Ultimate House Technology Guide: How to Smartly Use Your Daily Devices

Surrounded with smartphones, smart cars, smart kitchens, living in smart houses filled with smart appliances, we may tend to forget how it was like living before all this self-operating leisure technology came into our lives, but also what its limitations or scope of work are.

In this article, we will make an overview of what are the most common modern devices we have in use today and the best way they can be used to make our lives easier.

Whether you are a do-it-yourself kind of person or would rather hire a professional this is the house technology guide you were looking for.

Most Common House Devices

Although the list is extensive we are all aware that there are some devices every modern household has and uses regularly:

• Refrigerator
• Air-conditioning Device
• Microwave Oven
• Toaster
• Electric Water Heater
• Washing Machine

The list goes on and on, but for everyone who is either a homeowner or loves to know their way around said appliances, there are some basic rules that apply to most of them.

This guide will take a closer look into the dos and don'ts of your household cooling devices.

Safety Hazard First

If by any chance you had an interest as a child in taking apart clocks and toys you should be warned that doing the same with most modern appliances (especially those that use electricity!) can be dangerous and precaution is needed. Make sure that all switches are turned off and all open valves closed (if working with water or gases for example), that there is an emergency medical kit nearby and, if possible, someone to help you while working. 

For those who would rather trust a hired professional to do such a task, we can only recommend that you look for someone who has previous experience and is working through a reliable company. Many such professionals can be found either on your local yellow pages or with a quick search on the internet.

Air Cooling Devices

Today everyone has and most of us understand how an electric heater works. Air-conditioning devices, on the other hand, are not as common. Although some people use them for indoor heating they are most often used for indoor cooling when the temperatures just get too high.

Depending on the model you have, some can be maintained rather easily, for example, the air filters are sometimes simple to take out and clean or replace, but most models require either special tools or techniques even to open, let alone repair.

Considering the complexity behind these machines one can understand why there is a whole branch of engineers for them. According to a professional aircon servicing in Singapore, the areas that have a huge need for well maintained AC units is an example of how most people tend to rely on experienced repairmen for their cooling problems. Having that in mind it can sometimes even be cheaper in the long run, to hire someone to take care of the problem instead of doing it yourself, if you lack the tools or know-how. 

Leaking coolant (such as freon) is very toxic to the atmosphere, and it is imperative that all care is taken while working with a machine that uses it. 

Food Cooling Devices 

If you are living in a hot and humid area (as is the reality of many people living in SE Asia for example) then chances are you have several cooling devices in your house or flat. Although refrigerators and freezers are a staple piece of technology throughout the whole world most people tend not to temper with them more than the regular cleaning requires. 

Most fridges today have the option of changing the temperature as is required, usually with a scrolling potentiometer that is connected to the inner thermometer. Most foodstuff is expected to be kept between 0-4℃ for the longest possible shelf life, so it is recommended to stick to those numbers.

If the rubber sealing around the door is loose, dirty, or damaged, the fridge will constantly be draining its cold air outside and will be using much more energy to keep the inside cool. 

Make sure the sealing is tight and clean and, if need be, replace it. Any other problems that come about usually require a professional to look into them, such as leaking cooling fluid or faulty thermometers.

Although many of us would love to live in modern, smart homes, that can be controlled (Or even repaired? Who knows!) with a touch on a screen, is still a far-fetched goal. We still have to know at least some basics of our house technology to be able to repair it, or at least to know who to call, so they can do it for us, and give sound advice on how to use it in the best possible way.