Don’t you hate it when you’re going about your day and something happens to your appliance when you need it the most? Maybe you’re trying to bake a cake for your child’s birthday party the day of, but the oven just won’t heat up. Or you need clean clothes for a job interview, only to find the washer won’t run and you’re out of clean shirts. Perhaps you’re gearing up for movie night with your significant other, but then realize the ice cream you’ve been saving for that night is melting in the fridge freezer.
We know how tempting it is to fix something yourself if something goes wrong, especially if it involves your home’s appliances. That being said, there are just some kinds of repair tasks that really shouldn’t be left to anyone except a legitimate technician. Here are a few great reasons why you should never, ever attempt do-it-yourself (DIY) appliance repair in your home.
1. You’re Putting Your Life in Danger
The problem with DIY articles about appliance repair is that they don’t really emphasize the obvious: they’re dangerous if you don’t know what you’re doing! Fire, flooding, electric shock, throwing out your back—all of this can happen if you ever attempt to DIY your appliance repairs.
If you don’t know what you’re doing, or you have no background experience, then how will you know which parts and wires to not touch? How will you know which parts you need to replace? Do you have any idea how heavy appliances are? (The answer is, they’re heavier than you can probably manage.) If you can’t answer any one of these questions, then don’t ever attempt to fix an appliance yourself. They are heavy machines that require broad knowledge of machinery, electricity, and technology combined in order to fix them properly.
You’re not the only one who will be at risk, either. Injuries can happen to your family members as well if you’re not careful. The parameters of an accident resulting from a DIY fix are much larger than you might realize, and these can extend to family members within the vicinity of the damaged appliance.
2. You May Make a Bad Situation Even Worse
Some DIY tips can actually ruin an appliance as opposed to keeping it in top shape. That’s because a simple fix contains lots and lots of hidden details that aren’t obvious at first. For example, a single broken piece may only be one sign of a huge underlying problem. Again, if you don’t know the science behind how an appliance’s machinery works, don’t make the assumption that any article you look up online is going to help your situation perfectly.
A quick fix does not equal a repair job well done—in fact, it means you’ve made an easy fix by a professional technician all the more difficult to resolve, and more likely for future problems to occur. Not to mention that most DIY tips only resolve symptoms in the short term; they don’t address the root cause of why your appliance isn’t working or it’s breaking down, which is something a technician can usually identify right away.
3. You Won’t Know Whether It was Done Right or Not—Then It’s Too Late
Another problem with DIY fixes is that either you may not get the desired results you were hoping for, or you have to wait to see what’s happened after the fix has been applied. If it turns out that your fix wasn’t done correctly, then it’s too late—the damage you’ve been trying to avoid by fixing the appliance yourself has already been done. The desired results you may have been looking for turn out to be a disaster, and a deadly mistake if it involves electricity.
4. The Consequences Will Cost You Big Time
If you think DIY is less expensive than hiring a technician to fix your appliances, think again. Much like the machinery itself with its hidden details, expect to be paying a lot of money for even a simple part replacement! Usually that kind of price can be much lower if you hire a technician because we have access to discounts and immediate contact with parts suppliers. If you choose to DIY, that means you’re paying for that process too.
While upfront costs are in fact a reality of hiring professional help, don’t let that deter you from paying for one anyway. Compared to the average cost of repairs to do from DIY projects, our costs are minimal in comparison. Plus, in addition to paying for the DIY parts yourself, you’ll be paying even more if the DIY project goes all wrong (which, and we have to reiterate, it will if you don’t know what you’re doing).
When in Doubt, Always Call in the Professionals
We want our customers’ homes to be safe and happy ones, with all the conveniences of properly working appliances. That’s why when it comes to fixing your appliances, whether it’s an electric oven or a top-of-the-line refrigerator, Starfix is your best shot at getting the job done fast and done safely. Contact us for a service call if you’d rather get the help you need with efficient repairs and avoid paying for a costly replacement.
Creative Commons Attribution: Permission is granted to repost this article in its entirety with credit to Starfix and a clickable link back to this page.
