Your kitchen is said to be the heart of your home. It’s where you store food and prepare delicious meals that the family can share and enjoy. For that reason, more homeowners are investing in their kitchens, beautifying the space with stylish interiors, and purchasing quality kitchen appliances.
However, there may be instances wherein your kitchen sustains water damage. It could be due to leakage in the sink or faucet, spilling dishwasher, broken pipes or water lines, or natural calamities like flooding. In such cases, prolonged exposure of kitchen appliances to water can cause damage, leading to rusting or corrosion of electrical components.
With this in mind, it’s essential to know what to do should you face such an incident so you can take immediate action and prevent irreparable damage to your kitchen appliances.
As a good start, here are tips to note to help you deal with water-damaged kitchen appliances:
- Never Turn Your Appliances On
If you suspect your kitchen appliance has been exposed to water, it’s always recommended to refrain from using it, as doing so may cause short-circuit and affect the device’s wiring. Or worse, using a water-damaged appliance can cause electric shock, which could lead to life-threatening injuries.
In addition, if standing water is present in your kitchen, avoid going near or touching an appliance, cord, or outlet submerged in the water. If possible, wait until the water subsides before you start the work. But when faced with such situations, seeking a professional’s assistance is best to ensure your safety.
Essentially, it’s always best to proceed cautiously in case of water damage at your home. If possible, contact your utility company and have the power turned off to avoid injuries or causing more damage to your appliance and property.
- Call A Professional For Inspection
Dealing with water-damaged kitchen appliances can be tricky, especially if you don’t know how or where to begin. While it can be tempting to try and do the job yourself, it’s best to leave the job to the experts.
For one, an electrical expert can inspect the level of the water damage and its impact on the appliance. Then, they’ll recommend what must be done to fix it properly. They can also inspect your home for possible damages to electrical wiring to ensure overall safety.
On the other hand, you can also call water damage specialists. This is especially true since, with water exposure and damage to your home, mold can also grow. You may check out the link here to help you find a specialist in your area who can help you get rid of mold at home and prevent it from growing. This ensures that your kitchen and appliance will be safe and ready for use again without causing any harm to your health.
- Identify Which Appliances Are Still Repairable
When your kitchen appliances have been damaged by water, it can be tempting to throw them out. But some of them may be able to survive that incident and still be functional with a few repairs. This means you won’t have to spend on purchasing new appliances to replace damaged ones.
With this in mind, it can help to carefully assess which kitchen appliances are still worth repairing. For instance, if the device is a dishwasher and the water damage has affected its electronic components, then it will likely not be repairable. You can also check if the warranty covers it. However, if the problem lies with the door or other dishwasher parts, there may still be hope for it. You can save a lot of money by repairing these appliances that didn’t have significant damage.
- Organize Their Disposal
For kitchen appliances that aren’t worth saving, it’s time to let go of them by organizing their disposal. As you dispose of these appliances, separate hazardous waste from the others to prevent toxic chemicals from leaking or exploding. You should also ensure they’re adequately wrapped inside a secure container with a label to avoid possible injury and contamination during transport.
On the other hand, you can check your municipal or state for hazardous waste disposal programs. There may be scheduled pick-up days for broken appliances for disposal.
Key Takeaway
When your kitchen appliances get wet, they can quickly become damaged and aren’t as valuable to you. As such, you must know how to deal with a damp device to prevent further damage, potential injury, or cases of electric shock.
As a good start, avoid using an appliance that you suspect to be exposed to water. Also, it’s always best to call professionals to inspect your home and kitchen appliances thoroughly. With their expertise, you can guarantee safety. Moreover, you can determine which appliances can still be repaired and used and which are no longer functional with their assistance.