Photo by woodleywonderworks on Flickr.
The dishwasher starts leaking. The washing machine stops agitating. Food starts coming out of the oven undercooked. Now what?
These problems face every homeowner – appliances eventually wear out and break down, but it does not necessarily mean it is time to replace the unit. Or does it? How do you determine what the best course of action is to address the problem of an appliance that stops working properly?
Investigate the Problem
Take at least a few minutes to investigate and research the problem you are having. You do not have to be an expert, just gather the information you can. This is a critical step to saving you money on a repairman’s bill.
For example, our 1-year-old dishwasher started leaving a puddle on the kitchen floor one day. A few moments of investigation revealed that a piece of the vinyl gasket had come loose on the door seal. Imagine if we had just called an appliance repairman without looking for the source of the leak? It would have been a rather expensive glue job.
Another time, our washing machine stopped agitating. A few minutes of testing revealed that it was still spinning out the clothes and draining – only the agitation cycles were not working properly. While I still had no idea what was wrong, I at least knew what part of the operation was not working.
Research the Problem
Armed with your observations, do a quick search for your problem on the Internet. In the washing machine case above, I found a lot of links, videos, and articles for and about people that had the same problem I was experiencing. Some of the videos showed how to fix the problem.
In my case, I just needed to replace a $7 part in the washer, a coupling where the agitator connected to the drive shaft. There was no need to even take the washer apart. One commenter on YouTube remarked that his neighbor almost threw away a washing machine that had that same problem, and a few minutes of research saved them from a very expensive mistake.
Once you know the likely source of the problem, and the method for fixing it, you can start the decision process for how to deal with the problem.
Do You Have The Skill and Tools To Fix It?
In the case of my washing machine that would not agitate, the part is meant to be user-serviceable. That is, it is supposed to be easy for the consumer to replace. After all, that $7 plastic part was supposed to break when the washer was overfilled, instead of the damage being done to the more expensive transmission and motor system. And all I needed was a pair of pliers!
What if the problem was with the motor or transmission? That would have been a whole other story for me. I can follow simple instructions for replacing a minor part, but diagnosing a motor problem would be out of my league.
Sometimes you will need a particular tool or set of tools to undertake the repair. If you do not expect to use those tools again, they can become a considerable part of the cost of the repair.
If you cannot even find the problem when you are investigating your broken appliance, it is a pretty solid sign that you are already in over your head. That’s ok. That is why there are experts in appliance repair.
Are You Comfortable With The Repair Process?
Personally, I don’t feel adequately prepared or experienced to even go poking around in a gas appliance, like my range or hot water heater, beyond the basic instructions in the manufacturer’s paperwork. Others may feel fine with working on a gas appliance, but shy away from doing electrical work.
If you are not comfortable doing more investigation or attempting a repair, it is best to call in the professionals. They do it day after day, and will be able to make the repair without hesitation. Plus, they will know how to do it safely.
Is It Worth Your Time To Fix?
If a repair job is going to take you a weekend to get done, what are you giving up in the process? If you have to take a day off work to fix a broken appliance, how much will you lose in pay?
Your time is valuable, even more valuable than the wage you might earn in that time. Is a repair job going to cost you too much in lost time? This is a highly subjective answer, for a busy mom or dad will have less time than a retiree, and each will value their time differently.
While hiring a professional might cost upwards of $100 a visit, they know what they are doing, have probably seen this problem several times before, and will be done in much less time than it would take you to follow instructions from a manual or online source of directions.
Is It Worth Repairing?
Even if you don’t know enough about the inner workings of your defunct appliance, you can use some general guidelines and knowledge to decide if it is even worth calling a professional repairman.
For instance, a refrigerator that is more than 10 years old should be replaced when it stops working. Compared with currently available Energy Star refrigerators, older models cost a great deal more to operate. Not only will you save money by not bothering to call the repairman, but you will save money on your electric bill over your current fridge.
You can look up the part for your appliance and get a quick estimate of what it will cost to fix. Just do a quick search for your model number and the name of the part (motor, transmission, etc) and get the idea of the part. Now add a few hours of labor at $60-100 and you may discover the price is getting awfully close to what a brand new appliance would cost. At least at Goedeker’s prices.
If this is not the first time you have had to repair this appliance, it may be a sign of more trouble ahead. Not to mention the time you have lost to dealing with each problem and having to do without your appliance while it gets fixed. Remember, your time is more valuable than money, and a new appliance can help you get on with your busy life and – for the most part – help keep your home life running smoothly.
Finally, getting a new appliance usually includes an appliance warranty. A new appliance that comes with a service guarantee and a fallback should something go wrong makes it even more worthwhile to invest in a new appliance when you are finally fed up with the growing number of problems with your current one.
