Your Comprehensive Guide To Appliance Repair During COVID-19
When COVID-19 broke out the biggest concern was health. But as time has rolled by, the quarantines and lockdowns imposed by several states threw up a range of new problems due to the non-availability of various goods and services we are all used to. What are you to do if your home appliances break down while you’re in quarantine? We have compiled this handy guide to appliance repair during COVID-19 so that you know how to deal with such a situation.
The Problem: Risks To Your Appliances And You
In general, summer brings a spate of appliance breakdowns, but this year we all have to contend with the economic shutdowns and the stringent precautions COVID-19 demands.
Summer being the season of intense heat requires that your air conditioner and ceiling fans should function smoothly and continuously. Particularly if you have infants and older daily members having the house at optimum temperature is necessary for good health.
Food tends to spoil faster in the heat. During the economic shutdown when most restaurants are closed and even getting takeout is hard, having your refrigerator fail on you can be a real nightmare. If you are on a tight budget, then having your microwave oven working well in addition to the refrigerator is a necessity.
Such appliances are prone to breakdowns as they have run harder and hotter than ever while exchanging heat to cool off gets near impossible in summer weather.
The coastal states may experience hurricanes and storm surges during this season which pose added dangers to home appliances. Blackouts and brownouts may happen and sudden power surges can pose dangers to your appliances.
If you have devices that are faulty but cannot go out to fix them, do not worry! We will walk your through appliance repair during COVID-19.
Guide To Appliance Repair During COVID-19
There are three ways to ensure you get appliance repairs at times like this:
- Get a home warranty plan or contact your home warranty company if an appliance gives out
- Hire your own repair contractor
- Fix the broken-down appliance yourself
Getting hold of a new repair contractor may be hard now as many of them will quarantine themselves even if you do get through the hassle of identifying one. DIY-ing repairs always carry the danger of making the problem worse than before and now, getting parts and tools only adds more to the challenge.
That is when a home warranty plan can rescue you. Home warranties cover all the major parts and components critical to the proper running of important home appliances. You can get discounted repairs and replacements done by professional contractors sent out to you. Find out the top home warranty companies and the best plans in your state.
Step 1: Maintenance
The key to getting successful repairs is to avoid breakdowns in the first place. So many common problems with home appliances can be totally avoided by properly maintaining them.
Follow the user manuals which come with your home appliances and make sure that you are taking all necessary precautions such as maintaining the clearance space around your refrigerator, turning off the power saver, etc.
Clean your home appliances regularly and try to ensure that they don’t accumulate much moisture within. We have several handy guides in our blog to help you out with appliance maintenance.
Step 2: Diagnosis
If your appliances stop working, see if you can diagnose the problem. Sometimes the solution may be as simple as fixing your circuit breaker.
If you are unable to figure out what has happened to the appliance, and have a home warranty, then do not attempt to open it up or perform any do-it-yourself fixes. Instead, take help from professionals.
Step 3: Checking Coverage
If you are able to figure out what has gone wrong with your appliance, check if the part or component in question is covered by your home warranty contract. If it is, then you can easily file the claim and the home warranty company will schedule a service visit.
If it is not covered, then contact an authorized service professional recommended by the brand that you own. Alternatively, if your home warranty repair contractor diagnoses the issue to be something that will not be covered you can ask them to recommend further steps.
Step 4: Coronavirus Precautions
Home warranty companies have been following several precautions during COVID-19 to keep you safe and also to safeguard the health of their contractors. When you let your repair technician into the house follow all the necessary precautions. This also applies if you hire your own repair contractor.
The repair technician should be wearing a PPE jacket, gloves, N-95 mask, and disposable boots.
Maintain social distancing of 6 feet at all times and use direct payment methods that avoid the exchange of credit or debit cards.
Make sure that any parts or replacements brought into your house are properly disinfected. You should stay in a different room during the repair if possible.
If you plan to fix the breakdown yourself, then make sure that you have the appropriate tools. Contact parts suppliers to see how they can arrange to deliver the components you will require. Follow all precautions if you go outside to get the parts and disinfect them before letting them into your house.
Step 5: Appliance Maintenance Precautions
The usual safety precautions are to be followed during appliance repairs such as shutting off power sources when necessary and carefully noting the placement of the internal machinery. Make sure that you or the repair contractor wear gloves and mask while handling the appliances so that you leave no contaminants inside.
Once your repairs are done, sanitize all the equipment if you own them before putting them away.
Now that you know that you don’t have to live with a broken home appliance, you can have your peace of mind. These simple steps will help you stay safe while you get your appliances working again. Reschedule your appointment with the repair technician if you experience any symptoms.
| 
Thank you for your feedback!
RECENT ARTICLES
