DIY vs Professional Appliance Repair: When to Call an Expert and When to Fix It Yourself

The benefits of DIY appliance repair

Let’s first cover the main benefits of DIY appliance repair, then look at some cons of repairing appliances yourself.

1. DIY appliance repair saves you cash

Saving money is the greatest motivator for the DIY approach. All you need to do is find quality appliance spare parts and replace the broken part in your appliance. Some repairs may not even need replacement parts. For simple or minor repairs, you’ll save money by avoiding the cost of hiring a professional.

2. DIY is convenient

Rather than waiting for an appliance repair technician’s availability to repair your appliance, you can tackle the issue immediately. You can also work on the repair at your own pace, depending on your schedule.

3. You will gain knowledge and experience

Performing appliance repairs yourself is an educational experience. You’ll gain vital knowledge and experience, which will help you confidently tackle other appliance repairs in the future. You’ll also discover more about how appliances work and how best to maintain them.

4. Quality control

DIY appliance repair gives you a lot of quality control. Even if you don’t have much experience, if you research how to make the repair, you’ll be sure to do it right. What’s just as important is sourcing the correct parts, and parts that are top quality. This guarantees safety and the longevity of the appliance.

The cons of DIY appliance repair

DIY appliance repair can also have its negatives, so let’s now cover those.

A. Safety concerns

This is likely the greatest risk of DIY appliance repair. Safety concerns can arise from a lack of repair experience, fitting inferior parts, or purchasing and fitting an incorrect part. Anything with electrical components always poses a safety risk. Incompetent repairs can be a fire hazard, cause electric shock, and even death. Leave hazardous tasks to the professionals.

B. Complexity can lead to mistakes

If you attempt a repair beyond your knowledge or skill level, it can lead to costly mistakes and perhaps further damage to the appliance. Not only is this a safety concern but it will also increase the overall cost of the repair.

C. Voided warranties

If your appliance is still under the manufacturer’s warranty, you will void this warranty if you attempt a repair. Warranties only remain valid when an authorised repairer performs appliance repair. If you void the warranty, you’ll be responsible for the cost of all future repairs and replacement parts.

D. DIY repairs can be time consuming

While cost-effective, if you have to learn what you’re doing every step of the repair process, this can be time consuming. Professionals get the job done much faster due to their expertise and experience.

The benefits of hiring a professional appliance repair technician

Now that you understand the pros and cons of DIY appliance repair, let’s highlight the benefits of hiring a professional.

1. Experience and expertise

Most appliance repair technicians have years of experience fixing a diverse range of appliances from all the leading brands.  Some appliances must also comply with manufacturing, structural, electrical, gas or plumbing regulation codes.  This experience and expertise mean they can quickly and accurately diagnose the issue and promptly administer the solution. The result is efficiency, and a guarantee of a quality repair.

2. Warranties remain valid

If your appliance repair technician is an authorised repairer for your make and model of appliance, you won’t void your warranty by having them repair it. Even for appliances no longer under warranty, your repairer will often give you a warranty on their repair and any replacement parts.

3. Safety

Appliances contain electrical components and sometimes moving parts. These pose safety risks. The expertise, experience and knowledge of a professional help to ensure that all repairs are correct and within safety standards. Technicians know the dangers of things like electrocution, gas leaks and other hazards, and how to avoid them.

4. Cost-effective long term

While you may save money initially repairing an appliance yourself, hiring a professional can be more cost-effective in the long run. For example, if you do a sub-standard repair, then have to hire a professional to perform another repair and purchase more replacement parts, this will cost you more than hiring a pro in the first place. Also, when a professional uses quality parts and does the repair correctly, your appliance will last longer.

The cons of professional appliance repair

While professional appliance repair is highly recommended, it’s only fair to highlight some cons.

A. The cost

If you can successfully repair the appliance yourself, you’ll save money. Therefore, hiring a professional to perform simple or minor repairs will cost more.

B. Waiting for availability

If your preferred appliance repair technician is busy, they may not be able to repair your appliance for some time. This simply might not be convenient if you need your appliance up and running again ASAP. There is also the inconvenience of having to be home when the technician can come.

C. Budget constraints

If you’re on a tight budget, you may not be able to afford professional appliance repair. In this case, you’ll either have to try and repair the broken appliance yourself, or delay the repair until you can afford to pay an expert.

Quality spare parts for DIY and professional appliance repair

Whether you’re an amateur performing your own appliance repairs, or an expert technician, you can source all the parts you need at WW Spares. We provide a vast range of spare parts for all appliances and for all the top brands. We can also put you in contact with a professional appliance repair technician. Save time and headaches with expert appliance repair services. Contact us today for information on our spare parts and appliance repair experts.