This is easily the most popular of all the appliance myths. Most of us can probably remember being scolded by our mothers for standing too close to the microwave while it is running. Reason being if you stood too close, the radiation from the microwave would get you too!

Microwaves do use radiation to cook. But here's the good news - it's only harmful if you experience direct contact, meaning you'd actually have to get inside the microwave, close the door and set yourself to cook.

Since most of us have enough sense not climb inside the microwave, there's no need to fear the mighty microwave. The only way microwave radiation can escape is if there is a leak in the door seal. Knowing this, you need to keep your microwave properly maintained and never try to repair it yourself.

Repair technicians should be familiar with this myth as many homeowners express concern about opening their dishwasher during the wash cycle for fear that gallons of water will pour out like a waterfall onto their kitchen floor.

While this myth does actually sound quite plausible, again, it's totally false. Only the bottom of the dishwasher tub (below the level of the door) fills with water. A pump-driven impeller, located in the bottom of the dishwasher tub, pushes water through tiny jet-holes located in spray arms that rotate during the wash and rinse cycles, spraying water on everything inside the dishwasher.

So, the next time you need to open your dishwasher mid-cycle, don't hesitate! The most you'll get is a bit of steam in your face.

Debunking this myth should make household chore-doers very happy. As ridiculous as it sounds to rinse a dish before putting it in the dishwasher, just to be rinsed again, there are thousands of kitchen dwellers devoted to removing every trace of food from their dinnerware before placing it in the dishwasher.

News flash… you can eliminate the dreaded "pre-rinse" because it does not help your dishwasher get your dishes and cutlery any cleaner. Pre-rinsing can actually harm your dishes because the concentration of alkaline in the dishwasher detergent becomes way higher than normal. After all, detergent is made to clean stuck-on grease and grime, so without bits of food to attack, the alkaline level, now higher than normal, attacks your dishes, making them appear cloudy, scratched and in some cases, etched. Let's be realistic though, don't leave a half-eaten sandwich on your plate and put in the dishwasher.

You're not alone if you think that appliances in "stand-by" mode don't use power. You'd be surprised how much energy a "sleeping" appliance can consume. Almost all home appliances and electronics continue to consume power when in "stand-by".

Check out these stand-by power consumption rates:

In some cases, appliances in stand-by mode can consume as much as 15-30 watts per hour - that's a lot of power usage day after day, week after week.

You can reduce or eliminate excess power consumption, do your part to save the environment, and save yourself some money by simply powering down your appliances completely or unplugging them when they're not in use.

Here's a real classic to close off our top five myths list. Many homeowners believe they're helping the environment and reducing their water bill by washing dishes the old-fashioned way rather than using a dishwasher. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Modern dishwashers use, on average, 1-1.5 kilowatt hours of energy and 3.7 gallons of water (an amount equal to one full kitchen sink). Take into consideration how many full sinks you use to wash a pile of dishes and the amount of water you use for rinsing the dishes and it's easy to see how wrong this myth is. Washing by hand consumes much more water than using your dishwasher, especially when you consider that washing dishes by hand is a daily affair whereas you may only run your dishwasher every 2 or 3 days.

MYTH 6
Service companies get annual checks or get paid by salary on warranty issues on appliances: FALSE

If you have a problem with your appliances and it falls under the first year of purchase and is a manufacture failure of the product, than the repair would be covered under warranty. The manufacture will not cover rust, customer abuse, non related issues with the product example power issues to the appliances, and in most cases cosmetic parts due to damage. The customer must call an authorized service company. This can be done by calling the customer service number provided for your brand of appliance. The service company will come to your home and repair and replace any parts they are related to a manufacture defect. The service company will then file a claim through the manufacture for reimbursement for the labor and any parts replaced. The service company will not be paid for any mark up on the part replaced. The service company will be paid for only labor for the repair (which is a flat rate)
The service company will not be paid for anymore labor for 30-60 days for any rechecks from the appliance if the customer calls back with other complaints on the product. The service company is required to return to the home and recheck the appliance if it has a manufacture failure again. Customer education calls are not covered. If an event results in the product having a failure that is not covered by the manufacture the customer will be responsible for the repair.
The service company does not get annual checks from manufactures. They only get paid when each appliance is completed. A warranty claim is filed for each appliance failure.
And do the customers have any responsibility of the service call they report about?
Yes, it is the sole responsibility of the customer if any failure of the product is not covered by the manufacture terms and conditions in the owners manual of the product being repaired. The warranty company does not pay for claims than do not have a manufacture failure. The service company will have to bill or collect for any repairs not covered by the manufacture to the customer.
Customer must provide proof of purchase, must be in an accessible area for the technician to work on, and schedule a service repair during normal business hours.

Myth - My window air conditioner needs to be 'recharged' each year to work effectively.
False- Household air conditioners should never require a refrigerant recharge. The gas travels in a sealed system and should never escape unless damage is done to the system. If your unit is not cooling as well as it did before, it likely only needs a professional steam/chemical cleaning. Older car air conditioners are different and may require periodic recharges.

Myth - The glass on the oven door exploded all by itself.
False - When an oven door glass shatters, there is always a cause. The cause could have occurred weeks or months ago and never even been noticed. For example if the oven door was struck, say with a broom handle when cleaning, a pot or pan while cooking or if the door was allowed to slam shut just once, that's all it can take. This initial blow could weaken the structure of the glass. Later, after repeated heating and cooling causing thermal expansion and contraction of the glass, it finally fails critically. It can also be caused by a flaw in the glass material but in such a case a failure will often occur within the first year warranty period. Luckily, it's safety glass and no large jagged shards remain to do additional harm.