When you hear moans, groans, squeals, rattles, crackling, or bumps & thumps from your appliances, chances are it's not a ghost (could be a gremlin, though). Spooky sounds from your refrigerator, ice maker, cook top, oven, microwave, dishwasher, garbage disposer, etc. can be pretty scary if ignored. You could have trouble with any of your appliances in the middle of holiday baking, Thanksgiving dinner, Christmas dinner, or your annual Holiday party.

Here's what you should do -

Your oven is center stage. You, like many of our customers, might be concerned about your oven temperature. You're more likely to have a problem with the oven after you have used the self-clean feature. So, if you intend to use the self-clean feature before the holidays, you should do so 2 weeks in advance. That way there should be adequate time to respond to a problem, if one occurs. What would you do if the door won't open, for instance? It happens & it's scary!

You certainly want your refrigerator to be in top condition, as well. Most frost-free refrigerators have a set of coils underneath (on top on some models) called condenser coils. These must remain clean for efficient cooling. You should vacuum them at least once a year. Be careful. If you puncture the coils, you will have "toil & trouble".

Take some precautions to avoid nasty odors. To reduce refrigerator odors, cover all foods well and put onions and garlic in sealed bags. Use baking soda, or a high-quality activated charcoal air filter, to absorb those unpleasant smells. Then, dump that old baking soda container you had in the refrigerator down the disposer to "freshen" it up, as well.

Rusty or spotted silverware can be ugly! Customers complain more about the performance of their dishwasher than with any other appliance. With these simple steps you can keep your dishwasher functioning at peak performance and avoid embarrassing results:

1. Only use dishwasher soap in the dishwasher.
2. Clean the debris off your dishes.
3. Make sure your hot water is set to 130 degrees.
4. Run hot water at the tap 'til it reaches maximum temperature before starting your dishwasher.
5. Clean any filters your dishwasher may have monthly.
6. Monthly, use a cleanser, such as, one cup of vinegar, Dishwasher Magic, Affresh or Glass Magic.

One other thing - check your manufacturer's recommendations. For instance, some silverware companies specifically warrant their product only if you do not use dishwasher soap containing lemon.

Don't wait 'til it's too late. Or, if you've been putting off a repair now's the time to get it done.