What to do before calling a home appliance repairman?

Quoi Faire Avant D’appeler Un Réparateur D’électroménagers à Domicile?

Has your appliance stopped working? Everything was fine, but it suddenly broke down? Everyone eventually encounters this type of situation and experiences the accompanying stress. This is normal. But before flipping through the yellow pages or doing a Google search to find an appliance repair person for your home, take a moment to pause and consider the following points.

Check if your appliance is still under warranty

This is the first check you should make. Your appliance may still be under warranty, either from the manufacturer or the retailer. Perhaps you bought an extended warranty but no longer remember? Did you pay for it with your credit card, and does it add warranty coverage to your purchase?

Answering these questions and finding the appropriate documentation will inform you of the first steps to take, and most importantly, who to contact. Don't hesitate to contact your retailer!

Find your model number

This is the starting point for any research. A model number allows access to the appliance's parts catalog and diagrams of how it is assembled. It should not be confused with the serial number, which is only useful in cases of manufacturer recalls. You will generally find the model number on your invoice or delivery note. It is also printed on a sticker found inside every appliance.

Here's where to look for it:

Refrigerator: inside the refrigerator section (on one of the two sides, more rarely on the ceiling of the appliance)

Stove: by opening the drawer under your oven, it is affixed to the base of your appliance. For stoves where the top lifts for cleaning, the model number is sometimes found there. In the case of older models, you can find this reference on the back of the stove.

Front-load washer: when opening the door, it is affixed to the frame of the appliance.

Top-load washer: when opening the door, it is located on a panel between the door and the tub. Sometimes it can be found on the back of the appliance.

Dryer: when opening the door, it is affixed to the frame of the appliance.

Dishwasher: when opening the door, it is affixed to the frame of the appliance, at the edge of the tub.

Chest freezer: at the back of the appliance.

Upright freezer: inside the appliance.

A practical tool for basic repairs

An instruction manual contains a wealth of information that can be useful to you. After sections on how to install and use your appliance, you generally have a section that addresses recurring questions and situations that arise after receiving a new appliance. This "troubleshooting" section (or "dépannage" in French) outlines simple interventions and checks you can already perform on your own, which do not require a technician's visit. Some brands and companies will also list several error codes that will give you an idea of the problem, thus indicating whether it requires professional intervention or not.

Tutorials for all repairs!

We sometimes forget the amount of useful information that can be found online with just a few clicks. Obviously, it is important to separate the wheat from the chaff and therefore verify the relevance of the source. Once that's done, you'll realize that possibly other people have had the same problem as you with the appliance. You can thus potentially benefit from their experience to know how to act. A platform like YouTube provides many videos offering advice and showing how to disassemble or access a given part. So yes, it may not always be the exact model you own, but you will at least get an idea of the scope of the task to be accomplished and whether you can do it or not.

Know the age of your appliance

Over the years, the technologies and components of our appliances evolve, making older parts obsolete or difficult to find. After a certain period, brands also stop producing certain parts. Knowing the exact or approximate age of your appliance can therefore potentially save you unnecessary expenses. Keep in mind that most companies produce parts for a model for 10 to 15 years after an appliance is released. For certain wear parts, however, such as a heating element or a belt, it can be a little longer. Do not hesitate to inquire or contact a specialist so that you are not told that your appliance is irreparable because its parts are no longer manufactured.

Electrolibre's Advice

If your refrigerator was manufactured before 1997, know that this year marks a turning point in terms of energy efficiency. After this date, the annual consumption of a refrigerator was divided by 3 or 4. Financially, this can represent an extra hundred dollars per year in electricity for a refrigerator from 1997 or earlier.

A control, whether electronic or mechanical, is a very specific part. It is suitable for a particular model and is manufactured for about ten years. If you think the problem comes from it, inquire about the availability of the part. It can even be rebuilt.

Some tips for diagnosing your appliance breakdown

Some breakages are more obvious than others. It is also essential to keep in mind that for a given problem, several causes and therefore parts are possible. If you are unsure, it will always be better to call a professional who knows what they are doing and guarantees their work.

A heating element cannot work halfway. It either works or it doesn't work at all. If it produces heat but you find that it's not enough, then the cause is elsewhere.

The freezer compartment of your refrigerator produces the cold for both compartments. As long as the freezer compartment freezes your food correctly, there's no need to worry and the breakdown is repairable (even if the refrigerator compartment is warm).

A refrigerator whose two compartments are warm, and whose motor is running, generally indicates a major problem that is not worth repairing. If everything is warm and the motor is off, the breakdown is probably repairable. A front-load washer whose tub is off-center, and/or makes a lot of noise during spinning, often indicates a major and costly repair. It is highly improbable, if not impossible, that all the heating elements of a stove (surface and oven) stop working at the same time. Remember to check the house fuses and test the wall electrical outlet in your home. If the bake element or broil element of your stove suddenly catches fire or sparks, it indicates that it has reached the end of its life. There is no danger. Simply stop cooking and have your element changed. A dryer that stops quickly after you turn it on indicates a possible ventilation problem (e.g., dirty or obstructed duct). Do a test by disconnecting the flexible hose at the back of your dryer. If everything works normally, the problem is with your ventilation. If the problem persists, the appliance itself is at fault.