SERVPRO Offers Tips for Buying Second-hand Appliances in Wilmington

12/26/2019 (Permalink)

Before you buy, check used appliances for frayed cords and other defects.

Thoroughly Checking Second-Hand Appliances Helps Prevent Fire Damage in Wilmington 

Finding used appliances for sale in the local paper saves money in many situations. However, it would be best if you had more than a clean appliance. Plugging in the appliance gives you a chance to make sure it works before purchasing and taking it to your Wilmington residence. It is also useful if you use that time also to examine the cord and mechanical components, listen for any abnormal noises, or smell any odors that indicate smoldering parts.

Depending on the severity of any problems you detect, fixing them after you buy, but before you use them in your Wilmington home, can keep fire damage from becoming a reality. A frayed cord might develop when a washing machine ‘walks’ due to an uneven floor or unbalanced seating. This defect is entirely different than finding worn out internal motor parts. You can easily repair a cord by replacing it with the correct gauge, but a new motor might pose more of a challenge.

Lamps and chandeliers often have the highest wattage you can safely use in these fixtures shown in a prominent place. Using a 100-watt bulb in a lamp stating 60 watts or less can start a fire. This might happen because of overloaded wiring or because of materials that melt when you leave the higher watt bulb on for too long.

The danger of fire damage from the much smaller-sized lights used in holiday decorations comes from any nicks in the wiring, lost or burnt-out bulbs, or the accumulation of heat that ignites something near the lights. All lights used in the previous year need to be checked before use. Also, a smart habit against fire damage is to never leave electrical decorations on when leaving the house or overnight while your family sleeps.

Unfortunately, even with precautions, fire damage can still happen. SERVPRO has the specialists and technicians needed to make things “Like it never even happened.” Mitigation of areas affected by fire, smoke, and intense heat, followed by restoration work, undoes the damage. For the worst, most intensive damage, our building crew, under license number 1992104829, teams up with us so we can still provide our customers with a rapid recovery and excellent work.

SERVPRO of Hockessin / Elsmere is nearby, also serving Newport and Greenville. We hope your family home does not experience fire damage, but if it does, call (302) 992-0104. We’re Faster To Any Size Disaster and can help reduce the stress associated with such disasters, any time of the year.

Learn more about Wilmington here.