So, you saw it on YouTube, and now you think you’re ready to tackle that appliance repair? Well, you’ll be happy to hear that not all DIY appliance repairs are destined to fail, but getting it right may not be as easy as you think.
Here are a few tips on fixing your own appliances and what to do if it does go wrong.
Treat DIY Appliance Repair Like School
Professional appliances repair Surrey technicians spend years learning all there is to know about appliances and how to fix them, so don’t expect to become a pro after watching a single 4-minute repair tutorial. Plan to spend some time reading up on your appliance repair, then re-reading, applying your skills, getting it wrong, going back to the drawing board, and trying again.
The good news is, you can think of each repair as a course, and the next time something breaks, you can apply some of what you’ve picked up and built from there.
Plan for the Worst; Hope for the Best
In a this-or-that scenario, plan for the worst-case and cross your fingers that it’s something else. For example, you can tell yourself, if the motor on your dishwasher needs to be replaced, you’ll call a professional, but if it’s just a clog, you’ll try to repair it yourself. Having a plan in place will not only keep you safe but can also stop you from tumbling down the rabbit hole of DIY fixes, which may ultimately result in you causing harm rather than good.
Be Prepared for Repairs to Be More Difficult than they Look on TV
No matter how simple they make it look in an online tutorial, appliance repair is going to be difficult. Washers are heavy, and not all brands have all components in the same place; you’ll probably spend nearly as much time finding what you’re looking for as you will trying to fix it.
It also doesn’t help when a tutorial asks you to “reach under and find” or “take off the panel and locate” when you have no idea what the piece you are looking for actually looks like. Do yourself a favour; if you are trying to find a pump, coupler, or water valve, look up what these pieces look like first.
It Will Take Much Longer Than You Think
Clear your schedule, because DIY appliance repair always takes longer than you think it will. And it makes sense. Professional appliances repair in Surrey can take hours, and these are the people who know what they are doing.
When you attempt a DIY fix, you need to allow time to research the problem, learn how to address it, and inevitably pivot when what you thought was the problem turns out to be something else entirely. Just doing a quick search for “my dryer is making noise” and at least five different repairs will pop up.
Know When to Call for Professional Appliances Repair in Surrey
There may come a point, maybe when you’re elbow-deep in a dishwasher or you’ve dismantled half your washing machine, that you’ll realize you’re in over your head. What’s important is recognizing when you’ve done all that you can do and calling for professional help.
There is no shame in admitting you’ve failed. Each new experience is a learning opportunity, and while you may not have been able to solve this problem, you might have picked up something that can help the next time something breaks. Just don’t make the mistake of destroying a thousand-dollar appliance to avoid a $200 repair.