5 tips for repairing your appliances
Many faulty appliances get thrown out when all they need is a simple fix. Here’s how you can save yours from landfill.
Millions of appliances and tech devices are needlessly being dumped in New Zealand. Each year we throw out approximately 97,000 tonnes of unwanted or broken electrical waste – one of the highest per capita amounts on the planet.
This isn’t sustainable. So many of the products thrown away could be easily repaired, but many of us need help knowing where to start. Here’s how to tackle a repair.
1. Identify the problem
User manuals often contain troubleshooting guides for common issues, and most large appliances display error codes to help you diagnose problems. You can also Google the brand, model and symptoms – you won’t be the first person to experience the fault.
2. Know your rights
The Consumer Guarantees Act says a product must work for a reasonable time without becoming faulty. If an appliance fails after a few years of reasonable use, you can approach the retailer you bought it from (or its manufacturer) and demand a repair.
3. Become an expert
An online search will likely turn up stories of successful repairs, instruction manuals, repair guides and videos. The iFixit.com website is a goldmine of repair advice. Even if you can’t tackle the repair yourself, understanding what’s wrong will save time and money when you engage an expert.
4. Find spare parts
Getting spare parts can be challenging, as most manufacturers would rather sell you a new appliance. They either don’t keep spare parts or make them costly. There are alternatives, though. As well as checking with the manufacturer, you can search online retailers here and overseas (such as Trademe, eBay, needapart.co.nz, and appliancespares.nz). Also, try appliance repairers and stores selling secondhand appliances – they will likely have salvaged parts.
5. Call in an expert
Appliance repairers don’t come cheap, so think about how much life a repair will add to the appliance – it might not be worth fixing older models. You should also check for Repair Cafes near you (repaircafeaotearoa.co.nz has a calendar), where volunteers offer their expertise for a small koha.
Product repairability labels: what are they and why do we need them?
More products would get repaired if it was easier and cheaper to do so. But, as consumers, it’s impossible to know which brands make products that will be easier to repair. A product repairability label displayed at the point of sale would provide this information.
The French government successfully introduced a label in 2021. They made it mandatory for manufacturers of certain products, including mobile phones, laptops, washing machines and lawnmowers, to calculate and display a repair score.
Just like energy star ratings tell you how efficient a product is to use, the repairability label tells you how easy a product is to repair. The repairability score is based on whether repair instructions are available, how easy it is to take the product apart, and the availability and price of spare parts.
We include the French repairability scores in our mobile phone test results. But we think the repair score should be localised for Aotearoa (we need repair instructions in English and replacement parts available here) and mandatory at the point of sale. The French have shown the way – we wouldn't be the first to roll it out.
Sick of wasting money on products you can’t repair?
Show manufacturers you want products you can repair and help us demand a mandatory repairability label.
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