How to Do Preventive Maintenance for a VCR

Preventive maintenance for a VCR is a good investment since once a problem occurs you would need to take the machine to an authorized service center. Here are some very helpful and simple guidelines.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• High-quality videotapes
• Markers
• Markers
• Silica
• Tape-head cleaning videotape

1. Do some simple preventive maintenance since once a problem occurs there is little likelihood you will be able to fix the VCR yourself.

2. Record on only high-quality videotapes. Cheap tapes can harm the VCR recording heads.

3. Mark the videotapes with their start date of use, and stop using them after 6 months or one year. VCR tapes should be replaced after 100 hours of use.

4. Cover the VCR when not in use to keep dust and debris out of vents ' and to prevent children form putting things in the cassette slot!

5. Stop moisture from becoming a problem. Make sure the VCR is not exposed to water or excessive moisture and that the area is well-ventilated. Place small packages of silica around the machine to absorb moisture.

6. Clean the tape heads occasionally. Check the manual for the manufacturer's instructions. Very often, you can buy a tape-head cleaning videotape. If you rent a lot of videotapes, you may need to clean the heads quite often.

Tips & Warnings

• Read the owner's manual for your VCR(s)!
• Check out library books about 'how things work' so that you get a basic understanding of the innards of a VCR.
• Attempt basic repairs only if you are a really handy person. This must be approached carefully for a VCR under warrantee as you would not want to invalidate the manufacturer's coverage for the product.