• Do shop around for a repair shop. Ask your friends who they may have used in the past. Did they receive good service for a fair price? Did the shop stand behind their work and correct any problems  that may have cropped up. Was the work done it a timely manner? Word of mouth and happy customers is a good indicator of a good and honest business.

• Do check with Better Business Bureau, before you spend a lot money. This is a very general statement: 95% of all repairs, no matter what is being repaired, should be priced below $100. Of course there will always be exceptions.  A shop can not control what suppliers charge for parts. If the the unit being repaired requires replacement parts that are rather costly it could easily push the price above the $100 mark. This is generally the exception rather than the rule..  If you hear a quote of $200 or $300 for a repair that will take six months, be wary. Just like any other business, there are those out there that will take advantage of the unwary customer.

• Do not be put off, if a shop charges a small fee for an estimate. There is nothing wrong for charging a fee for work and services performed. That “FREE” estimate that you may get from another shop may cost you a lot of money in the long run. Do understand that before an “EXACT” price for a repair can be given to you, that essentially the unit has to be repaired and made operational. That is why most shops will give estimates in a price range, example $45-$65, and prefer that they have authorization for the repair before they start. I give a free “VERBAL” estimate as do many other shops. If it goes onto the bench I do charge a bench fee. See: Bench Fee

• Do tell your repair technician the "full" story.  If the unit has more than one problem that needs to be addressed, let the technician know. It is very frustrating to repair one problem only to find that the unit has other problems, that may be more serious, may increase the cost of the repair, or may not be repairable. Example, you bring in your TV because you want the colors adjusted. During the operational checks the technician discovers that your tuner is faulty, you are only receiving half of the channels, and that your remote does not work.

• If you bring your TV, VCR, DVD or Surround Sound Receiver in for repair, be sure to bring the remote, as it will be needed during the repair and check out of your unit. (Make sure the remote has batteries)

• Does your unit require a power plug, power pack, special plugs or cables? Be sure to take them in with the unit to be repaired as the repair shop may not have what is needed to operate or troubleshoot your unit. If in doubt as what to take in, take it all!  The technician should return to you what is not needed.

• If you have something that is not working, that requires batteries, be sure that you change the batteries and test the unit before you bring the item in for repair.

• I've done this before <blush> If you are having problems with a remote, insure that you are using the proper function. Many of today's remotes will operate more than one unit. Example, a TV and a VCR.  There is often a switch that you move move back and forth between the two.

• Large TV??  Due to space limitations you may need to make an appointment. 

Tapes: VCR, Audio, CD's, DVD's

• Do keep all your media in good condition.

• Do not leave them in the hot sun, on the floor, or any area that may cause the tape to become dirty or damaged.

• Keep them away from little "sticky fingers".

• Keep tapes away from food and soft drinks, kool-aide etc.  If a liquid is spilt onto your tape DO NOT PUT THE TAPE INTO ANY MACHINE  Damage may result.

• Do not put a damaged tape (cracked or warped), or a tape that is missing the door or other parts into your VCR as damage may result.

• Be wary of tape rewinders as they often cause a "whiplash". A whiplash will break the tape or worse, damage the gears of your VCR when you insert the rewound tape back into your VCR. There are rewinders on the market that do have sensors in them and will slow down and stop the tape gently, eliminating the "whiplash" problem. If you use a rewinder, get into the habit of looking at the top of the tape before you insert it into your VCR, you can see a "whiplash" condition.

• While that plant on top of, or hanging above your TV or Stereo looks very attractive, it is not really a good idea.  Water and electricity do not mix.

• Cleaning:  Your home electronics is a "dust magnet". Due to the static charge on your TV screen it will attract a lot of dust. Before cleaning, make sure that you turn the power off on all your equipment. If your TV is not off you will pick up a static charge. See: Static electricity  If you do pick up a static charge, discharge yourself by touching something metal before continuing to clean your electronics. Personally I use Windex to clean my electronics.  If you spay the Windex into a rag you can control the amount you use, and you do not have excessive liquid getting into areas that liquid really should not go.