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When it comes to residential electrical appliances, have you ever considered the difference between repair and maintenance? How proactive is your approach? In this quick article, we explore appliance repair and maintenance to help you find the best way forward to give your appliance a long and useful life. If you live in the Noosa area on the Sunshine Coast and need assistance in this area, don’t hesitate to contact our team. We are experienced in all aspects, offering warranty and non-warranty servicing for most major brands since 1973. 

Repair Vs Maintenance – What’s the Difference?

While repair and maintenance are related, the difference is significant. Repair is responsive – an action taken as a result of appliance failure. Maintenance is proactive. It refers to actions designed to keep your appliance in good working order. While repair and maintenance are both necessary functions, a well-maintained appliance is generally less likely to break down and need repair.  

Sunshine Coast – Seasons & Appliances

On the Sunshine Coast, appliance usage varies at different times of year. For example, in Summer air-conditioning is used more, and in winter hot water systems and heaters get more of a workout. Meanwhile, coffee machines are on the go all year round! With this in mind, a proactive approach can be aligned with many appliances to ensure they are ready to deliver when needed most. 

Do All Appliances Need Maintenance?

While repair and maintenance are related, the difference is significant. Repair is responsive – an action taken as a result of appliance failure. Maintenance is proactive. It refers to actions designed to keep your appliance in good working order. While repair and maintenance are both necessary functions, a well-maintained appliance is generally less likely to break down and need repair.  

Keeping Up with Important Maintenance

Some types of electrical maintenance are more important than others. Smoke alarms, RCD switches, and air-conditioner cleaning needs to be done regularly. A great way to stay up to date with your electrical maintenance is to book a free reminder with our team. We’ll contact you each year to let you know it’s time to undertake your annual maintenance tasks, helping to ensure your home is up to date, compliant and safe. 

Costs of Repairs Vs Maintenance

The cost of repairs and maintenance for appliances on the Sunshine Coast will depend on the specific appliance. However, it is worth pointing out that regular maintenance, being proactive, is less likely to leave you high and dry during the peak time when you need your appliance most. Furthermore, most appliances require regular maintenance to ensure they continue to function properly. For example, if you don’t have your air-conditioner regularly cleaned, you will most likely end up circulating contaminated air due to the clogged and dirty filters.  

In Conclusion

Repair and maintenance are both essential undertakings for appliance management. In order to optimise appliance longevity and functionality, a regular maintenance schedule will help to proactively resolve appliance issues. We offer a free reminder service for important scheduled maintenance for smoke alarms, RCDs, switchboards and air-conditioner cleaning and servicing to help you stay up to date with your residential appliance safety and compliance.

Noosa Electric Co specialises in appliance repairs for household appliances such as air-conditioners, washing machines, dryers, coffee machines and microwave ovens. When something goes wrong with your appliance, error codes provide clues to the origin of the problem. In this brief article, we take a look at error codes – what they mean, when they are shown, and what the best course of action is. If you’re in or nearby Noosa on the Sunshine Coast, please contact our team for any assistance with your appliance issues. We’ve been servicing and repairing appliances since 1973, and our team are licensed, qualified and experienced. 

Appliance Repair Warning

Appliance repairs should only be undertaken by a licensed and qualified professional. Please contact our team if you need any assistance with your appliance repair. We service Noosa and surrounding suburbs.

Useful Information to Note

If you experience an error code with your appliance, it’s useful to note the setting / part of the cycle you were using at the time, and to take a note of the code itself. This information is helpful for our technicians to resolve the problem with the appliance.

How Error Codes Are Helpful

Appliance error codes are helpful for these reasons:

1. They let you know there is a problem to be addressed – enabling action to be taken before a small problem becomes a big problem.

2. They may bring something to your attention that requires a simple and obvious solution, that does not require technical expertise.

For example, a washing machine error code may indicate there is a problem with a water supply, or an appliance may need to be turned off and on again to reset the system. If in doubt – contact our team.

3. Error codes may bring to your attention that a technician is needed for your appliance repair. This type of situation may involve a part replacement or technical procedure to fix the problem. 

Appliance Error Code Standards / Conventions

Unfortunately, there isn’t a standardised appliance error code convention – error codes have different meanings for different types of appliances and brands. For example, depending on your appliance, an ‘E1’ error code might mean a flood fault, an electrical short, insufficient air flow, or a range of other possibilities, depending on the brand and model. With this in mind, it is necessary to look up your appliance error code to understand the specific issue you’re dealing with.

