To some of you, this would be old hat. To others, a little light bulb is going to go off thinking, “How did I not realize that?†These are just some quick tips we wanted to share for people just starting out in appliance repair or those of you that like to indulge in DIY before picking up the phone to call in an appliance repair technician.
Never Overtighten a Screw or Bolt
Do you know how screws get stripped? When you lean into that screw with everything you have to make sure it will not budge another inch. In many cases, one or two turns of the screw will have it nice and snug, but I would wager everyone reading this right now had a friend or had done it themselves where they try to tighten the screw until it just won’t go any further and they just chew it up until it’s unrecognizable.
Not only do you run into the danger of stripping the screw or bolt, but you are also making it that much tougher to get into the appliance the next time you need to make a repair. Snug is good, death grip is bad.
Use a Magnet
This is a tip that I learned from my stepfather who was a refrigerator repairman. When he was on the job, he always had a magnet in his pocket. He used this to hold any screws and bolts that he had taken off a machine. He also used magnetized screwdrivers to ensure a screw never slipped off the screwdriver and onto the floor. Thirty years in the business, the man never lost a screw.
Nowadays, you can go on Amazon and purchase all kinds of gadgets for this for under $30 and trust me, it will be money well spent!
Invest in Good Work Gloves
You are going to be working in a lot of varying conditions and with sharp objects, so you are going to want to invest in a pair of really good work gloves. I am going to suggest something very radical here… don’t buy them off the internet. Go to your local store and try them on, grab some tools with them, and see if you can actually work in them, before buying them.
Check Your O-rings and Gaskets
These are softer but vital components, and they wear out quickly. Inspect them every time you have an appliance opened up. Load up your toolbox with an O-ring and gasket kit to replace any of them that look like they are starting to wear. You can get a full kit for under $50, so there is no excuse not to have these in your toolbox.
Get Extra Multimeter Leads
If your toolbox does not have a multimeter, you should not even leave your home. Additionally, you need to have multiple leads because connectors will vary on different types of appliances. Again, you can get a kit with just about every lead imaginable for under $50, so grab a multimeter as well as the additional connectors if you do not already have them.
