Everyone has personal electronics at home, but the time will inevitably come around when you might need to do a bit of maintenance on your gadgets and electronics.
Here are few tips and tricks to use when working with your home electronics
Safety First
- Switch off and unplug all the appliances and devices when working on them to ensure that you don’t get shocked accidentally.
- Always follow the manufacturer instructions while fixing any appliances. Call a professional if you are unsure of the problem
- Never keep any water source or water decor item near your electrical appliances. Be wary of running water around washing machine
- Never staple or nail down a wire or cord or exposed wires. Rather use electrical tape or rope to hold them in position.
- Never work on devices with damaged wires or sockets. Replace them immediately with a new ones.
- Do not plug multiple heavy appliances into a single power outlet, this can lead to over loading of the outlet.
Should You Repair Or Replace?
Know the life expectancy of your appliance. Many people will choose to try and repair a device rather than paying for a new one even though it’s way past it’s expiry date. Here are a few guidelines on the life expectancy of some common household appliances:
- Dishwasher: 9 years
- Refrigerator: 12 years
- Washing machine: 11 years
- Freezer: 10 years
- Microwave: 8 years
- Kettle: 4 years
Some Commonly Asked Questions
Do you have experience working with electronics? If you’re an experienced handyman or DIY expert you should have no problem doing basic fixes or replacements. However, if you don’t have any experience with repairing household items you may need to get informed first. Youtube has plenty of how-to videos that you can watch on how to to basic household repairs.
Is the device still under warranty? Always make sure you keep any warranty documents because if your home electronics are still under warranty you could have them repaired by a professional or replaced for a new device.
Repair cost VS replacement cost? Before you start with any repairs, first calculate the cost of anything you will need to fix up that device, you might find that it is cheaper to simply buy a new appliance.
