A typical home is full of major systems that make life comfortable, from the air conditioner to dishwasher. If any of these systems breaks down, however, a dilemma strikes the household. Fixing it yourself or calling a professional becomes the decision of the day. Take a close look at three parts that aren’t commonly known among homeowners. Knowing all about your home system will only prevent future breakdowns from occurring.

Dishwasher Filter

Your dishwasher looks like a closed system of sprayers and drainage pipes. However, there are critical yet mysterious parts residing inside, such as the filter. If you remove the base sprayer, there’s a filter that captures all of those small particles of food. Regardless of how clean you keep your dishes, food will always become lodged in this area.

Clean out the filter with a wet-dry vacuum several times a year. The dishwasher will operate better than ever when water can easily move from the appliance and into the drainage area.

HVAC Blower

There’s a motor-and-fan combination inside your HVAC unit that’s referred to as the blower. Depending on the system’s design, the blower operates during heating or activates for both heating-and-cooling applications. In short, the blower forces air to either cool or heat the home through the system’s coils. If the motor breaks down, your HVAC system loses its ability to condition the home’s air.

Take a look at the blower that’s housed inside your home on a split system. Be sure to vacuum any dust away from its features. The professionals should evaluate the blower once a year so that it can be adjusted or repaired as needed. Sometimes something as complicated as an air circuit breaker might break and need a professional eye to fix.

Stovetop Igniters

If you have a gas stovetop, there are igniters hidden underneath the burner assemblies. When a burner has trouble igniting, your igniter is probably dirty or blocked. Take off the burner’s cover. You’ll see a dome- or cylinder-shaped component with a metal tip exposed on the stovetop’s surface. Clean this igniter of any food or buildup.

The igniters offer a spark to the incoming gas, which allows you to cook with controlled heat. Keeping these parts clean will prevent cooking problems when the burner refuses to ignite.

You should expect to invest some money in the maintenance of your appliances. Think about saving some money each month so that there’s always extra cash ready for those unexpected repairs. Perform preventive maintenance, but also prepare for possible breakdowns. By being ready for nearly anything, your home systems will always run without extended failure times.