Tag: Home Maintenance

Water Well Pump Maintenance

Water You Waiting For? Well? Pump!

Posted on | by Clive Gillett

Water Well Pump MaintenanceUnless you’re super into Little House on the Prairie, chances are you’d prefer not to manually lift buckets of water out of a deep well several times a day. So be sure to give your modern-day alternative, the water well pump, some occasional maintenance—lest you should experience a ‘Wilder’ existence in the near-future.

Leave It to the Professionals

This is one of those cases where any physical maintenance of your system is best left to those with the right training and equipment. Many a well-meaning homeowner has tried to fix an ‘easy’ water well pump problem, only to make it worse and more expensive to fix. You also run the risk of introducing bacteria to your primary water source just by removing the lid, and there’s the possibility of electrocution when working with submersible pumps. Save yourself a lot of headache—call a professional.

When & Who to Call

Schedule a maintenance check-up for your water well pump once per year with a National Ground Water Association (NGWA) licensed or certified well driller or pump installer. It should include the following:

  • An Itemized Contract w/ Terms & Conditions for the Job
  • A Flow Test
  • A Well Equipment Inspection
  • A Water Test for Bacteria, Nitrates, and/or Other Local Concerns
  • A Written Report with Recommendations & Test Results

If there is anything that you don’t understand, ask your contractor to explain it in a way that you will. It’s important for you to know what’s going on with your unit—this is your water supply, after all.

You should also schedule a bacterial test any time there is a change in the taste, odor or appearance of your water, or anytime a water supply system is serviced.

What You CAN Do

We’re not saying you should just ignore your water well pump. Here are a few things to consider on occasion while working in your yard:

  • Verify the well cap or cover is sealed with no leaks.
  • Take care around your well cap with lawn tools, and don’t bury it under snow, leaves, etc.
  • Keep hazardous chemicals away, such as pesticides, fertilizers, etc.
  • Keep the top of your well at least one foot above any landscaping.
  • When your well reaches its serviceable lifetime (typically at least 20 years), have it professionally decommissioned after the new one has been dug and installed. This will help to prevent bacterial growth, water supply contamination, and possible accidents.

So don’t forage into the old frontier unwillingly. With a little TLC, your water well pump should keep you living in modern times for quite a while.

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Dishwasher Maintenance

Dishwasher Drama: Maintaining the Machine for New Homeowners

Posted on | by Clive Gillett

Dishwasher MaintenanceAh, for the days when I would stand at the kitchen sink, up to my elbows in scalding, soapy water, scrubbing away at the slimy remains of our family dinner. Fond memories—riiiight.

Chances are pretty likely you love your dishwasher, especially if you loath doing the dishes as much as I do. Much like any other appliance, giving it some occasional TLC will help you get the most out of it. That is, unless you like scrubbing chicken grease off your pans.

Check out these maintenance tips to keep your dishwasher going strong!

Regular Use

This might come as a bit of a shock, but your dishwasher is an appliance that works better if you use it regularly. Seriously! While most food particles will get washed down the drain, some will settle on the bottom after each load. Letting them sit too long between loads can cause excess build-up, clogs, and possibly mold.

Cleaning the Cleaner

Your first step will be running your dishwasher through a complete cycle. Once that’s complete, inspect the spinning arms for any residual buildup, and clear out what you can from the tiny holes with a toothpick or some needle nose pliers. Be careful not to scratch the arms while doing so!

Next, clean off the seals along the outer edges of the door. Funky smells coming out of your dishwasher are often caused by the splash-over of food and drinks while loading the machine. While the cycle will take care of parts that face inside, the seals aren’t meant to let anything through, so they end up sealing the food there too, leaving it to rot (and stink).

Now brush any leftover debris out of your cutlery basket and your detergent dispenser. These parts tend to go unnoticed beyond loading and unloading, and can accumulate buildup as well.

Finally, unplug the machine and disassemble the drain on the bottom (keeping track of what went where—use your owner’s manual if need be). Clear away any large food items by hand, and use a brush or a cloth to clear smaller deposits before reassembling the drain and plugging the machine back in.

Ban the Buildup with… Tang?

Now you might have noticed some deposits won’t readily wash away, such as hard water spots or other stains, or possibly mildew. An acidic substance like Tang powder (yes, the drink mix) or lemon juice can actually help clear those away, or you can use white vinegar. Bleach is an option as well, but stick to the acids if your internal parts are stainless steel.

For powdered options, fill your detergent dispenser and run an empty load. For liquid options, place some in a bowl on the top rack and run an empty load. There are also dishwasher cleansers you can buy off the shelf if you’d prefer, just make sure to follow the directions on the container.

