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Sunday, December 16, 2012

Blow Dryer and Electric Fan Save

Once upon a time, my handheld, hair blowdryer quit. I was very sad because I could not afford another. Remembering how overheating might make it cut off and waiting for it to cool down might make it return to life, I was hopeful. I waited.
 
Then, I examined the fan, waiting for it to cool and restart. As I held the fan, put it down, picked it up, I saw something amiss. Looking at the opposite end of where the air blows out, the air intake, I noticed the mesh screen over the intake was matted with dust. Aha!
 
Armed with tweezers, toothpicks, a toothbrush,  several Q-tips, and a vacuum cleaner, I set to work. CAREFULLY. I cleaned the screen of lint. You might say I detailed the fan and all that is attached.
 
I revived a box fan in the same manner, removing the large grills over the back and front. The fan blade and all was  nasty with dust, hair, and just plain gunk. Since it did not work, I figured I had nothing to lose. I cleaned and cleaned and pulled hair. (My hair is long.) I had little fear of ruining it since it did not work, anyway. But, it survived to run for many more years before I gave it away.
 
For several years I rescued fans on the curb, cleaned them of lint and dust, washed the grill, and put them back together. Anytime I heard anyone say their fan gave out and another one was not in the budget, I gave away a Rescue Fan. I know what it is like not to be able to afford a fan under $20 or a hair dryer that is under $10.  I just hate to buy anything I can repair. Have I said that?


Because I don't believe in throwing away anything that can be repaired, It's been great to have this knowledge for many years of happy hairdryer and fan repair.
After the initial cleaning of my hair dryer, I regularly clean the lint screen. The hair dryer never overheats since then, and I have saved the expense of a new hair dryer.  My hairdryer is probably 20-years-old. How old is yours?

Your turn
Do you perform preventive maintenance on your hairdryer to lengthen its life?

4 comments:

  1. Well, this is weird. I was just "fixing" an old post. I did not mean to republish. Oh well....

    ReplyDelete
  2. Funny, good post though. I don't use a hairdryer but I do perform routine maintenance on my fans. Have a great day. :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Replies
    1. Lotta joy,
      Once seems like enough to count, so yes, it counts! One comes before ten.

      Delete

Okay, hoping the annoyances have gone away.