Almost every home and business lunch room has a Microwave. They are really great appliances to cook or reheat foods and they do it very quickly. Although there are only a few primary parts in your microwave the cost of repairing them often means that you are better off just replacing it.
There are a few primary parts that make your microwave work:
The Controller Circuit Board that lets you set the time, heat and tells the other parts to work.
The Magnetron which is the device that does the heating of the food.
Then the other parts include the Door Switch, Light Bulb, Capacitor, Turntable Motor and some other basic parts.
How Do You Know Your Microwave Is Going Bad?
One of the first things that you might notice when your microwave is about to fail is that your food is taking longer to cook or isn’t cooking correctly.
You might also notice that the top of your microwave is getting extremely hot.
Both of these conditions are caused by a malfunctioning Magnetron. If you experience this then you should immediately start looking for a new unit to purchase and also if you notice any erratic behavior like sparking or flashing you should stop using the oven immediately. Refer to your product’s manual for more specific information about this.
If your magnetron is the problem then you should purchase a new microwave or if your unit is still under warranty the manufacturer will normally replace the unit by mail and you will need to ship your unit back to them in the box the new one is delivered in.
The reason you should not attempt a repair or replacement of the magnetron is its cost. It will cost well over half the price of a new unit. When you are talking about a microwave that is a few years to many years old which has a bad magnetron then you probably have other parts in the unit that are well worn such as the capacitor and door switch. It is just not cost effective for most units to have their magnetron replaced.
What parts in a Microwave can be Repaired or Replaced?
We have already talked about the Magnetron and although they can be replaced we have discussed why it is not a good idea or cost effective.
If you have a problem with other small items it might be ok to attempt a repair or have someone repair the unit. Capacitors do not normally go bad in a Microwave but if yours tests bad then the cost for a new one is only about $20. They are easy to install with only a positive and negative connector but you must follow the directions on replacing one and especially discharging your capacitor before you touch it.
Door Switches are common problems and they can be replaced relatively easily. It will normally mean that you need to disassemble the cover and some interior parts to replace it and that often requires special security screw driver bits to remove those screws. If you are able then parts are often available and it might be worth the try.
Lightbulbs are normally very easy to replace but they normally are not the same type of lights used in your home. You will have to get a part number from your manufacturer and then you can buy from them or from a parts supplier.
Final Note
Although Microwaves are part of all of our lives it is important to work safely around them.
If your unit is not functioning correctly it is important that you stop using it immediately and diagnose the problem.
If the problem is something that you can not diagnose then call a repair technician or the manufacturer and see if it can be repaired under warranty or maybe a recall notice.
However as described unless the fix is very simple like a light bulb you are probably best to replace the unit and not attempt to repair it. They are not extremely dangerous devices but when they are not working correctly or if you do not know how to do the work you can easily get a high voltage shock or possibly end up with a fire or other problem.
It is just not worth the problems associated so be careful and read your manual and contact a professional any time that your unit is not functioning correctly.