Until Next Time!

Go through these steps two to three times a year with regular use to get the most out of your machine and help it run more efficiently. If you have hard water, you may want to maintain it more frequently to prevent sediment buildup.

Happy washing!

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Fridge Maintenance

Hold the Mayo—Refrigerator Maintenance for Homeowners

Posted on | by Clive Gillett

Fridge MaintenanceIs your refrigerator running? Well, you’d better go catch it! Ha hah… ha… ahem.

Okay, bad (and old) joke. But seriously, your fridge runs 24/7 to keep your food safe—don’t you think it deserves some TLC once in a while? Follow these tips to keep your hard-working appliance in good health, especially during this season of perpetual leftovers!

Ice See Dead Odors… (Monthly)

Did you know that ice can absorb odors in your freezer? Talk about unappetizing. It also has a habit of forming a solid block at the bottom of your ice bucket. To prevent this, empty and clean out your ice bucket monthly. Then add a box of baking soda to your freezer, to absorb odors before your ice does.

Filters and Drains and Drips, Oh My! (Twice a Year)

For refrigerators with water dispensers, replace the water filter twice a year to keep it running smoothly and with less buildup. You should find directions to do so in your owner’s manual. Once you’ve got the new one in and all set, run a gallon or so of water through it to remove any extra carbon residue in the filter.

Also, you know that drain hole the condensation drips through on the bottom of your freezer? There’s a drip pan underneath to catch it—not appealing, I know. Give them both a thorough cleaning at least once every 6 months.

Sealed & Condensed (3 to 4 times a year)

Your fridge is already running all day, the last thing you want is for air leaks to make it work even harder. Check the seals (or gaskets) along the doors and clean them of any food residue. Use a toothbrush and a mixture of baking soda and water for an easy and safe clean that won’t damage the gasket.

Once it’s all clean and dry, do the ‘dollar bill test’ on it to check that the seal is complete—place a dollar bill half in and half out of the fridge and close the door. If it slides out easily, your fridge is not getting a good seal and you may have to replace the gasket.

Last, but not least, make sure to clean out the condenser coils. Excess build-up over time can stress the condenser and reduce the lifespan of your fridge, so it’s good to clean them once in a while.

Yours may be on the back of the fridge or on the bottom of the front, behind a screen—check your user’s manual for clarification. Once you’ve located them, unplug the fridge and vacuum out the dust and/or pet hair.

Other Occasional Considerations

  • Keep It Level: An unlevel fridge can prevent proper closing of the doors and cause undue stress on the mechanics. Level it by twisting the feet on the bottom.
  • Keep an Even Temperature: Your fridge should be set to a temperature between 37 – 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Your freezer should be set to 0 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Fill It Up: The amount of food in your fridge is known as the Thermal Mass. In other words, the more food that’s in there, the easier it is for your fridge to keep it cool. This is because the food absorbs extra heat. If you don’t typically have much food in there, at least add a couple jugs of water to prevent excess wear and tear on your condenser.
  • Stay Out During an Outage: If the power’s out, the best thing you can do is leave your fridge and freezer closed to keep the items inside cool as long as possible. FoodSafety.gov says that refrigerated food should safe for up to 4 hours, but when in doubt, throw it out! Check out this link for more specific food safety information.

Many blessings to you in the new year!

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America's Preferred Home Warranty, Jetted Tub Maintenance

How to Maintain Your Jetted Tub

Posted on | by Clive Gillett
America's Preferred Home Warranty, Jetted Tub MaintenanceEverybody loves to soak in a hot bath, especially if it happens to be in a jetted tub. Those extra goodies, though—they come with a little extra maintenance.
To help keep those jets running in good condition, you’ll want to perform these steps at least once every four months with rare use, or monthly with frequent use.
  1. Fill the tub with hot water to a few inches above the jets and add about 2 cups of vinegar.
  2. Run the jets on high for 10 to 15 minutes to cycle the solution through.
  3. Turn off the jets and empty the tub.
  4. Fill it again to the same level as before (only hot water this time) and run the jets on high for another 10 to 15 minutes.
  5. Turn off the jets and empty the tub.
  6. Sprinkle a healthy amount of baking soda over everything, let it sit for a few minutes, and then use a damp cloth to scrub everything down. Use a toothbrush to gently brush any remaining build-up from the nozzles. Don’t forget to remove the air-intake cover and give it a good soapy brushing, too, then rinse it and replace the cover.
  7. Rinse everything thoroughly and enjoy your nice clean jetted tub!

Ah, the bubbly life. Enjoy your newly maintained jetted tub!

Call 888.351.3681 to get a home warranty today, or visit APHW.COM for more information!

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