All the Motors in Your Home & How to Maintain Them

The modern American home is a mechanical marvel. Not only is it powered by electricity, but it also is able to move clean water in and dirty water out. It can heat up certain parts of the home, such as a dryer or an over, while also cooling in other places, such as freezers or air conditioners. The average U.S. home contains a multitude of machines designed to chop, cool, cook, wash, dry, steam, rinse, drill, vacuum, iron, and more.

When Thomas Edison formed the Edison Electric Illuminating Company of New York, in 1882, he envisioned a quick change to electrically-powered homes. But in fact, progress was relatively slow. The majority of Americans continued to power their homes with gas and candles for another half century. In 1925, only half of all American homes used electric power.

Today, the average homeowner will find that their homes not only use electricity, but many of the most useful parts of their home have motors that must be maintained.

A motor is simply a device that converts energy into motion. Sounds easy enough, but it has required the ingenuity of millions of people to create and refine these motors in ways that allow Americans to fill their home with efficient, relatively inexpensive motors.

However, as our definition explains, a motor has moving parts. And as any home-repairman or determined DIY-er will tell you, moving parts eventually stop moving. And while it may be tempting to simply replace the entire unit when a motor stops working, homeowners can save thousands, or even tens of thousands of dollars, by repairing motors instead of replacing appliances.

Where are all The Motors in Your Home?

Yes, our homes are literally filled with motors. Some are easy to spot, while others may be more hidden. To get you started, we’ve created a list of the most common types of motors found in homes today.

Most kitchens contain an impressive collection of motors, including:
• An exhaust fan motor
• A motor for the turntable in the microwave
• An in-sink dispose-all or garbage disposal
• Blenders
• Handheld and countertop mixers and food processors
• Can openers
• Refrigerators can use three motors; one for the compressor, one for the fan inside the refrigerator, and one for the icemaker.
• Convection ovens

In other parts of the home as well, motors keep our most convenient tools and appliances moving. Washers and dryers use motors. Vacuums also use motors. Any fan or fan function in your home uses a motor, including bathroom fans, HVAC fans, ceiling fans, and electric fans meant for cooling rooms.

You also have small, powerful motors in your electric toothbrushes, hairdryers, and electric razors. Even electronics such as cable boxes, game consoles, and computers feature cooling fans with, you guessed it, motors.

The list goes one. Your garage door automatic opening system utilizes a motor. Your doorbell uses a motor to ring. Moving toys feature tiny motors. Clocks with moving hands have motors. A bubbling foot-soaking tub, jets in your bath or hot tub, and any fountain in your home also runs on a motor.

Motors are literally all around us in our homes. And with so many moving parts involved, it makes sense to know a little bit about where motors are in your home, and how to care for them.

Should You Repair Or Replace Your Home’s Motors?

When a home appliance breaks down, instead of repairing or replacing a motor, many people simply replace the old machine with a new appliance. After all, finding a good appliance repair shop or specialist is harder than ever. However, even some of your most inexpensive appliances can often be fixed by replacing or repairing a few simple parts.

Places like McCombs Supply are dedicated to providing replacement parts, tools, and supplies for the types of repairs faced by many homeowners. We work hard to make it easier to repair or replace parts. Understanding how to make simple repairs and how to maintain the motors in your home is a skill that can save you time and money.

Not sure if you want to repair or replace your appliance? Here are some questions to ask to help you evaluate your options:
• How old is the appliance? If your appliance has reached or exceeded its expected life span, replacement may be a smart option. After all, no appliance last forever. Once an appliance has run through its lifespan, replacement becomes a smart option.
• Will there be hidden costs associated with a replacement? In addition to the cost of the new item, some replacements come with hidden costs such as delivery fees, the expense of removing an old appliance, charges from your waste removal company to pick up a large item, remodeling investments to make adjustments to cabinets or to make room to accommodate new appliances, and so on.
• Will you actually achieve long-term cost savings by purchasing new appliance? Older appliances can be energy hogs, while new appliances are more energy-efficient than ever before. Depending on your situation, you may recoup the costs of a new appliance in a few years based on energy savings alone.
• How expensive or difficult are the needed repairs? Sometimes fixing an appliance costs just a few bucks. Other times the repairs can costs hundreds of dollars. Similarly, some repairs are quite easy to make (replacing a handle) while others are complex (replacing motors or electrical components.) Be sure to evaluate your ability to repair and the costs involved before making a decision.
• Is this repair covered under your home warranty? Sometimes the cost to fix or replace an appliance is covered under your home warranty. However, even if you have a warranty, your coverage may only cover some or all of the repair costs, or it could completely cover the expense of a new, replacement appliance.

