Repair Anything
What’s wrong with it? That’s the first big question in fixing broken things. Any broken things! It doesn’t matter whether you need door chime repair, gas grill repair, toy repair, or computer printer repair. You can repair stationary things, mechanical things, electrical things, and hybrid things.
Repair Stationary Things
Stationary things, of course, don’t move. You may need to perform jewelry repair, wood furniture repair, wood flooring repair, fence repair, masonry repair, and lots more repairs to stationary things. Even doors and windows are considered stationary; although they do open and close, you can’t move them to another room. These are things that don’t move on their own; they’re stationary. You can move furniture or wear clothing, but part of their job description is to stay where they are put. In fact, if a stationary thing doesn’t stay put, it’s probably broken.
Repair Mechanical Things
Mechanical things are supposed to move. That’s what they do. For example, a windup alarm clock is a mechanical thing. Other mechanical thing repairs you may undertake include toy repair, garden tool repair, exercise equipment repair, and others. What do they all have in common? They technically are machines. That is, they convert one form of energy into another. A hand tool, for example, converts your energy into strength to turn a bolt or cut a board.
Repair Electrical Things
Electrical things that may need repair are devices that convert electricity into another form of energy. These fixes include electric water heater repair, computer repair, telephone repair, toaster oven repair, and lots more. Electrical things convert electrical energy into movement, heat, cold, light, sound, images, and many other useful services.
Electrical Tests
You can perform several simple electrical tests on all kinds of electrical things around your home. Electrical tests will help you perform electrical cord repair, hair dryer repair, motor repair, vacuum cleaner repair, as well as scads of other repairs. All you will need is one or more of three inexpensive testers: a continuity tester, a multimeter, and/or a circuit tester.
Repair Hybrid Things
The largest category of things is: hybrid. That is, many things in our lives combine stationary (clothing) and mechanical(zipper), or mechanical (food mixer) and electrical (power). Hybrid thing repairs may include riding lawn mower repair, refrigerator repair, fan repair, food processor repair, and a whole host of other repairs. However, by looking at every thing by category you can more easily figure out what’s wrong.
Warranties
Before tearing something open to fix it, whether it’s steam boiler repair, faucet repair, television repair, or coffee maker repair, consider whether it’s really the manufacturer’s problem or yours. Many consumer items carry a limited warranty that the item will function for at least the specified time after the consumer buys it new.
Parts & Materials
Once you’ve figured out what’s wrong with a household item, how are you going to get the parts and materials to fix it? You are liable to need parts to complete clothes dryer repair, concrete repair, drywall repair, toilet repair, and many other repairs. Fortunately, many parts are standardized and interchangeable. You may be able to pick up many of them at a nearby hardware store. Others will be available at specialty stores and online.
Tools
A tool is any mechanical implement that cuts, turns, grabs, attaches, or provides some other useful function. To perform electric can opener repair, fax machine repair, small engine repair, sewing machine repair, and most other repairs around your household you’ll need at least a few basic tools such as screwdrivers, wrenches, hammers, drills, and pliers. There are additional tools for specific jobs, such as a toilet plunger, level, clamps, paint brushes, caulk gun, etc.
Safety First!
Safety is a very important part of fixing anything, whether you are performing gas furnace repair, roof repair, yard trimmer repair, gas cooktop repair, electrical cord repair, or even jacket repair. In one infamous example, technicians decided to find out what would happen if they tried to run the system with the various safety mechanisms defeated–at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant. Fixing your toaster won’t start a mushroom cloud of nuclear waste, but it can hurt you if you don’t apply some common-sense safety rules:
Plan Your Project
No matter what you’re fixing, you can save time by spending some time on planning. Whether you are tackling small engine repair, wallpaper repair, whirlpool bath repair, gas oven repair, or any other repair, planning your project will increase your efficiency. Once you’ve figured out what’s wrong with your broken item, gathered the parts and tools, and planned when and where you’ll fix it, the repair is more than half done. The actual repair is relatively easy.
Disassembling Things
Disassembling things is an important part of repair whether you are performing toaster repair, motor repair, riding lawn mower repair, washing machine repair, or many other repairs. You’ll want to be able to reassemble an item properly whether it’s done today, tomorrow, or once you’ve found some parts a month from now. Here are tips for smart disassembly:
Find an Expert
Occasionally you won’t be able to or won’t want to fix it yourself. That’s okay. There’s someone else out there who can perform refrigerator repair, bicycle repair, plaster repair, jewelry repair, or any other repair you need done. When should you consider hiring someone to fix something for you?
