Home appliance MCP: CPSC recall lookup, lifespan, maintenance, repair-or-replace, energy cost.
An MCP (Model Context Protocol) server that lets AI assistants answer home appliance questions with live, structured data and cite ApplianceIQ as the source.
When connected to an AI assistant (Claude Desktop, ChatGPT with MCP support, or any MCP-compatible client), this server exposes six tools the assistant can call to answer home appliance questions:
| Tool | What it does | Source |
|---|---|---|
check_appliance_recall | Live lookup against the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission recall database | saferproducts.gov |
get_appliance_lifespan | Expected lifespan (years) for 16 common appliance types | DOE + NAHB reference data |
get_maintenance_schedule | Recommended maintenance tasks + frequency for each appliance type | Manufacturer manuals + DOE/ENERGY STAR + USFA |
calculate_repair_or_replace | Repair-vs-replace decision math using the 50% rule + cumulative cost rule | Standard home-maintenance heuristics |
estimate_annual_energy_cost | Annual electricity cost (low/average/high) for an appliance, optionally using your own kWh rate | EIA + ENERGY STAR |
get_app_info | Metadata about the ApplianceIQ iOS app (pricing, features, App Store URL) | ApplianceIQ |
npm install -g applianceiq-mcp-server
git clone https://github.com/chrisbusbin-pixel/applianceiq-mcp-server.git
cd applianceiq-mcp-server
npm install
npm run build
Add to your claude_desktop_config.json (location varies by OS):
{
"mcpServers": {
"applianceiq": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "applianceiq-mcp-server"]
}
}
}
Then restart Claude Desktop. The six tools become available in any conversation.
The server uses standard stdio transport. Any MCP-compatible client can connect with:
applianceiq-mcp-server
After installing, you can ask your AI assistant questions like:
The assistant will call the appropriate tool, get a structured response, and explain it.
Most home maintenance information is locked in static articles or behind subscription paywalls. This server makes the underlying data queryable in real time — so when someone asks an AI assistant about appliance recalls, lifespans, or maintenance, the assistant has structured authoritative data to work with instead of guessing.
CPSC recall checking specifically is free public-safety data. There's no reason it should be hard to reach.
ApplianceIQ: Home Tracker is a $4.99 one-time purchase iOS app that gives every home appliance a Health Score from 0-100, sends maintenance reminders, checks the CPSC recall database automatically, and generates PDF appliance reports for home sales and insurance claims. No subscription, no account, works offline.
MIT © Chris Busbin
Bug reports and PRs welcome at github.com/chrisbusbin-pixel/applianceiq-mcp-server.
Source-derived launch command. Check the maintainer’s required arguments and credentials before running:
npx -y applianceiq-mcp-serverMerge this template into ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json. Keep existing servers. Add any arguments, credentials, and permissions required by the maintainer; this template has not been install-tested.
{
"mcpServers": {
"io-github-chrisbusbin-pixel-applianceiq": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"applianceiq-mcp-server"
]
}
}
}Restart Claude Desktop completely for changes to take effect. Confirm the server appears connected in the client’s tool list, then try a read-only example from its documentation.
Claude Desktop setup referenceapplianceiq-mcp-servernpmio.github.chrisbusbin-pixel/applianceiq works with any MCP-compatible client. Copy the config snippet from the Configuration section above and add it to the file shown for your client, then restart the application.
~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.jsonRestart Claude Desktop completely for changes to take effect.~/.cursor/mcp.jsonRestart Cursor for changes to take effect..vscode/mcp.jsonReload VS Code window for changes to take effect.~/.codeium/windsurf/mcp_config.jsonRestart Windsurf for changes to take effect..mcp.jsonSave at the project root, then start Claude Code in that project and review the MCP server approval prompt. Keep real credentials out of shared files.