How to Repair Small Appliances on Your Own by Megan Stewart for The Survivalist Blog
GNN Note – You will probably want to book mark this article.
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If you’ve ever had a small appliance break on you just when you need it most, you know how frustrating it can be. If you’re like most people, you aren’t really in the position to just run and out and replace an appliance on a moment’s notice, or pay big bucks to have a professional repair it. If it’s a convenience and not a necessity, you’re even less likely to want to blow your budget on it if you can avoid it.
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As a single working mom of four, money was always short. I can’t even tell you how many times I had to do without until I could afford to get broken appliances replaced or fixed by a professional.
If my vacuum cleaner stopped working, that was it. I didn’t know how to take it apart and I was too afraid to even attempt it. I bet I replaced at least ten vacuum cleaners because they stopped working in my lifetime, maybe more. Of course, I now know that more than half of those I could have fixed myself.
As I’ve become more involved with prepping over the last ten years, and as YouTube has become the go to for step by step tutorials, it’s became clear that if small appliances could be repaired by a professional, then there must be way to take them apart and fix them.
Benefits of Repairing Your Own Small Appliances
The knowledge and ability to fix small appliances on your own can save you a ton of money and inconvenience. You can put that money you would have spent on paying a professional repairman into your preps!
There’s also a sense of pride and accomplishment that comes with repairing something yourself. It’s doable and you don’t have to be an expert, you just need some basic knowledge about how things work, a LOT of patience, the right tools, and maybe a few parts.
The Fundamentals of How Small Appliances Work
Before you work on ANY type of electrical appliance, always make sure to turn it off and unplug it from the wall. It’s a good idea to wear protective work gloves if possible to avoid cutting yourself on a sharp metal casing or appliance blades, etc.
If you’re just learning how to repair small appliances on your own, the first thing to understand is they fall into some broader categories. It’s also important to understand as much as you can about the basics of electrical circuits in appliances as described in the video below:
Appliances that Heat
Below are just a sample of small appliances that heat. I’ve included how to videos next to a few of them. If you need a how to video on any other type of appliance, simply look for a tutorial on YouTube. You’d be amazed at what you can learn by watching someone else do something successfully.
Always make sure you are following any safety procedures for the type of item you are working on. I recommend watching any tutorial video in its entirety so you know what you’re getting into.
Also, before doing any repairs yourself, make sure you review your warranty for the product. If your appliance is still under warranty, making any repairs yourself could make your warranty null and void.
