Four ways to save on home appliance repairs

Appliance repairs can cost homeowners hundreds to thousands of dollars each year. Most of these repairs are unexpected or unplanned for, which can result in not having enough money to make the repairs.

Don’t want to be left with a large bill if one of your appliances breaks? Here are 4 ways to save on home appliance repairs!

1. Plan ahead when purchasing. You probably don’t need an extended warranty on a toaster, but for large appliances like washing machines, dishwashers and refrigerators, an extended warranty will end up costing less money most of the time than expensive repairs.

2. Decide to do it yourself for simple repairs. Dishwasher leaking? Check the hoses. Freezer not working? Make sure it doesn’t need to be defrosted. While making repairs yourself on certain parts of your appliances can end up costing more money, simple repairs such as hose replacements can easily be done and will save you a service fee from a repair person.

3. If you do need to hire someone to repair the appliance, see if they can order re-manufactured parts, or parts that are still good from other non-working machines. Just like with auto repairs, opting for used replacement parts can save a lot of money.

4. Not sure what’s wrong with the appliance? Try cleaning it first before calling a repair person and ending up with a service call fee. Many appliances can easily get dirty after extended use. Dirt and dust can block vents, clog drains, and prevent parts from working correctly. Remove all dirt and dust with an appropriate cleaning agent to see if dirt build up is the cause of the appliance not working properly.

Looking for more ways to save money around the house? Check out our blog - five tips to save money on your home energy bills.