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You are here: Home / Archives for freezers

freezers

Broken Appliance? Do You Repair it or Not?

October 2, 2009 By NightOwl

Having a broken appliance is annoying, not knowing whether or not to fix it is frustrating. We’ve found some questions to ask yourself before you decide what to do, along with appliance lifespan estimates and some simple maintenance advice. Read on.

10 questions to ask:

– Is it really broken? The trouble may be a short in the plug, a tripped circuit breaker or a bad surge-protector outlet. Check the troubleshooting section of the unit’s instruction manual for the most common problems and solutions.

– How old is the appliance?

– Have you had trouble with the unit before? If it’s performed well, it might be worth fixing instead of replacing with something unproven.

– How much will it cost to repair the unit?

– What would a similar appliance cost?

– Are there any hidden costs to purchase (removal, installation, disposal, tax, etc.)?

– How difficult is it to replace the appliance (is it a built-in)?

– What additional features will I get with the new appliance?

– What energy savings will I get with the new appliance? Will they offset the cost of a new appliance versus repair?

– What tax credits are available for purchasing an energy-efficient unit? Will they offset the cost of a new appliance versus repair?

Average life of appliances:

Industry experts say washing machines tend to break down the most because they take the most beatings and contain many moving parts.

– 10-15 years for refrigerators and freezers.

– 10-20 years for ovens and ranges.

– 10-15 years for dishwashers.

– 10-15 years for clothes washers/dryers.

– 10-20 years for water heaters.

– 15-20 years for central air-conditioning unit.

Preventive maintenance:

– Clean the condenser coils on your refrigerator annually and check door seals to ensure they are airtight.

– Check air filters monthly and replace as needed.

– Replace washer fill hoses every five years.

– Avoid overloading the washing machine.

– Have the exhaust duct on the clothes dryer inspected and cleaned once a year. Clean the lint filter before each use.

Filed Under: Dishwasher, Dryers, Features, Gas Range, Heating and Cooling, Kitchen, Laundry, Oven, Parts/Repairs, Ranges Ovens and Cooktops, Refrigerators and Freezers, Washing Machine Tagged With: appliance lifespan estimates, appliance Preventive maintenance, Average life of appliances, central air-conditioning, clothes washers/dryers, dishwashers, freezers, ovens, refrigerators, water heaters

Five Appliances That Can Help You Save Money

April 1, 2009 By NightOwl

 Many Americans are finding themselves looking for ways to save money. The Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM) has come up with a list of five appliances that may already be in your home, which can help you save money.

Coffeemakers —Save on pricy coffeehouse blends by brewing your morning cup at home. Resisting a three dollar cup of coffee will save you nearly $1,000 per year!

Freezers —Stock up on frozen foods when they are on sale. In 2008, shipments of home freezers were up five percent as consumers started to realize the savings in stocking up on frozen sale items. Also, remember to shop for an ENERGY STAR freezer to save even more on energy costs.  

Water filters —Use a water filtration system in your refrigerator instead of buying bottled water. This practice will save you money, and will help the environment by reducing the number of plastic bottles that clog landfills.  

Portable electric heaters —Turn down the heat and use portable heaters in rooms that are used frequently. Keeping the thermostat down will save money while portable heaters provide direct and quick warmth.  

Electric Oven—An electric oven turned on for 1 hour on 350ºF only uses 2kWh of electricity, costing just 24 cents. The cost of dining out can add up quickly. Try cooking at home for a low-cost meal.

For more tips for saving money and energy around your home, visit www.aham.org/consumer.

 

Filed Under: Cooking, Features, Heating and Cooling, Household, Kitchen, News, Oven, Refrigerators and Freezers, Small Appliances Tagged With: AHAM, Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers, coffemakers, electric ovens, freezers, money savig appliances, portable electric heaters, water filters

LG Appliance Rebate

April 23, 2008 By NightOwl

If you have been considering buying a new kitchen appliance, now might be the time to act. LG is offering a rebate of up to $500 on their kitchen appliances. The deal starts at $250 for two appliances and goes up to the $500 if you buy four. You can outfit your whole kitchen if you choose, as LG makes gas and electric ranges, dishwashers, refrigerators and microwaves, all of which are part of the rebate program. The offer ends May 12, 2008. You can view the details here.

