Tips For a DIY-Er – Use Appliance Manuals

Every DIY-er (do-it-yourselfer) should know the importance of appliance manuals. Sometimes equipment problems are not due to more than a switch not being turned on or off. You may have started the appliance inadequately. There is no need for a repair, just for information. You will find useful information in the manual on how to assemble, start and stop a device and how to use it correctly and in a safe manner. An illustrated diagram of the appliance or fixture is usually shown in the manual and all its parts are marked there along with their name and location.

You will often find a troubleshooting section in the guide. There you are taught how to find out what the cause of something not working well is. You may need help in solving certain situations, so the manufacturer’s phone number is to be found there together with a list of authorized service representatives.

Keep all manuals in the same drawer or box so that they are easy to find when needed. Being well organized saves you time and patience. You may start up a home workbook in which to note important things about your house, the appliances in it and its systems (the gas, water, electric system). You can then put the appliance and fixture use and care manuals in the sheet protectors of that notebook so that you can find all the needed information in one place.

When you misplace an use and care manual, look for a label on the device where the name of the manufacturer, the model number and the serial number are written. Then try to find the manufacturer’s website. It may be that the manual is available online on that Internet site. The probability is smaller if the device is more than 5 to 7 years old. If you do find it, download it and print it to keep it in your house. If the Internet is of no help, try to call the manufacturer when you face problems with a device.