Thanksgiving turkey in the offing and your oven not up to the task? Lately has the refrigerator been a touch warm? Then again, one might not have thought of the dishwasher before a large family get-together.

Should any of that give you cause for concern, do not think you are alone. We at Natural State Appliance Repair are accustomed to fielding calls from people in the River Valley and Northwest Arkansas come fall who have had an epiphany about their kitchen appliances and what the holidays will put them through. Braden Scott started our family business three generations back; we are on hand to be of service. For any questions, pick up the phone at (479) 469-1580.

There is no better time than the autumn months to see how your appliances are faring ahead of the cooking rush. The season is hard on an oven or a stove, as well as the rest of the kitchen. A bit of care now precludes the kind of headache you do not want with the entire family in attendance and dinner being prepared.

Oven and Range

The oven is the centrepiece of the holiday kitchen, so it would be well to show it some consideration before Thanksgiving. Put it to the test early on and leave yourself ample time for repairs.

A few items to look at on the range and oven:

• Set the oven to 350 and put a thermometer to it to be sure of the temperature
• See that every burner on the stovetop is lighting and heating as it should
• Put in the work to remove any old crumbs or spills which will put out smoke and odours once the heat is on
• Have a look at the gasket and door seal for any way heat can get out
• When you ignite the oven, note any odd buzzing, clicking or lag

An oven that is slow to preheat or runs too hot or cold is telling you something is amiss. You will want to know of it in October, not on the morning of Thanksgiving.

Refrigerator

Your fridge is going to be put to overtime by the make-ahead dishes and drinks of the holidays. If it is having trouble today it will be worse when it is full.

Spend a few minutes on a checkup:

• Verify the freezer is near zero and the refrigerator at 37 degrees
• Do away with the dust on the condenser coils so the unit does not have to labour
• Put a dollar bill in the door to test the tightness of the gaskets
• Remove any frost that may point to a defrost issue
• Be certain the ice maker and water dispenser are in order if you use them

You do not want a house of guests and a refrigerator that is letting the food go bad.

Dishwasher

In all of the holiday activity the dishwasher is perhaps the most taxed appliance. There is a mountain of dishes after the meal and you want it in working order.

Tune it up for the fall:

• The filter at the bottom will have collected its share of debris, clean it
• Wipe the spray arms and door seals
• An empty run with some cleaner will take care of odours and buildup
• Dishes should be coming out dry and spotless
• Check underneath for leaks

If it is not draining properly or is leaving spots, have it seen to before the pile of dishes grows.

Washers and Dryers

Extra laundry is part and parcel of having holiday visitors in the form of tablecloths, bedding and the like. Inspect the washer hoses for bulges or cracks and clear the lint trap and vent on the dryer. A clogged vent is a fire hazard and one sees it often in the fall, so do not discount it.

When to put in a call

You can do some of this maintenance but if the machine is not doing its job in terms of cooling, heating or draining, let someone who is familiar with them have a look.

We have master certified technicians who are factory trained and 40 years of experience between them. From Fayetteville to Fort Smith and Bentonville, Rogers, Springdale, Bella Vista, Alma, Ozark and Siloam Springs, as well as Sallisaw and Stilwell in Oklahoma, we are there for you. We will text you 15 minutes prior to our arrival for a three-hour window and put on shoe covers and floor protection while in your home. One year on parts and labor is standard with most of what we do.

Make a call to Natural State Appliance Repair at (479) 469-1580 rather than wait to find your oven is not heating while the turkey thaws. Our hours are 8:00am to 5:30pm Monday to Friday and we will put you in a position to have a dependable kitchen for the holidays.