To call major appliances important to modern-day households would be an understatement. For example, you’d be hard-pressed to find a family that’s able to get by without a functional dishwasher, washing machine or refrigerator. Since these devices play such a large role in the daily routines of countless households, it’s only natural that you’d want to keep your most essential appliances in prime condition for as long as possible. However, unbeknownst to many families, damage is being done to their big-ticket appliances on a daily basis. To help ensure that your appliances remain in peak condition for years to come, steer clear of the following blunders.

Not Purchasing a Home Warranty 

Paying for major appliance repairs can be financially strenuous. Depending on the appliance in question and the scope of the problem, you may be looking at a small fortune in repair costs. Additionally, with so many households across the U.S. in belt-tightening mode, placing repairs on the backburner is perfectly understandable. However, the longer you allow appliance issues to linger, the more serious those issues are likely to become – and the more serious those issues become, the more fixing them is going to cost. Ergo, parting with a little bit of money in the short term is preferable to parting with a princely sum in the long run.

If you want to keep appliance repair costs to a minimum, you’ll be well-served by a comprehensive home warranty. A good home warranty will provide convenient coverage for every major appliance under your roof. This means the next time an essential appliance finds itself in need of repairs, you won’t have to stress over how much it’s going to cost you. For a reasonable monthly fee, you can provide yourself with tremendous peace of mind and make exorbitantly expensive repair bills a problem of the past. If you’re intrigued by the idea of purchasing a home warranty, you’re sure to love the comprehensive coverage provided by an Asurion warranty.

Not Using Appliances as Directed 

Without even realizing it, many of us use major appliances in an improper manner. For instance, a lot of families won’t think twice about overloading certain devices or using them to excess. While this may not cause a tremendous amount of harm in the short term, habitual misuse can significantly reduce the lifespans of essential appliances and result in premature breakage. With this in mind, make a point of reviewing the owner’s manuals for your most important appliances and making note of the ways you and your family are misusing them. Once you’ve brushed up on the proper methods of operation, take care to educate the other members of your household, as well.

Overloading Certain Appliances 

As previously stated, some households have no qualms about habitually overloading certain appliances. Since the damage caused by overloading isn’t always immediately apparent, many of us embrace the mistaken assumption that no harm is being done. However, this couldn’t be further from the truth. Overloading a refrigerator, for example, makes air circulation difficult and can lead to unevenly-cooled food. Overloading can also block freezer vents, thereby causing the refrigerator motor and condenser to expend more effort than they’d otherwise need to. This can result in the motor and/or condenser burning out, thus facilitating repair or replacement.

Overloading a washing machine can create similar problems. For starters, too much weight stands to damage the drum and lead to a significant decrease in efficiency. Furthermore, the more clothes you cram in, the less clean each article of clothing is likely to get. Similarly, overloading a dishwasher can result in dishes not being sufficiently cleaned and place an undue burden on the device’s internal components. Overloading can also result in leakage and costly repairs, so in the interest of maintaining your devices – and your personal finances – make a point of using appliances as directed.

Major appliances play a vital role in the day-to-day routines of countless households. In the absence of functional appliances, food storage, meal prep, laundry and other essential daily tasks would prove extremely cumbersome – if not altogether impossible. Given how important working appliances are to most families, it’s in the best interest of every budget-conscious household to keep these devices running at peak efficiency, and avoiding habitual misuse is among the most effective ways to do this.