Most experts follow the “half-life” rule. If your appliance is halfway through its expected lifespan, or if you’ll need to pay more than half of the cost of a new appliance to fix the existing item, it may make sense to replace.

However, if your item is inexpensive to repair, or if it is relatively new, it may be more economical to make the repairs.

General Rules for Maintaining any of Your Motor-Driven Appliances

No matter which type of home appliance or motor you are evaluating, remember that any home item or appliance will last much longer if you follow the manufacturer’s recommendations for routine maintenance. Make a schedule or calendar for maintenance of all your house’s machines and systems. Keep all of your appliances clean. Replace filters when needed. Don’t overload any appliance by trying to make it work harder than intended.

There are several rules to following when operating appliances that are motor-driven.

Follow the Guidelines in the Manual

Every home appliance comes with a manual that includes recommendations for maintenance. Read your manual completely and follow the guidelines. It may sound simple to do, but don’t be one of those people who toss the manual aside without ever looking at it.

Use Adequate Power and Appropriate Plugs

Make sure you connect your appliance to an adequate power source. For example, a 220-240-volt appliance must be connected to a 220-240-volt outlet. Major appliances should also be grounded or use a grounded adapter plug. Plugging an appliance into the wrong outlet may cause damage to the appliance.

Most washing machines and refrigerators don’t require customized electrical hookups. You can use a standard 120 volt outlet that accommodates three prongs. The plugs on these appliances have two regular prongs and a third, rounded prong to ground the appliances and to protect them from overloading in case the electricity shorts out.

A home dryer requires an electrical outlet with a 240 volt circuit. These feature two wires, a neutral and a ground wire. If you plug your dryer into a standard 120 volt outlet, it won’t work properly, and you will eventually damage the dryer.

While most home dishwashers can operate using the standard 120 volt outlet, it should be an outlet that uses a Ground Fault Interrupter or GFI. These GFI outlets are designed to trip or disconnect power quickly to prevent electrocution, which is a critical safety feature for any appliance using water or that may get wet.

Stoves and ovens usually require a 200 or 240 volt outlet. In fact, building codes usually require the 240 volt outlet to be installed in kitchens for this power-hungry appliance. These outlets are usually round, so they’re easy to distinguish from other types of outlets. And because your oven uses so much power, make sure that the outlet is grounded correctly.

If you’re not sure how to evaluate electrical capacity or have questions about your outlets, voltage, or grounding, click here to learn more.

Don’t Electrically Overload an Appliance

When your appliance shuts down, it may be experiencing electrical overload. Overloading not only prevents efficient operation but it can also overheat the motor and accelerate wear.

How do you know if you’ve electrically overloaded an appliance? In addition to appliances that simply stop, common warning signs of overloads are sparks or mild shocks, flipped circuits, flickering or dimmed lights, warm or discolored wall plates on outlets, unusually loud sounds coming from the motors during operation, or burning odors.

To prevent electrical overloads, make sure that any major appliances or small appliances are plugged directly into a socket. Don’t use an extension cord or a multi-plug converter. Only plug one heat-producing appliance into a single outlet. If your home doesn’t allow this, hire a licensed electrician to add outlets to your home.

Avoid Water and Dampness

Kitchen and laundry appliances use electricity and water in close proximity, so it’s smart to take extra precautions. Unless they are built for interaction with liquids, such as a blender or hand mixer, don’t use small appliances if they are wet or standing in water. Never operate appliances with wet hands. Keep large appliances, such as a washer or dryer, dry and clean. If a large appliance gets wet because of water damage or flooding, get the motor examined by a professional before you use the appliance again.

How to Extend the Life of All the Motors Around Your Home

While following the basic rules above will help any motor in your home last longer, each type of appliance comes with individual maintenance needs. With a little planning and care, your home appliances will work better and last longer.

Extend the Life of Your Refrigerator’s Motor

Keep it clean. In addition to protecting your health by cleaning the inside of the refrigerator, use a vacuum cleaner to clean behind your refrigerator. Vacuum the coils at least twice a year. Because clean coils cool most effectively, dirty or dusty coils make the compressor work harder, reducing its lifespan. Keep door seals clean with a regular wipe-down using warm, soapy water or a cleaner developed for this purpose. Clean seals work better, keeping the contents cooler with less work from the compressor.

Keep your refrigerator and freezer comfortably full. Air circulation is one way your refrigerator keeps cool. Too much food impedes air flow, making the compressor work harder. Too little food also makes your unit work harder. If you’re going on vacation and don’t want to come home to spoiled food, keep your refrigerator and freezer comfortably full by moving some unopened bottles and containers to the fridge while you’re gone. You can put them back into the pantry once you return.

Keep hot food out of the refrigerator and freezer. When you put hot items inside the fridge or freezer, the compressor has to work extra hard, for longer periods of time, to get the temperature of the food and the air back to optimal cool temperatures. Remember, less stress on the compressor equals a longer life.

