We often take our larger appliances for granted, so it can be a nasty surprise when they break down. But fear not, there are lots of trusted appliance repair services out there. Whether it’s an established brand like D&G, Pacifica, or a smaller company, here is what you need to know in order to avoid having to leave the house in smelly clothes.
Warranty and guarantees: Understanding your existing coverage
Before taking the plunge on a new appliance or getting a repair sorted, it’s important to check what coverage you already have – you don’t want to pay more than you need to! Here are some things to check first:
Manufacturers warranty. This can last longer than you might think and will mean the manufacturer takes care of everything. You may have been proactive and purchased an extended warranty, so this will also likely cover your appliance (unless it’s truly ancient!).
Credit card purchase protection. One avenue that people can overlook is when you have bought something using a credit card. This will only apply if certain conditions are in place, but it’s definitely worth checking.
Home insurance. This is also likely to cover your appliance repairs or replacement. You may have a decision to make about whether you want to break a no-claims streak, but it’s certainly worth considering for more expensive cases.
Appliance care plan. If you have purchased this, it will likely cover any work you need done. An appliance care plan is coverage that can help cover the cost of repairs if an appliance breaks down after the manufacturer’s warranty has expired.
Checks to make before calling an engineer
You might be surprised by how many smaller issues can be fixed yourself. Your first step should be to read the product manual for the appliance in question. This should be quite comprehensive, but if your problem isn’t included, then another tip is to ask AI, Google or look on YouTube. There are numerous video channels that are dedicated to showing you how to fix things.
Below are a few things to check before you take the plunge on a repair or replacement:
Washing machine
Check the power supply
Make sure the door is properly closed
Ensure the drain filter isn’t blocked
Check the water supply is on
Look up any error codes
Dishwasher
Clean the filter
Check the spray arms
Ensure the door seals properly
Make sure the water inlet is clear and properly attached
Fridge freezer
Make sure the temperature settings are correct
See if the condenser coil is dirty
Check the door seals
Ensure the air vents aren’t blocked
Tumble dryer
Clean the lint filter
Ensure the water tank has been emptied
Check the ventilation is clear
Make sure the condenser has been cleaned
If these don’t work and you can’t find what you’re looking for online, then it’s time to call a repair service. While there will be local services, the quality will vary, so make sure you do your research. Alternatively, big companies like D&G and Homeserve can be relied upon for a more consistent quality of service and certain guarantees. For example, Domestic & General has a 4.2/5 Trustpilot rating based on more than 140,000 customer reviews.
Cost of throwing out or recycling when replacing
The idea of throwing your large appliance out can be a daunting one. Fear not though – instead of tying your fridge to the roof of your car, there are plenty of options to explore.
A good place to start is to check if your local council offers a removal service. Most will typically charge between £20 and £50, and some will take a certain number of items away for free if you’re above 65 or a similar age.
If you decide to get a new appliance, as opposed to a repair, many companies will offer to remove the old one as part of the delivery service (or for a fee typically up to around £30).
If you’re able to transport the appliance yourself, then household recycling centres will generally take things for free. This is a much better option for the environment than a landfill, as many parts of an old appliance can often be recovered.
Environmental impact of replacing
In isolation, getting your appliance repaired has much less of an impact on the environment than replacing your appliance. This is because it requires less transport, less manufacturing and less waste is produced.
However, in the long run, a new appliance could still be the more environmentally efficient option. Appliances are getting more efficient all the time, and new ones will use significantly less electricity or water than old models. So, if you’re worried about your environmental footprint, then you should check the energy rating and output of your old appliance and compare it with a new one.
Appliances are designed to last a long time, so you may end up saving a lot of energy (and therefore money) with a new, efficient model.
Making a financial case for replacement.
Finances play a big role in dictating if you will replace your appliance or not. If you’re unsure whether to opt for a repair or to take the plunge and go for a replacement, here are a few questions to ask yourself.
Firstly, how old is your appliance? If it has already exceeded, or is close to, its expected lifespan, then this can be an indication that it may be time to part ways and get a new one in.
How much is the repair? If it’s a particularly tricky fault to fix, you may face high repair costs that you simply don’t think are worth it. Conventional wisdom is that if the cost of repair exceeds around half the replacement cost, you will probably want to consider cutting your losses and buying a new one.
Have you had to get it repaired before? If this has happened multiple times, that is a clear sign that you should replace it. You need to be confident that it won’t keep breaking down.
How efficient is your old appliance? Unless your appliance is super old, this may not be a huge issue, but check the energy rating of your old appliance. A newer model may be more expensive up front, but over a number of years, it may save you money by being cheaper to run.
For example, if your old washing machine costs £85 a year to run and a newer model costs £50, you’ll save around £35 a year. Over 10 years this will add up to £350.
Bottom line
Deciding if you should repair or replace your washing machine, fridge freezer, dishwasher, or tumble dryer can be a tough decision. There are lots of factors to consider, and each case can be different based on your circumstances and the issue. That being said, you might as well always consider repairing an appliance first.
This is because repairing is often the easiest and cheapest route to go down and can be worthwhile when the appliance is covered by warranty, the repair is inexpensive, and the fault is relatively small or isolated. It can also make more sense when the product is fairly new.
From my experience, it is often the case that one of these factors is the case so I would always look to repair something first. If these things aren’t the case then it generally because your appliance is super old and therefore needs replacing anyway.
Replacement usually makes more sense when the appliance is old or the energy efficiency is poor. You should also consider replacing it if it has broken down multiple times, isn’t covered by warranty and the repairs are particularly expensive.
If you find yourself having this dilemma and your appliance is no longer covered by the manufacturer’s warranty, comparing repair costs with appliance care plans offered by providers such as D&G, Pacifica or Homeserve can help you understand your options before deciding to replace it.
Frequently asked questions
There’s some trust that older appliances often had simpler mechanical components and that modern appliances include more electronics and smart features. If you choose an appliance repair service, like D&G, then you can be confident that its engineers have extensive repair expertise that will cover old and new alike.
The answer to this is that it will always vary depending on the issue and appliance. It’s definitely possible for you to make some smaller fixes to some appliances. This would typically be simpler things like cleaning, filters, replacing blockages, resetting electronics and replacing door seals. For the more complex problems that involve things like motors, compressors, electrical faults, gas systems and refrigeration circuits, you will need to get an expert in (D&G have a network of 10,000 expert engineers). You should also never attempt any repair that will put your safety at risk.
You may be surprised at where you can find parts that your appliance needs. Even if the manufacturer doesn’t make the parts anymore, you could pick them up via an independent engineer, somewhere may be selling refurbished or reclaimed parts, or you might be able to use compatible third-party parts. Large companies like D&G, Homeserve and Pacifica tend to have a network of established parts. You’ll need to do your research first, though, and you may decide that if the parts aren’t available or you don’t trust another part can do the job, then it might be easier to replace the whole thing.
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