How to Look Up Your Error Code

Here are three easy ways to look up your appliance error code:

a. Look up your error code in the manual that came with your appliance. 
b. Look up the error code online. The important thing is to ensure you’re looking up the correct error code. Make sure it is the same brand and model as your appliance.
C. Contact our team for assistance with your error code. 

Warranty and Non-Warranty Repairs

The repair process may be approached in different ways depending on the brand, model, and warranty status of your appliance. When you contact our Sunshine Coast appliance repair team, we will help you determine the appropriate process for your repair. This will enable the accomplishment of your repair in the most efficient way. 

Multiple Error Codes

The only thing worse than a single error code are multiple error codes. Multiple error codes may indicate the presence of multiple errors, or the possibility of a single error triggering other errors. In this situation, it’s best to contact our technicians for assistance. 

Intermittent Error Codes

Intermittent error codes are error codes that don’t appear all the time. This can make it difficult to know if there is something wrong with the appliance or not. In these cases, as mentioned above, take a note of the error code and the way the appliance was being used at the time. Contact our team with this information – it will help to find the origin of the problem. 

In Conclusion

1. It’s frustrating when your appliance has a problem, but error codes are the key to diagnosing and fixing the problem. 
2. When you experience an error code, it’s helpful to take a note of the way the appliance was being used, or the part of the cycle, during which the code was displayed, and also the code itself. 
3. There are different processes for arranging a repair of your appliance depending on whether it is under warranty or out of warranty. Either way, our team can help you with the correct process to arrange your appliance repair. 

For assistance with your appliance repair or maintenance in Noosa and nearby on the Sunshine Coast, please contact our team!

In many cases, electrical work requires a regular check-up to ensure effective operation, safety and compliance. After all, you wouldn’t want to find out your smoke alarms or RCDs (electrical safety switches) aren’t working on the day they’re needed most. We have a solution – Book a free reminder SMS with our team. We’ll let you know when it’s time to undertake your important annual tests and checks, including: 

• Essentials: Smoke Alarm & RCD Testing
• Electrical Safety Testing & Switchboard Check
• Air-Conditioner Cleaning & Servicing
• Emergency Light Testing

Note: This service is available in Noosa and surrounding suburbs on the Sunshine Coast.

Reminder Benefits

The benefits to taking a systematic approach to your electrical maintenance include:

Smoke Alarms & RCD Testing

Smoke alarms and RCD switches require testing on an annual basis for safety and compliance. In addition to this work, we can help ensure your smoke alarms are compatible with the new legislative requirements.

Learn more about the importance of smoke alarms here

Electrical Safety Testing & Switchboard Checks

Our team will review your switchboard and ensure everything is in order. We will use our circuit testing equipment to review your electrical circuits and provide a professional status report of your system identifying any concerns before they become a safety issue.

See example report
Learn more about switchboard checking & testing

Air-Conditioner Cleaning & Servicing

Regular cleaning and servicing of your air-conditioner is essential to ensure you are circulating clean air and your system is running efficiently. We recommend annually, or every 6 months if you are using the unit regularly.

Learn more about why you should clean your AC regularly

Stay safe on the Sunshine Coast with these electrical safety tips. If you need any assistance with electrical safety, contact our team – we are here to help. 

1. Take Action on Faulty Equipment

• broken enclosures or cracked plastic covers
• discolouration caused by overheating or moisture
• water in and around the appliance
• frayed cords or damaged plugs
• full or dirty filters

If your appliance is in need of repair or maintenance, book in with our team for warranty and non-warranty repairs.

2. Education

Teach household members about electrical safety, especially children. Emphasize the dangers of playing with electrical outlets or appliances.

3. Use Qualified Electricians

For any electrical work, hire licensed and experienced electricians. Hint – That’s us! DIY electrical work can be dangerous and is illegal. Book an electrician in Noosa and surrounding suburbs here.

4. Never Touch Power Lines

Does that sound obvious to you? Keep a safe distance from power lines, especially during outdoor activities like gardening or using ladders. On the Sunshine Coast, we get powerful storms in Summer – take care to avoid any downed lines. If you encounter one (in South East Queensland) —call Energex on 13 19 62.

5. Turn Off Appliances Before Unplugging

When unplugging devices, turn them off first to avoid sparks or electrical shock.

6. Avoid Running Cords Under Rugs

Cords placed under rugs can become damaged, leading to a potential fire hazard. Keep cords visible and secure. If you’re not sure about your cords or power boards, we can assist with tagging and testing to ensure they are safe and functional.

