If a home appliance suddenly stops working, you may be able to save money by repairing the appliance rather than replacing it
. Even more money can be saved if you do your own repairs. Basic appliance repair tips will help you to know where to start to repair your broken appliance.
With electrical appliances you will first want to determine if the problem is in the appliance itself. Look for tripped circuit breakers or blown fuses in your home's electrical supply box. Make these repairs and see if the appliance works. If it does not be sure that the power is disconnected or turned off before attempting any repair.
Look for a power reset switch on the appliance. This small red button should be pushed if found. Reconnect the appliance to power and see if it works after this mini circuit breaker has been reset.
If the problem is in the appliance itself use an inexpensive electrical meter to test the power cord. Use the continuity setting to check if power is moving through each wire in the power cord. If there is a power cord problem replace the cord.
Turn the appliance power switch to the on position and make sure that there is continuity through the switch. If there is not the switch could be bad. It will need to be replaced.
Other simple repairs include replacing heating elements, either in the oven or on the stove top. In the oven you may have to remove two or three screws. Replacing bad motors can be more complex so you may wan to call for help.
In our tough economy, there are many who find that repairing an appliance is a better alternative than replacement. In addition, this choice can lower the amount of garbage we produce. Basic appliance repair tips can help you to keep older appliances working for many years.