3 Essential Rules Of Appliance Repair

Appliance repair is a great option if you always remember to follow the three simple rules of appliance repair.  Sometimes people try to save money by ignoring the rules, but this never works out well.  The more likely result of ignoring the rules is that you damage the appliance, or even worse you hurt yourself or your family because the appliance is repaired incorrectly.

Whether the appliance uses a gas supply or electrical power, the supply needs to be disconnected before you start to inspect the appliance in order to diagnose what the problem is.  At some point, you may have to turn the power on in order to test the appliance to see if it has been repaired correctly, but this only requires that you plug it is and turn it on.  You should not touch the appliance during the testing; it should merely be observation.  All necessary adjustments to finish fixing the appliance should be made after it has been disconnected from the power or gas supply again.

The kind of fasteners used on an appliance will help you determine how much repairing you can do on your own.  Take-apart fasteners like screws and bolts are usually an indication that you can complete most repairs yourself.  Permanent fasteners like welds and rivets are an indication of an appliance that needs to be repaired by a professional.

Replacing a broken appliance part can sometimes be a more cost effective option when it is compared to repairing a broken or malfunctioning part.  Broken parts should always be replaced with new parts that are designed to the specifications determined by the manufacturer.  What if you cannot find an exact replacement part?  It is okay to substitute a similar part as long as it fits into the space of the old part.  The manufacturer’s instruction manual should always be used as a guide for installation.

OEM or Brand Name Parts?

Appliance service centers, appliance repair dealers, and appliance parts stores all carry a wide array of replacement parts, and you should be able to find what you need.  Brand name specific replacement parts are not always absolutely necessary.  You can use generic parts as long as they meet the specifications laid out by the manufacturer.  Another option to get the part that you need is to contact the manufacturer directly and order the part.  The information that you need to do this can be found printed on the appliance or listed in the instruction manual for the appliance.

Specific data about model numbers and part numbers will allow you find the exact replacement part that you need.  The Internet has become an excellent tool for searching for replacement parts as well.  Always remember that the number one cause of perceived appliance failure is actually a bad electrical socket or a bad power supply; so make sure that your appliance is actually receiving power.