Many appliances in our homes are built to perform perfectly. They may very work well over the years, usually without too many problems. You may even forget their work until they have a breakdown. The result is that you may be completely at a loss because most of its activity is at a standstill and have to look for a solution of how to repair it. Sometimes you are caught off guard and have no idea of how it works, the reason it stopped working and you certainly have no clue on how to fix it.

The decision on what to do next can be tricky and have to be made with caution. You can pay a professional to fix it which is the best option because they have the technical know-how, or you can fix it yourself and save money. In this article we will look at the basic appliance repair tips.

How to perform the basic appliance repair depend on size

Small appliances

Small appliances are usually very simple machines to repair. They mostly consist of very simple heating element, a set of blades and a fan while some have rotating beaters that is attached to a drive shaft. They may at times have 2 or 3 simple mechanical linkages hence having to repairs these appliances are usually pretty simple as well. 

Large appliances

Repairing a large appliance is usually more complex and requires a lot of work to repair. This appliance such as a washing machine may have a motor, a pump, a timer, various valves, solenoids and switches. With the large appliance, the problems can occur in the control devices, power or mechanical components. Having the failure occurring on a control device may affect whole operation of the appliance or one part. If the failure is mechanical or power related it usually affects not only the functions but also the whole device. Wherever the break down is, what matters is how to diagnose the problem as well as how to fix it.

Basic tips to repair the appliance

1. Checking the problem

To find what exactly the problem is not difficult depending on how damaged the appliance is. You may be required to physically check each part of the affected system to find the broken part. The process is a little bit easy as most appliance components that work are put together in a logical sequence. You can start with the simple possibilities and test the components as you proceed to isolate the cause of the failure.

2. Check the power connection

When diagnosing a problem of the appliance or testing it always safe to ensure the power connection or the gas supply to the appliance is disconnected before making any move. This is because you can get electrical shock which can be dangerous. When you are done checking the appliance or repairing it do not touch the appliance when you turn on the power, to be on the safe side but only observe it. If there are more adjustments needed, turn the power off again before you make them.

3. Check how the parts are held together

Checking how the appliances are held together is very important. If most parts of the appliance are held together with plugs, screws, bolts and other take-apart fasteners, you are able to make any necessary repairs. However when the parts are held together with welds or rivets, request the help of a professional as it is not safe to repair the appliance on your own. 

4. Replace any broken parts

Replacing the broken or damaged parts with new parts may be easy if parts are made especially for that appliance. If however, you are not able to find an exact replacement for the damaged part, you can replace the old one with a new one as long as it fits at the required place. In this case, refer to the instructions given by the manufacturer for installation and always keep in mind when replacing the parts lay them out in the order in which you removed them as you probably have to put them back in same way.

Conclusion 

Always ensure before making any appliance repair that the appliance is receiving power. Lack of power is usually a common reason of appliance failure. As seen in the above article the basic repairs are not hard as the look and can be done depending on the type of damage. However, if you are not able to handle the repair on your own request the help of a professional to be on the safe side.