Position your refrigerator away from a heat source. Excessive heat, like the kind you get when you’re near a stove, dishwasher, or oven, puts an extra load on the compressor. If you can, place your refrigerator away from other appliances to reduce stress and make it easier for the fridge to do its job.

If your refrigerator has suddenly stopped cooling, here are common problems that occur and tips on how to fix them.

Extend the Life of Your Microwave Turntable Motor

Remember that your microwave has a small motor that keeps the turntable rotating. To ensure this motor works better longer, don’t put containers or items on the turntable that might impede its ability to rotate freely.

Putting things that weigh less on the turntable reduce stress on the motor. Placing heavy items on the turntable will increase the stress and can eventually result in a burnt out motor.

If your microwave is installed over your stove, make sure you always use the exhaust fan when cooking on your stovetop, to keep moisture away from the microwave. Steam and moisture that rise up can collect on the motor of the microwave and shorten its lifespan.

Extend the Life of Your Bathroom Fan Motor

The bathroom’s exhaust fan is one of the most underappreciated parts of your home. Dirty or dusty parts can deteriorate the motor and reduce the life of your fan. However, if you clean your bathroom fan once every 12 months it can continue to work efficiently for years.

Start by shutting off the power to the fan at the circuit box. Using a sturdy step stool to get you to a comfortable height, remove the cover plate. Some cover plates are held in place by screws, while others are held in place with easy-to-remove tension clips.

Once you remove the grate, wash it with warm water and dish soap. Use a vacuum wand attachment, a can of compressed air, or a dusting cloth to remove dust from the fan and the surrounding duct work. Then dry and replace the grate.

Finally, turn the circuit breaker back on, and you’re good to go for another year.

Extend the Life of Your Blender’s Motor

The cost of a blender can range from $20 to over $200. No matter how much you paid for your model, you can make it work better longer by taking care of your machine in ways that extend the life of the motor.

While it may sound counterintuitive, it’s smart to use the highest speed regularly to keep the blender working at top capacity. Like the motor on automobiles, blender motors need to “open up” regularly to activate the thermal protection system, which keeps the engine cooler. Similarly, using your blender regularly also increases its life span.

Because the quality and power of blenders vary so significantly, it’s especially important to read the owner’s manual and follow instructions for your model. Things that help some blenders work better actually stress the motor on other models.

For any model, layering ingredients properly reduces wear on the motor. Always put the wettest ingredients in first, closest to the blades, and keep hard or crunchy items at the top, away from the blade. If you’re making smoothies or using protein powder, always add the liquids first.

The vortex created by the blades needs soft or liquid ingredients to work properly. Conversely, if you’re regularly using you blender to pulverize items with little or no moisture, like nuts, you may find that your blender will not last as long.

Extend the Life of Your Washing Machine’s Motor

While most people know that overfilling machines are hard on the parts and the motor, not everyone knows that adding too much soap is also a problem. In fact, overusing detergent in just a single load can cause suds to overload and reach your washing machine's motor.

To prevent the minerals in water from building up inside your machine, degrading the parts, and making the motor work harder, periodically run a cycle using white vinegar (and nothing else) to reduce the accumulation of mineral residue. Some people install a water purifier in the laundry room so only filtered water is used.

Extend the Life of Your Dryer’s Motor

When it comes to clothes dryers in the laundry room, overheating is a big problem for the motor. That’s why it’s smart to avoid behaviors that can lead to this problem.

Start with simple things such as emptying the lint trap after every load. A clean lint tray allows air to filter throughout the unit, which allows it to dry items more effectively in less time.

When dealing with heavy loads such as towels or blankets, dry in smaller batches so your dryer. Not only will the motor have to work longer to dry large loads, the weight of wet, heavy laundry can also damage the motor. Avoid putting shoes in your dryer since the weight and thumping can throw the drum off balance, stressing the motor and other parts of the machine.

Finally, keep the vent hose clean. A clean vent hose makes it easier for the machine to dry your laundry and reduces stress on the motor. Importantly, a clean vent hose also removes lint and reduces the potential of a fire.

If your dryer won't start, here's some suggested steps.

Extend the Life of Your Vacuum’s Motor

Like blenders, vacuums come in a range of models and price points. No matter how much you paid for your vacuum, you’ll want to keep it running properly, longer.

One of the quickest ways to burn out a vacuum’s motor is to reduce air flow. That’s why it’s so important to change the bags or filters on your model frequently, even if they’re not full. Clean bags and filters substantially reduce the stress on the vacuum’s motor.

