28 April 2020

Lockdown Putting Strain On Your Appliances?


Being at home in lockdown due to the Covid-19 outbreak,  inevitably means that your appliances are getting more use than they usually do. From your fridge being opened more than normal, your dishwasher being busier than it’s ever been before, to your microwave being tested to its limits, all these things can affect the lifespan of your appliances.

Have you thought about what you’d do if one of your trusted kitchen appliances broke down during the coronavirus crisis?

At present, the likelihood of having a new appliance delivered is slim due to social distancing guidelines (or you may at least have to wait some time for a delivery slot) and with your household stuck at home for the foreseeable future, even a day without a fridge freezer or an oven becomes a recipe for disaster.

There are things you can do to help your appliances, such as keeping them clean and following the manufacturer’s instructions for best practices when using them, but it’s worth considering Appliance Insurance before the worst happens.

Why take out Appliance Cover?

Appliance Cover from Home Emergency Assist ensures that you’re not without your vital appliances for longer than necessary while you’re waiting for them to be fixed or until you can save enough money to replace them.

A new fridge freezer can range from £200 to £2000 and even a simple repair can cost upwards of £300 when you factor in call-out fees and labour costs.

Washing machines can cost from around £200 to £900 depending on the size and features you select, and repairs can be over £400 with labour included.

With Home Emergency Assist, you can add up to 10 appliances ranging from washing machines and fridge freezers to ovens and extractor fans to ensure all your essential kitchen appliances are covered. You also get a discount for insuring 2 or more appliances with us.

Hints and Tips

In the meantime, here are a couple of things you can do to make sure you’re keeping your appliances at their best.

  • Freezer: while a full freezer works better than an empty one, overfilling it can block air vents, restrict the flow of cold air and overwork the condenser which could lead to burn-out

  • Washing Machine: it may be tempting to fill your machine to the brim (especially if you’re dealing with more washing than normal!) but this puts undue stress on the bearings and can even affect the drum’s alignment

  • Cooker: we know that spills are a part of cooking and by the time you’ve cooked you may not feel like cleaning up but leaving them could damage your heating coil

  • Dishwasher: if you need to wash knives in the dishwasher, keep them in the cutlery basket with the sharp end pointing up. Any nicks in the vinyl coating of the tanks could lead to rust which will stain your dishes

To find out more about our appliance cover and how our other types of cover are here to solve your home emergencies, including plumbing and drains and boiler and central heating cover, contact our friendly team on 0330 09 48 301 or get a free quote online in minutes!

While social distancing guidelines are still in place, we are making every effort to keep both you and our engineers as safe as possible and to prevent the spread of coronavirus. This includes the use of PPE (personal protection equipment), frequent handwashing and you won’t be asked to sign anything. You can find out more about what to expect from an engineer visit on our Covid-19 FAQ page.