As a homeowner, you may have experienced your washing machine breaking down in the middle of a cycle and flooding your basement floor or the refrigerator shutting down after restocking your perishable grocery items.

What we fail to realize is that these major appliance breakdowns can be prevented with a little care. However, it's not the kind of tender loving care that requires you to call up a professional and pay for a huge bill. Rather, it's about simple maintenance tasks that don't require any experience, just a bit of your time or maybe a little amount of cash

Here are five maintenance tips that you can do to make sure that your appliances run efficiently whenever you need them most at home:

Ensure the oven door is sealed tightly.

There is more than 20% of heat loss when the oven is not properly sealed. As a result, food will either take longer to cook or cook unevenly. Simply open the oven door and check if there is a rubber or a fiberglass gasket around the door. Are there any broken, torn, or deformed areas? Replace the seal if you see any of these problems.

Clean dirty range hood filters. Replace them when necessary.

For metal-mesh grease filters, wash them with soapy water. You can also place them in the dishwasher. For charcoal or paper filters, they should not be washed. They should be replaced instead.

Clean your refrigerator coils.

When your refrigerator coils are clogged with dirt, dust, or pet hairs, it impedes air flow and causes the refrigerator to work even harder. Clean the coils once or twice each year using a handheld vacuum. The location of the coils differs by model but most of them are located behind the kick plate or at the back of the fridge.

Clean your air conditioner filter regularly.

Clogged filters can restrict the flow of air and therefore reduce the energy efficiency of your air conditioner and its lifespan. Filters should be cleaned once or twice a month. To clean the filter, simply remove the panel of the unit and clean it using a vacuum to remove dirt. Disposable filters must be replaced.

Check the washing machine's hoses.

Always check the hoses that connect to the back panel of your washing machine for leaks, cracks, or damaged spots. Most of the washing machine floods are caused by leaks in the hose. If you see any signs of damage, replace the hose immediately. At minimum, hoses must be replaced every five years.