If you're using a vacuum with a beater bar or rotating brush, check it each time before you vacuum, and remove hair and carpet fibers that are wound around the bar or brushes. If your model has a magnetic strip feature, make sure you remove things like staples and paper clips from this strip frequently to prevent them from getting sucked up and harming the motor.

Don’t use your vacuum to suck up things that should be picked up by hand. Tissues, paper scraps, or even tiny toys can clog up the hose, stall the vacuum, and even burn out the motor.

Never vacuum over water or damp areas on a carpet or entrance mats unless your vacuum is designed to double as a wet vac. Moisture and water will not only damage the motor and parts of your machine, but it may also cause electric shocks.

Extend the Life of Your Trash Compactor’s Motor

Trash compactors can be a big convenience, but like any home appliance they must be treated with care to prevent motors from burning out. One of the most important rules is to avoid incompatible waste. Glass can tear the bags and damage the parts. Wood can splinter and may get into the motor. If liquids or oil escape from the bag they can also damage the motor. Batteries and aerosol sprays present explosive dangers.

Over time, the metal in your trash compactor may weaken, so it’s smart to check the integrity of all the metal parts at least once a year. Inspect for wear and tear, especially in places where metal parts rub against other metal. Lubricate or replace parts when needed.

Finally, many compactors have an oil filter that must be changed periodically. Check your users’ manual for guidelines.

Extend the Life of Your Ice Maker’s Motor

If you have an automatic icemaker in your refrigerator, you have another motor to maintain. One of this motor’s biggest enemies is dirt and bacteria build-up. Not only is this harmful to your health, it also reduces the machine’s efficiency, and can eventually cause the motor tofail.

Make sure you clean and sanitize your ice maker regularly, following the suggestions in your owners’ manual.

If you don’t need ice, it’s smart to turn it off until your supply runs low. In some models, overfull ice may freeze up the system, putting severe stress on the motor. Additionally, if the freezer’s thermostat is set low, the ice maker must work harder, and the motor may wear out sooner.

If your ice machine isn't working right, here are some repair tips.

Extend the Life of Your Garbage Disposal Motor

Garbage disposals are tough and built to last, but that doesn’t mean they don’t need maintenance. There are several things you can do to extend the life of your disposal.

First, try to use cold water when using your disposal. This causes food caught in the drain to harden, which then makes it easier for your garbage disposal to grind it up. Hot water can actually melt food, making it easier to bypass the disposal’s blade and stick to pipes instead.

It’s also a good idea to be selective about what goes down the disposal. Of course, you should never put metal or plastic items in the garbage disposal. But it’s also smart to keep fibrous vegetables, like celery, out of the disposal. The skins can become tangled in the drain. Heavy, moist garbage, like potato peels or cooked macaroni, can turn into mush and bind up the drain.

Once you’ve put the food down the drain, run the disposal for 30 seconds or so, with the water running, and add a bit of dish soap to clean it after every use. It’s also a good idea to occasionally clean your garbage disposal by pouring several cups of boiling water (without food) down to wash away residue.

Extend the Life of Your HVAC’s Fan Blower Motor

Overall, HVAC systems don’t require a lot of maintenance. However, there are things you must do to protect the lifespan of one of your home’s most expensive machines. Have your HVACs or air conditioning units inspected, cleaned and tuned each year, and checked twice a year by a licensed professional.

Additionally, you can check the filters twice on your own once a year. Dirty air filters make HVAC system work harder to circulate air, which can cause enough strain on the fan motor to cause failure. While most of the maintenance of an HVAC system should be left to the professionals, filters are pretty easy to inspect and replace. Check your owner’s manual for instructions for your model. If you’re not able to check or replace filters regularly, ask your maintenance professional to do this for you.

It’s often a good idea to run your HVAC systems on “Auto” as much as possible. Running your system with the fan set to “On” forces your heating and cooling system to work much harder, which will dramatically reduce the life of the motor. Continuous running on the fan on the “On” setting also traps more dust and allergens, which can be good for people with respiratory concerns, but it also causes filters to clog up faster. If you must run your system using the “On” setting, check your filters at least four times a year and be prepared to change them more frequently.

Like a refrigerator, your HVAC unit has a condenser that needs plenty of air circulation to work properly. Make sure you keep vegetation away from the unit, and check for leaves or weeds on or around the condenser once a month or more often if needed.

Want More Ways to Care for Motors Around Your Home?

By now, you probably understand how many motors are in your home, and how important it is to keep them up and running. With a little extra time and effort, you can keep all of your appliances working more efficiently. Caring for motors also extends the life of your appliances, sometimes by decades.

Maintaining your home’s appliances and machines is not complicated, and it’s much cheaper than replacing them. Why not make a pledge to stop throwing out your appliances, and take time to care for them and repair them? And when you’re looking for replacement parts, filters, or cleaners, McCombs Supply is here and ready to help.