Do-It-Yourself Appliance Repair Is Sometimes Feasible, But It Can Become an Exercise in Futility

If all of the do-it-yourself videos and articles on the Internet are any indication, there are a lot of people who attempt to fix their own home appliances before calling a qualified repair service. In some cases, such as minor garbage disposal jams, the repair may be relatively simple. However, if a part needs to be replaced or an obstruction is wedged tightly between moving parts, then a call to an appliance repair professional will eventually be necessary.

Calling a reasonably priced appliance repair technician is usually advisable because the risks of adopting a DIY approach may outweigh the potential advantages. In addition to the safety considerations of attempting your own oven repair or garbage disposal repair, there’s always the possibility of exacerbating the problem instead of fixing it. The advantage of calling a qualified appliance repair technician at the first sign of trouble is that they can usually save you the additional money of having to buy a completely new appliance. However, if you attempt dishwasher repair or dryer repair on your own, there’s the ever-present risk of creating new mechanical or electrical problems that weren’t there to begin with, problems so major that you’ll have no choice but to buy a new appliance.

Before even considering trying an appliance repair project on your own, the first question to ask yourself is whether you have any experience in disassembling a home appliance and troubleshooting a malfunction. A second question that needs to be answered in the affirmative is whether you own the correct tools for specialized jobs such as refrigerator repair or washer and dryer repair. If you have to go out and buy special tools, watch Internet videos about dishwasher repair, run back and forth to the hardware or plumbing supply store, and then struggle to figure out how to replace the broken part-sometimes it’s just not worth it. Most homeowners, when it comes right down to it, don’t have the time or energy to attempt their own appliance repair. Weekends go pretty fast, and there are very few people who want to waste a Saturday afternoon trying to learn all about dishwasher repairs. If you’re not mechanically inclined, home appliance repairs are usually better left to the professionals.

Refrigerator repair may be close to the top of the list of projects to avoid because of the risk of food spoilage. Once a refrigerator stops working, the issues of spoiled food and food safety become growing concerns. To prevent frozen food from melting and perishable food from going bad, it’s often essential to have that refrigerator repair done correctly and within a few hours. The only way to ensure that it’s done properly and fast is to call a professional technician. The amount of money you thought you could save by repairing your own refrigerator could easily be lost if you have to replace a week’s worth of spoiled groceries, so your perceived savings is just a fond memory.