Over time, our televisions have become just as integral to our homes as the refrigerator and the stovetop. Unfortunately, TVs are still fragile pieces of technology that we put through quite the stress test when we watch them for hours at a time. With enough use, our televisions can start to break down in small ways that impact the screen’s visuals. Here, we’ll go over a few signs that your TV needs a repair so that you can get back to watching what you love as soon as possible.

Distorted Colors

Over a long enough period, the colors on your TV can slowly start to distort in ways that you can’t always perceive. These distortions happen slowly, usually one color at a time, which is why this problem can go on for so long without detection. If you have another TV, try to compare their pictures to help identify if one or the other distorts the colors on its screen. This doesn’t mean your TV is beyond repair, but you’ll need a professional’s help.

Retaining Images

Image retention refers to the phenomenon where certain images will remain almost burnt into the screen, despite changing the channel or input. While not as bad as true screen burn-in, which usually does require a replacement, image retention is still annoying. Adjusting your contrast and brightness settings might fix the problem, but if you still retain images, you may want to take your TV to an expert.

Dead Pixels

If you’ve ever seen a seemingly random green or black dot on the surface of a TV screen, you’ve encountered what’s known as a dead pixel. The causes of dead pixels vary from minor, such as a single faulty transistor, to major, requiring new motherboard parts. If you suspect your TV has a dead pixel, make sure to clean it thoroughly on that spot, as you can often mistake dust or dirt for a dead pixel. If that doesn’t fix the problem, you’ll need to take it to a TV repair expert to take it apart and find the problem.

Fuzzy Details

There’s nothing worse than getting a new TV, bringing it home, setting it up, and turning it on, only to realize that the picture doesn’t even look that good. If you notice that small details are fuzzy and hard to make out, it’s a clear sign your TV needs a repair. Unless there happens to be serious weather interference, the picture on a modern TV shouldn’t be fuzzy. Bring it back to where you bought it to report the problem and get it fixed right away.