ADDISON, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Eighty-six percent of Americans are planning to cook at home for the holidays this year, but concerning statistics show that many are not taking the necessary steps to ensure their kitchen appliances and equipment are up to the challenge, according to a new survey of over 1,000 respondents from PartSelect.com, a Parts Town Unlimited company and industry leader in helping do-it-yourselfers with their home repair needs by providing repair parts and the know-how to fix their home appliances, outdoor power equipment, and other household electronics.
Americans Are Overlooking Preventative Maintenance, Parts Replacement
The survey finds that only 55% of Americans plan to perform preventative maintenance on their kitchen equipment and appliances in advance of the holiday season, with 33% expected to bypass preventative maintenance altogether. Only 49% of respondents plan to purchase any replacement parts this holiday season, a critical step in extending the life cycle of kitchen equipment.
These statistics are especially surprising given that 67% of respondents reported having an appliance break down while cooking a holiday dinner in the past and 61% have had an emergent need to purchase a replacement part for their appliances during the holiday season.
“Conducting preventative maintenance on kitchen appliances and other equipment is a critical step towards ensuring a successful holiday gathering,” said Chris Boyle, in-house repair technician at PartSelect.com. “Original equipment manufacturer (OEM) parts are the backbone of any appliance repair and the results of this survey show that more Americans should be considering the value of preventative maintenance to extend the life of their kitchen equipment and help ensure they don’t go down at one of the most important times of the year.”
Among kitchen appliances, ovens are the most likely to break down with 54% of respondents reporting a break down while cooking a holiday meal in the past. Microwaves (50%), refrigerators (48%), dishwashers (45%), stoves/ranges/cooktops (43%) and coffee makers (29%) were also reported by respondents to have broken down during the holidays.
Digital Trends Impacting Repair and Parts Replacement Trends
Among those planning to repair equipment in advance of the holiday season, 38% are planning to try and do-it-themselves while 28% plan to call a repair service and another 35% will make the determination based on the type of issues and equipment. However, 89% of respondents stated they would try to fix an appliance themselves if there was an easily accessible video to walk them through it, showing the growing value in DIY-video content such as PartSelect.com’s YouTube channel.
Online shopping trends are also benefitting the availability of critical replacement parts, with 74% of Americans somewhat likely or very likely to source their parts online. Only 10% are sourcing their replacement parts in-store from local appliance repair shops and 9% are sourcing from big box retailers.
When purchasing replacement parts, only 36% of respondents stated they are looking for OEM parts and instead are focusing on price (45%) and fast shipping (42%) as decision-making factors. This is a concerning trend when considering that OEM parts are made to the manufacturer's specifications, which means they are reliable, safe and efficient, come with warranty protection and provide a total lower cost of ownership.
Maintenance Tips to Keep Your Kitchen Up and Running
To ensure your holiday dinners are a success, visit PartSelect.com’s Repair Help center to select the home appliance that is causing you problems and you’ll be taken to a page with troubleshooting videos and a list of symptoms common to that specific appliance.
Additional tips for performing preventative maintenance on the kitchen equipment most likely to break down this holiday season are included below:
Ovens:
- Inspect the bake and broil elements for signs of corrosion or arcing. The elements should be smooth and clear of any blemishes. If there is any food spillage on the elements from boilovers, this should be carefully examined as it is the first place the element would rupture.
- Even though a clean oven is important, if you have a self-cleaning oven it is recommended to not put the range through a clean cycle. The high heat generated during a clean cycle combined with the increased use of the element can cause premature failure of a component.
- Before your main cook day, put the range through a bake cycle for at least 30 minutes or more to ensure everything is working. This is also a great time to test your actual oven temperature with a kitchen thermometer. A variation of even 25 degrees Fahrenheit could mean the difference between a perfectly cooked pumpkin pie or burnt charcoal for dessert.
Refrigerators:
- Check that your fridge is at an optimal temperature; not too warm to spoil foods, but not too cold that it freezes them. A refrigerator’s optimal temperature range is 34-40 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Closely inspect drawers, crispers, and shelves while you're cleaning your fridge and replace anything that is cracked or brittle. Heavy holiday meals can send a cracked shelf or drawer crashing down, so any signs of cracks should be dealt with before breaking and losing precious fridge space.
- When was the last time you changed your water filter? If it's been more than six months, you should order a new one in time for the holidays. Nobody wants to serve their guests bad drinking water!
Freezers:
- You’ll want to make sure your freezer is freezing items if you intend to store a frozen turkey or ham in there. If your freezer is warm, it could be because of a defective door switch, defrost thermostat, defrost timer or defrost heater. Check each of these and replace it if necessary.
- When hosting for a crowd, you often go through a lot of ice, so check that your ice machine is making ice. If there is an issue, check the water inlet valve and defrost timer as those are likely the source of the issue.
- If you have an older model freezer that appears icy a few weeks before the holidays, unplug your freezer and defrost it so you can reclaim the extra space.
Dishwashers:
- If your dishwasher sounds like a monster, do a quick sweep of the drain, as you may have some broken glass lodged in there. If this does not solve the problem, you may need to replace the drain and wash impeller.
- Take out the filter, clean it thoroughly by hand and reinsert it. Check the spray arms for any clogs and if either the spray arm or filter are clogged or damaged beyond repair, consider replacing them.
- Run a test load to be sure your dishwasher fills with water. If it doesn't, you may need to check the float assembly and float switch. Add some dishwasher cleaning tablets to your test load to make your machine smell fresh and look sparkling clean inside.
Microwaves:
- If you have prepped a dish ahead of time or a guest brings an item that needs reheating, you’ll want to make sure your microwave is working and that your turntable is turning. If it isn’t, it may just need to be realigned, which is an easy fix, or you may need a new part for your carousel.
- This is also a good time to clean your microwave to prevent old odors or flavors from permeating your dish. An easy way to clean the microwave is to place a wet sponge in it and heat at full power for two minutes. This will create some steam and the grime will wipe right off with the sponge.
About PartSelect.com
PartSelect.com sells original equipment repair (OEM) repair parts for the home and provides tools to help people fix their home appliances, outdoor power equipment, and other household electronics.
For more than 25 years, PartSelect.com has been dedicated to helping DIYers repair the things they own with genuine brand-name parts that are guaranteed to fit. With same-day shipping and a 365-day return policy, our customers can shop with confidence, saving both time and money by repairing instead of replacing when appliance problems arise.
Our completely free repair resources – including videos, articles, troubleshooting guides, manuals, Q&A, and step-by-step instructions – are created by appliance technicians, expert writers and satisfied PartSelect.com customers. These tools are designed to support you at every stage of your repair journey, from diagnosing the issue to installing the new part.
PartSelect.com is a brand in the home division of Parts Town Unlimited, the parent company of over 45 unique brands worldwide which collectively serve as a global leader in the high-tech distribution of genuine original equipment manufacturer (OEM) parts for foodservice equipment, residential appliances, HVAC equipment and consumer electronics, as well as related products.
