What you can do to help your appliances last longer

Do you vacuum the dust from the compressor coils of your refrigerator several times a year? Do you remove the lint from your dryer's lint filter after each use to keep air flowing freely.

These are two of the tips from the article "Help Appliances Live Longer" in the January 2009 issue of Consumer Reports.

Among the other tips are:

Range

• Never cover drip pans with foil, which can short-circuit the burner.

• Keep reflector bowls beneath burners shiny, which helps them reflect heat.

• Periodically clean gas burner ports with a needle.

Refrigerator

• Clean door gaskets with mild detergent and water.

• Check gasket seals by closing doors on a dollar bill. Replace gasket if the bill falls out.

Oven

• Check door seals for damage. If heat is escaping, adjust or replace the gasket.

Washing machine

• Remove grit from screens where the hoses attach to the water supply.

• Don't load beyond the washer's recommended capacity.

• Install the washer on a level and well-supported floor.

• Follow detergent directions.

Dryer

• Clean the entire exhaust duct to prevent fire each year.

See the articles "Overheated Clothes Dryers Can Cause Fires" and "Dryer Vent Cleaning: How to Get Lint Out of Your Dryer Vents" for details on how to clean your dryer vent.

This drawing illustrates the suggestions of the Consumer Product Safety Commission on dryer vent cleaning as described in the first article above.