Appliance repair can be very costly. However, many repairs can be easily done by homeowners. Save yourself time and money by keeping the right things on hand and doing your research.
It’s one of the things that you dread the most,
one of your appliances breaks. What should you do? Appliances can usually make your life a lot easier by helping you do everyday tasks quicker, more effectively and more efficiently. That is, until one breaks down on you. Appliance repair can be costly, whether it is on your dishwasher, microwave or any other one of the many different appliances today’s households are usually equipped with. Your first thought may be to call in an expert or professional to help you to repair the problem. However, many problems with your appliances can be fixed by you, saving you a lot of money. Just by knowing a few things and keeping the right things handy, you will be able to repair your appliances yourself!
Keep the right tools on hand
In order to be good do-it-yourself appliance repairman, you need to be equipped with the right tools to get the job done. These tools include: a screwdriver set consisting of between four to 6 screwdrivers, a nut driver set, as a lot of appliances will have nuts that need to be loosened to do the repair, a set of different meters (including a voltage meter, an ohm meter, and an amp meter), hose clamps will be needed for any appliance repair that is connected to a water line. These are just the basic set of tools that need to be in your toolbox. Sometimes, certain appliances will require a specialized tool. However, if you stay equipped with these basic tools, you should be good to go for most, if not all, appliance repairs.
Use the internet as a resource
If you are going to be doing a specific repair on an appliance, you can often times find a video or a step by step guide on how to complete the task. If you do know what is wrong with the appliance, just type that into a search engine. For example, “dryer will spin, but is not getting hot” When you type this in several different articles, blogs and websites will pop up helping you and leading you in the right direction on how to fix the problem. Video tutorials on the internet can be a great aide in helping you get an appliance repair done quickly and correctly.
Look at the owners’ manual for parts information
The owners’ manual for appliances can be a great place for you to find parts information. Here you will find out what the serial or part numbers are for the pieces that you need. If you no longer have your manual, you can usually find them online at the manufacturer’s website in a PDF form. Also, you can search for the part you are looking for in order to find out where it is sold, or even order it on the internet to get a better bargain.
Appliance repair does not have to be as daunting as people will make it seem. If you are equipped with the right tools and knowledge you can really save yourself a lot of money in the long run. However, like any do-it-yourself project, if you feel that the repair is out of your scope of knowledge and skill, it is best to call in a professional.
