Our homes are full of appliances, all of which make our everyday lives easier. But on occasions, these can develop faults. When this happens, you have a few choices available to you…

1. Contact a qualified engineer to repair the appliance
2. Repair the appliance yourself

The cost of having your appliance repaired by a qualified engineer can prove expensive. In fact, a survey of qualified domestic appliance repair engineers carried out by Which magazine in 2012 highlighted the typical cost quoted to supply and fit a pump on a washing machine or a dishwasher were close to £90 for little more than an hour’s labour. But, fixing your appliances needn’t be expensive – especially when the majority of repairs can be carried out by yourself, whatever your DIY expertise.

Washing Machine:

Each year, roughly 2.6 million washing machines are sold in the UK, yet a further half a million are thrown away – of which nearly 30% could have been easily repaired. [sources: ISE / UK Indemand]

Common causes for washing machines being sent to the scrap heap include the appliance failing to spin, leaks or it failing to drain – and each of these faults can be caused by a fault with the pump. For example, a jam or blockage of the pump can result in the appliance not draining or spinning.

According to the survey results, for a qualified engineer to repair a washing machine pump it’d cost anywhere between £70 and £95. Yet, for less than this you can purchase a new washing machine drain pump and fit it yourself – following the advice in this video.

Whilst replacing the pump on your washing machine, following the steps outlined in the video above, may take you slightly longer than it would a qualified repair engineer, it will work out significantly cheaper and also provide you with a feeling of self achievement.

Fan Oven:

The cooker is one of the most relied upon appliances in the home. But due to the pressures we place on it, faults develop. One of the most common ones is an issue with the element.

A common sign the element isn’t working as it should, is the oven failing to heat up. You may think repairing such a fault can only be carried out by a qualified engineer, but with this costing on average upwards of £70 going down such a route can be costly.

Instead it’s possible purchase a compatible fan oven element and to fix the appliance yourself, by following the advice in the video below.

Dishwasher:

Since their peak in 2007 dishwasher sales in the UK have reportedly fallen by 11%, with roughly 4 in 10 adults stating they see dishwashers as unnecessary luxuries and expensive to run. However, having a dishwasher can save the average family 3 weeks a year in the time it takes to wash up.

Whilst dishwashers can save time, they are also susceptible to faults, with a common fault being it stopping mid-cycle and filling with dirty water. This is usually caused by a faulty drain pump.

To have a new dishwasher pump supplied and fitted by a qualified engineer you’ll be looking at paying anywhere between £80 and £110. Yet you can fix it yourself by buying the part and following the guidance outlined in this video.

By taking the time to fix your appliances yourself when they develop a fault, you’d be surprised at how much you can save. So instead of calling an experienced repair engineer in the first instance, why not have a go at fixing it yourself?

Tags: Appliance Care, Fix it Yourself, Money Saving Tips