7. Water & Electricity Don’t Mix

Keep electrical appliances and cords away from water sources. Never handle electrical equipment with wet hands.

8. Childproof Outlets

Install safety covers or tamper-resistant outlets if you have young children to prevent them from inserting objects into electrical outlets.

9. Use RCDs:

Install RCDs (safety switches). RCDs can quickly cut off power in case of electrical faults, reducing the risk of electrical shock. If you’re not sure what these essential devices do, or whether you have them, please read this article to learn more: What do you need to know about RCDs?

10. Use Smoke Alarms:

Ensure your premises are equipped with smoke alarms that meet the new legislation requirements. Learn more about the requirements in this article, or contact our team for smoke alarm testing, sales and installation.

Discuss Electrical Safety Today:

Enquire & Book Online

Smoke alarms legislation has changed recently in QLD, and there are more changes coming soon. Ensure your premises are compliant with a smoke alarm solution that meets requirements. In this article, we briefly review the changes and address the important question, ‘Do my smoke alarms meet the current legislation?’

*NOTE: This information is current at 15/8/23 for South East QLD Australia.

Landlords

From 1 January 2022

From 1 January 2022, at the commencement of a new lease or lease renewal, you must ensure your dwelling / unit meets the requirements of the domestic smoke alarm legislation. This may involve installing interconnected photoelectric smoke alarms into the bedrooms in addition to the currently required smoke alarms. 

SRC: QFES

Discuss a smoke alarm review or installation for your rental property

Owner Occupiers:

From 1 January 2017

• Existing smoke alarms manufactured more than 10 years ago must be replaced with photoelectric smoke alarms which comply with Australian Standards (AS) 3786-2014. (Note: the date should be stamped on the back)
• Smoke alarms that do not operate when tested must be replaced immediately.
• Existing hardwired smoke alarms that need replacement, must be replaced with a hardwired photoelectric smoke alarm.

From 1 January 2027

• All existing private homes, townhouses and units will require photoelectric interconnected smoke alarms. These must be either a hardwired (eg. 240v) or non-removable 10 year battery powered type alarm.

The legislation requires smoke alarms must be installed in the following locations:

• on each storey
• in each bedroom
• in hallways that connect bedrooms and the rest of the dwelling
• if there is no hallway, between the bedroom and other parts of the storey; and
• if there are no bedrooms on a storey, at least one smoke alarm must be installed in the most likely path of travel to exit the dwelling.

SRC: QFES

Discuss a smoke alarm review or upgrade for your property

Regular Testing

Smoke alarms need to be regularly tested to ensure they are operational, and ready to function when needed most. Contact our team to assess and test your smoke alarms.

Learn More About Smoke Alarm Solutions Today:

Enquire & Book Online

RCD stands for Residual Current Device. They are a safety device used to protect people from electrical shocks and fire hazards caused by earth faults in electrical circuits. The three things you need to know about RCDs are:

1. They are essential to have
2. They require regular testing
3. They are recommended on every circuit by the Electrical Safety Office.

Our team is here to help.  

How Do RCDs Work?

RCDs are located in the switchboard, where they monitor an electrical circuit. They detect changes in the current, which occur when there is a fault or incident involving electricity – for example, you accidentally cut into a, or come into contact with live electrical parts. Without an RCD, this could cause the current to flow through your body causing injury or death by electrocution. The function of the RCD is to detect the change in current and disconnect the power supply to the circuit, saving your life.

Benefits of RCDs:

1. Protection

RCDs provide additional protection against electric shock, reducing the risk of injury or death in the event of an electrical fault.

2. Reduced fire hazards

By quickly disconnecting the power during a fault, RCDs can help prevent electrical fires caused by faulty appliances or wiring.

3. Enhanced safety in Wet Areas

RCDs are particularly important in areas where water is present, such as bathrooms and kitchens, where the risk of electric shock is higher.

4. Complements traditional circuit breakers

RCDs work in conjunction with circuit breakers (overcurrent protection) to offer comprehensive electrical safety.

RCD Testing

In addition to having RCDs as required in your switchboard, they must also be regularly tested to ensure they are functioning as required. This will ensure they are ready to work when they are needed. Book an RCD test with our team to ensure your RCDs are operating properly:

Do I Have an RCD?

If you’re not sure whether you have an RCD or not, you can upload a photo of your switchboard to our website here with the form below and our team can let you know.

Alternatively, contact our team to discuss your RCD:

Discuss Your RCD (Safety Switch) Requirements:

Enquire & Book Online