Getting Your Appliances Ready for an Orange County Summer

Orange County summers aren’t extreme by desert standards, but they’re more than enough to stress your appliances. When temperatures climb into the 90s — and they do, especially inland around Santa Ana, Tustin, and Anaheim — your refrigerator, ice maker, and dryer all work harder than usual. That’s when latent problems become full-blown breakdowns.

Here’s what I tell every homeowner to check before summer hits.

Refrigerator: Clean the Condenser Coils

This is the single most impactful thing you can do for your refrigerator’s longevity. The condenser coils — usually located behind or underneath the unit — dissipate heat from the refrigeration cycle. When they’re clogged with dust, pet hair, and kitchen grease, your compressor has to work overtime.

How to clean them:

1. Unplug the refrigerator (or turn off the breaker)
2. Pull the unit away from the wall or remove the kick plate
3. Use a coil brush (under $10 at any hardware store) to gently remove debris
4. Vacuum the loosened dust
5. Plug it back in

Do this every 6–12 months. If you have pets, do it every 4 months. A refrigerator with clean coils runs more efficiently, keeps food colder, and lasts years longer.

Ice Maker: Check the Water Line

Summer means more ice demand. Before the heat arrives, inspect the water supply line running to your refrigerator or standalone ice maker:

• Look for kinks in the copper or braided line
• Check for leaks at the connection point behind the fridge
• Run a test batch of ice and check for discoloration or off-taste — this can indicate a filter that needs replacing
• Replace the water filter if it’s been more than 6 months

If your ice maker has been slow or producing small, hollow cubes, it’s likely a water pressure issue or a failing inlet valve. Both are straightforward repairs.

Dryer: Clean the Vent — Seriously

This is a safety issue, not just a performance issue. Dryer vent fires cause an estimated 2,900 house fires per year in the U.S. And they’re almost entirely preventable.

What to do:

• Clean the lint trap after every load (you already do this, right?)
• Disconnect and clean the vent duct from the back of the dryer to the exterior vent cap at least once a year
• Check the exterior vent cap — make sure the flap opens freely and isn’t blocked by lint or debris
• Feel the dryer during a cycle — if the top of the unit is extremely hot to the touch, or clothes are taking more than one cycle to dry, the vent is likely restricted

We offer dryer vent cleaning as part of our maintenance services. If you’re not comfortable doing it yourself, call us.

Dishwasher: Clean the Filter and Spray Arms

Modern dishwashers have a manual filter at the bottom of the tub. If you’ve never cleaned it, you’re overdue. A clogged filter causes poor cleaning performance, bad odors, and standing water.

• Remove the bottom rack
• Twist and remove the cylindrical filter
• Rinse under running water and scrub with a soft brush
• While the filter is out, check the spray arm nozzles for clogs — a toothpick works well

Oven/Range: Check the Door Seal

A worn oven door seal lets heat escape, which means longer cook times and higher energy bills. Run your hand along the edge of the oven door while it’s preheated to 400°F. If you feel significant heat escaping, the gasket needs replacing.

Also a good time to check that all burners ignite properly. If a gas burner clicks but won’t light, the igniter ports may be clogged with food debris. A gentle cleaning with a pin or needle usually solves it.

Schedule a Pre-Summer Check-Up

We offer a comprehensive appliance check-up service for $149 that covers your refrigerator, dishwasher, and washer/dryer. We’ll clean coils, inspect hoses, check water lines, test temperatures, and flag anything that needs attention before it becomes an emergency repair in July.

Call Santa Ana Appliance Repair at (714) 252-4115 to schedule your pre-summer check-up. We serve Santa Ana, Tustin, Irvine, Orange, Costa Mesa, Garden Grove, Fountain Valley, and Anaheim.