Cornish Holiday Let Owners: Is Sea Air Rusting Your Microwave & Putting Guests at Risk?
Living in the far west of Cornwall is a dream—until you see what that salty sea air does to our appliances! As a local PAT tester, I’m seeing a quiet crisis in holiday lets: a staggering number of microwaves are failing due to rust.
In fact, it’s so common that I’ve just had to replace my own holiday let’s microwave this week after failing it in a test. If you’ve spotted those tell-tale brown spots inside, please don’t ignore them. Here’s why:
Electrical & Fire Hazard
Rust inside can cause dangerous ‘arcing’ (sparks you can see and hear). Worse, if it reaches internal wiring, it significantly increases the risk of a short circuit or even an electrical fire.
Radiation Leakage (The Invisible Danger)
The interior coating shields you from microwave radiation. Rust—especially around the door seal—compromises this shield. This isn’t a scare story; it’s a genuine risk to anyone nearby when it’s on.
Food Contamination
Flakes of rust can chip off directly into food or drinks being heated. It’s not just unappetising—ingesting rust particles is a health risk you don’t want to expose your guests to.
Your microwave should be safe and reliable, not a hidden liability.
Let’s Get It Sorted
As both a City & Guilds qualified PAT tester and a holiday let owner here in Cornwall, I get the unique challenges our coastal properties face. I’m here to help you stay safe, compliant, and ready for every booking.
So don’t wait for a small rust spot to become a big problem, message me today for friendly advice, a quote, or to book professional, thorough and affordable PAT testing for your holiday let that you can rely on.