Another common problem with the washing machine is that it’s not placed on an even surface. The foot of the machine needs to be adjusted so it rests firmly on the ground. If not, the machine will shake during a spin cycle because the placement of the foot is not levelled correctly.
- Filter check: Most automatic machines have an inbuilt indicator which blinks when the filter is jammed. The natural instinct is to ignore it. But you should not. The filter is a simple spare part fixed above your drum. It can easily be detached and all the lint stuck in it can be washed off. However, when not cleaned and still used, it puts unnecessary load on the motor and bearings, causing a failure of the machine and several other internal parts.
- Unnecessary objects in the wash: A typical problem with Indian homes is we often forget about clearing pockets before we put clothes in the wash. Currency notes get washed away without causing much harm but it’s the coins which get in the way. Splattering here and there and blocking the outlet, they interrupt with the wash cycle and are capable of much harm.
- Peeled off door seal: We often ignore this part. The door of the machine bears the maximum brunt and with time the door seal, a rubber belt, loses its adhesion. If you pay attention, then it’s a pretty simple job to replace it with a new one. However when you don’t, the lose door shakes and jitters with every wash causing the motor to work extra hard.
These are simple hacks and with a little extra care one can ensure the washing machine is running perfectly for years to come. However, it’s not so simple to keep a tab on everything when the machine is handled by more than one person. Therefore, in such times it’s advisable to go for the OneAssist for Appliances protection plan which has two offerings– (i) HomeServ, which you can use for covering multiple appliances up to 10 years old against damages and (ii) Extended Warranty, which is a single appliance cover that can be bought within 60 days of the purchase of an appliance. With OneAssist looking after your appliances you can be rest assured.
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