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Re:Right to Repair off to the races in 2021 with 14 active s... by herewegoagain2 on Tuesday January 26, 2021 @07:28AM (#25915062)
Basic household stuff doesn't break every year. And not everybody is qualified to repair that stuff (which happens to be plugged into power outlets).

I personally didn't dare to try to repair my washing machine or dishwashers (beyond cleaning clogged pipes), although I know people who do.

Re:Right to Repair off to the races in 2021 with 14 active s... by giantg2 on Tuesday January 26, 2021 @08:36AM (#25915591)
I don't think I've ever had a year where something didn't break or need maintenance. Some things are supposed to be done annually, like flushing your hot water heater. And the anode rod should be replaced as needed too (usually 2-4 years). With the number of devices in most homes, I find it unlikely that something doesn't need maintenance or repair in a year. Not to mention the people with cars.

The point of the right to repair bills is that the useful life of products can be extended through repair. So I guess some people who are always buying new replacements and upgrades would be less likely to need those repairs as many repairs happen later in a product's life.

I've fixed my washer and dryer before. Even just simple things like replacing the belts or resetting the thermal OL switch can be done by anyone, no qualification needed.