Angie's List: Make sure appliances are ready for the biggest cooking days of the year.

TAMPA - The holiday season is upon us and it’s a busy cooking season. Angie's List , and founder Angie Hicks, recommend checking now - before your guests arrive - to make sure your appliances are ready to handle the holiday rush.

"Now is the time to pay attention to your appliances," Hicks said. "If your fridge has been acting on the fritz or your freezer isn’t keeping things frozen it’s time to get them taken care of. What you don’t realize is a lot of times an appliance repair company is harder to come by right around the holidays.”

Taking proper care of your appliances will help extend their life and also help cut back on repair costs. A nationwide Angie’s List poll found:

• More than 50 percent of respondents never clean the condenser coils on the refrigerator
• 30 percent clean their oven once a year

Hicks said, “My best tip for making sure your oven is in tip top shape this holiday season is to check the temperature. To do that go out and buy a simple boxed cake mix and cook it to the specifications. If the cake comes out too dry or undercooked then you likely have a problem with the temperature and you want to have that checked out."

Maintenance required for your appliance will depend on the manufacturer. Always check with your model’s manual. Whenever you perform extensive maintenance work on your appliances, take the necessary safety precautions. Shut off electrical and gas lines when working on them. Consult an appliance repair professional for major maintenance or repairs.

If you find there is a problem, you need to give the appliance repair company plenty of time to order the appropriate parts from the manufacturer. If you find the repair costs more than you’d like to invest, allow yourself enough time to go out and shop for a new appliance before the holidays. If an appliance repair will cost more than half the cost of the new appliance and the unit is more than six or seven years old, you’re probably better off replacing it with a newer model.

Angie's List tips for appliance maintanance:

The oven:

• The cleaner your oven is, the more efficiently it will burn gas or electricity. Don’t allow heavy grease buildup on the interior. Bake in batches when you can, rather than heating it up for one-time use several times over the week. When you can, use the microwave rather than the traditional oven.
• Self cleaning cycles cause the oven to run at extremely high temperatures. Some repairmen recommend you never use this function. “I wouldn’t self clean it at all because it does tend to create more problems for the appliance," said John Mathew, an appliance repair company owner. "Everything has electronic controls now. (Self cleaning) can cause control panels to short out because of the excessive heat.” If you choose to use the self cleaning feature on your oven, use it about twice a year after the holidays or at least two months before the holidays, to allow plenty of time to get it fixed.

The refrigerator:

• Clean the condenser coils at least once a year, more often if you have pets – to keep your fridge running efficiently. If you have a built-in refrigerator, hire a service company for this task.
• Before you stock your fridge with holiday leftovers, make sure the seal on the door is tight. This is an easy test, close the door on a thin sheet of paper and if the paper slips, your fridge is wasting energy - replace the seal or adjust the door latch.

The dishwasher:

• Clean your dishwasher’s filter at least twice a year to remove particles and debris. The filters location can vary depending on the model so be sure to check your owner’s manual.
• Choose the right detergent for your dishwasher. Using less soap is beneficial over the long term. Often, homeowners use too much soap, or the wrong kind, which can lead to problems including locking up the pump. Powdered soap tends to work better than liquid because liquid can clog up the supply lines.

Washer & dryer:

• Inspect the hoses on your clothes washer. Look for any cracks or leaks.
• Avoid overloading the washing machine. This can damage the tub and cause belts to break.
• Clean the lint filter on your dryer before each use and have the dryer vent inspected and cleaned once a year by a professional. In addition to being a fire hazard, a clogged dryer vent requires the dryer to work longer and harder to dry clothes. Energy is also wasted and the heating element and blower in the dryer wear out quicker. A clogged dryer can take two-to-three times longer to dry clothes.