Filed Under: Dishwasher, Features, Gas Range, Kitchen, Microwave Oven, News, Oven, Ranges Ovens and Cooktops, Refrigerators and Freezers Tagged With: dishwashers, electric range, freezers, Gas Range, LG, LG appliances, LG rebate, microwave, refrigerators

What to do if Your Freezer Fails

February 15, 2008 By NightOwl

Freezing food is a great way to save both time and money.  Many time managers suggest cooking only one or two days a week, making double amounts, and freezing the rest for future meals.  I love to bake and my family can’t always eat all the bread or cookies that I’ve made – enter my free standing freezer in the garage.  For saving money, buying on sale and freezing is a great way to go.  My freezer can sometimes be filled with six to eight half gallons of the kids’ favorite (okay, mine too)  flavors.  But what happens to those savings and time saving meals if the power goes out? 

Spring storms, for example, sometimes knock out electrical power to entire neighborhoods for days at a time.The appliance itself may develop a problem, or a household pet could accidentally unplug it.  We and motherearthnews.com have some suggestions to help you be sure the food in your freezer stays fresh and safe to eat.

RULES TO REMEMBER

The first thing NOT to do when your freezer falls is open the door to check on the food! Little, if any, thawing will take place during the first 12 hours . . . provided the temperature within had been set at or near 0°F. An unopened, fully loaded freezer can actually keep food safe for up to two days without electricity . . . while a partially loaded chest will be effective for up to one day. (The moral is keep your freezer full, even if you have to use plastic gallon jugs filled with water to take up the empty spaces.) Other rules of thumb: The colder the food at the time of the mishap, the longer and better it’ll keep . . . and the larger the freezer capacity, the longer the food will stay frozen.

So if you’re reasonably certain your electrical power will resume within 24 hours-or if you’ve replugged the freezer and scolded the puppy (in this case, you may have to open the appliance to determine how long ago Fido tripped over that cord)—it’s probably best to leave your frozen edibles alone. But should it appear that the device will be out of service for longer than one day, it’s wise to try to move your goods to a friend’s freezer—or to a rental cold-storage locker—for the duration . . . because even a large, fully loaded freezer just might not be able to recover and refreeze the huge quantities of food it contains before spoilage starts to set in. (If you do move your frozen edibles, remember to “insulate” them well for the journey by wrapping items in newspapers and blankets.)

If you don’t have any convenient way to move your food, try purchasing some dry ice instead . . . 25 pounds will maintain a ten-cubic-foot freezer for two to three days. (To determine the necessary amount, just multiply the cubic-foot capacity of your appliance by 2.5.)

You can locate sources of dry ice by consulting the Yellow Pages of your phone directory. Outlets may be listed under ice cream manufacturers and refrigeration suppliers . . . or you might try firms that sell compressed gas. Local dairies, fish markets, or electric utility companies may also be of assistance in locating a source.

Remember always to wear heavy gloves or use tongs when handling dry ice, to minimize the risk of being “burned” by the substance. And be certain the area around your freezer has adequate ventilation during the loading process . . . since the thawing ice gives off tremendous amounts of carbon dioxide. Place the “cubes” (always on a heavy piece of cardboard) directly over the food, since cold air moves downward . . . and close the door.(If your freezer is only partially full, move all the items close together.)

MELTDOWN!

Let’s suppose the worst has happened. You unsuspectingly open the freezer door one day and discover that all the packages inside are well on their way to being completely defrosted. What do you do? First, check the foods to see if any still contain ice crystals. Those that do are safe to eat, and many of them can be refrozen. Cold foods, even if no ice crystals are present, can also be considered safe but must be cooked before being returned to the freezer. (It’s important to remember that refrozen foods, or frozen cooked foods, need to be used as quickly as possible to guarantee maximum nutritional quality.)

Never refreeze thawed vegetables (they may contain botulism spores, which would have ample time to grow and reproduce during the time it takes to refreeze) . . . casserole dishes that contain meat, fish, or poultry . . . or melted ice cream. And naturally, always use good judgment and toss out any food that looks or smells even a little suspicious.

Finally, use the accompanying chart to help determine how to handle specific categories of edibles. Remember, If there’s any doubt, throw it out. No food is worth the risk of poisoning yourself or someone else.

freezerchart.jpg

Filed Under: Features, Kitchen, Refrigerators and Freezers, Safety, _ Tips Tagged With: food safety, freezer, freezers, refreezing food

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