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Imagine that you have the turkey all brined, the side dishes and desserts ready to go into the the oven, and 25 people on their way to your home. You go to put the turkey into the oven and uh oh-the oven won’t heat up! What do you do now?? Many of us have experienced a stressful hosting situation; here are some ways to avoid common problems that may come up just in time for a holiday get together.
- A cold oven: One way to avoid this issue is to not use the self clean option on your oven until after the holidays. Using the self clean option on an oven may blow a fuse or thermostat and finding an oven technician can be very difficult around the holidays.
- Clogged kitchen sink: The day after Thanksgiving is the busiest day of the year for plumbers, mainly due to the kitchen drain not being used properly. Keep in mind that fat and cooking oils can become solid and clog the pipes under your sink so never dispose of them by putting them down the drain. Always ensure that your garbage disposal is running before anything is put down it and don’t put fibrous foods down it such as poultry skin or potato peels. If your sink does clog, avoid using chemical products that can harm the pipes. It’s best to use a snake which is available for around $15 at your local hardware store.
- The heat goes out: Regular maintenance of your HVAC system is very important; every 90 days a new one inch pleated furnace filter should be installed. If you haven’t done this in awhile, now is a good time to do that. Inspect the insulation on refrigerant lines that lead into your house and replace any that are missing or damaged.
- The fridge doesn’t stay cool: Get a thermometer for your fridge and make sure that each shelf stays below 40 degrees. Look at the condenser coils which are either on the back of the unit or underneath it and make sure they are not obstructed or dirty which can prevent air from circulating.
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