Not all broken home appliances are created equal. Smaller
scale appliances, such as toasters, can often be fixed by someone with the time
to research and a bit of mechanical aptitude. The larger the appliance, however,
the more complicated and riskier it is to do it yourself. Getting a broken
washer fixed, for instance, is a significant undertaking. With so many
different components requiring so much expertise and care, it can be difficult
enough to diagnose a
problem
with a washing machine, let alone repair one. When you look at the issue
from all angles, you’ll likely see that calling a professional repair
technician is your best bet.
Time vs. Money vs.
Risk
The simple answer to why most people decide to take on a
home appliance repair project themselves is cost. Money is generally tight in
today’s economy, after all, and anywhere you can find savings is understandably
an appealing prospect. However, there are two major considerations you should
keep in mind before you make your final decision to repair a broken washer by
yourself. The first of these considerations is time. Business is a fact of
life, and most people have enough trouble finding the time to have a nice meal
with family or take a few minutes each day to get some exercise. Taking on a
task that will require hours of research, the possibility of multiple trips to
the hardware store and a long, arduous time pulling apart a machine you’re not
totally familiar with may turn out to be far more than you originally bargained
for. The fact is, if you could see, in advance, exactly how many hours of your
precious time a home repair project would take up, chances are that you’d happily
pay someone to come in and get your appliance repair done for you. Besides,
what might take you five, six, or maybe 10 hours to do could only be a one- or
two-hour job for a home repair specialist. The other, even more important,
consideration is risk. With a mix of mechanical, electrical and plumbing
elements to a modern washing machine, there are a lot of ways that a washer
repair job can go wrong. If it does go wrong, it’s likely to be very costly
indeed. When compared to the financial implications of a flooded home or the
safety concerns that come with working on electrical components, the financial
hit of hiring a trained and experienced professional don’t seem at all
unreasonable.
Owning a home is a big responsibility, and often it feels
like a large part of that responsibility involves taking care of repairs around
the house yourself, rather than enlisting the help of a professional. However,
when you look at all the factors involved in getting a broken washer fixed,
it’s not hard to see that finding a trusted repair person is far and away your
best bet.