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3 Television Repair Tips You Can Try At Home

Television repair may seem complex, but some problems are simple enough to handle at home. For example, you can replace a blown out fuse yourself fairly easily. You can also clean out a television that's dusty from storage, and you may even be able to fix magnetic distortion on your screen. Before you take your television to a repair shop or call a repairman to your home, you may want to save money by trying to fix the problem yourself. Check out the simple solutions to a few common television problems.

Blown Fuse

If your TV isn't turning on, the problem may be as simple as a blown fuse. A fuse only costs a few dollars, so it's worth trying to replace it before taking it in for repairs, even if you're not certain that's the problem. Make sure that you unplug your TV before you begin working on it, just in case it's still receiving power. You should also lay down a soft cloth to protect your television screen before you lay it face down so that you can access the back of the television.

For most TVs, a small Phillips head screwdriver is sufficient to remove the screws in the back. Once you remove the back casing, you'll be able to find the TV fuse near the area where the power cord is located. Look for a small glass cylinder with metal caps. Remove the fuse and take it with you to the electronics store to buy a replacement. That way, you'll be able to compare it to the ones in the store and ensure that you're getting the right one. Once you return home, reattach it and close up the case, and plug the TV in. If the fuse was what was causing the problem, the television should turn back on. Otherwise, the problem is probably your power cord, which means that you'll need professional repair.

Burning Smell

A television that smells like it's burning may sound scary, but often, the smell is caused by a simple dust buildup and is easy to repair. Remove the back casing of the television, and use canned air to spray any dust and cobwebs that you can see. The important thing to remember when using canned air is to hold the can upright. If you don't, the can may spray fluids instead of just air, and that can hurt your television.

While you're in there, use a microfiber cloth lightly saturated with rubbing alcohol to clean the camera lens. You may find, when you've removed the dust and cleaned the lenses, that not only is the burning smell gone, your picture has improved as well. If you didn't find any dust build-up, or if the burning smell returns after you've cleaned out the dust, you should take the TV to a repair shop.

Magnetic Distortion

If your picture is distorted, it's probably because your television has a cathode ray tube (CRT) and this part was exposed to a magnetic field of some sort. This can be caused by anything from nearby lightning strikes to speakers that are too close to the television. The technical term for fixing a magnetic distortion is degaussing. In most televisions, degaussing is much simpler than you might think. You don't even have to take apart your TV.

Many modern CRTs automatically degauss themselves if you cycle the power. To cycle the power, turn the television on for one minute, then off again for 20 minutes. Repeat a few times until the display looks normal again. If this doesn't work, you can either take the TV to a repair shop, or you can buy your own commercial-grade degausser from an electronic parts store. If you have several CRT television sets in your house and magnetic distortion is a concern for you, then buying a degausser may be a good plan for you.

Remember that fixing your television yourself may void any warranty you have – if you still have a service warranty, save yourself the time and trouble and have it serviced by a professional. But if your TV is no longer under warranty, learning to fix it yourself will save you money. 

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