Cost of Appliance Maintenance

What’s The Average Cost Of Appliance Repair?

Any and all appliances in your home could break, from dryers and dishwashers to all the electrical appliances in your kitchen. As a homeowner, you will eventually be faced with a decision whether to repair or replace a failed minor or major appliance. An appliance repair technician has the ability to bring dryers, washers, ovens, refrigerators, stoves, microwaves, dishwashers, air conditioners, garbage disposals, and other home appliances backup running, whether it is replacing a broken belt, fixing a leaky hose, quieting a strange screeching noise or replacing the ice maker in a functional refrigerator.

While all this sounds impressive, the challenging part comes in when you have to factor in the cost of the repairs. The average cost of appliance or refrigerator repair usually varies based on the brand, the appliance in need of repair work, and the spare parts required. Repairing your household appliances rather than replacing them outright could help in saving money. The age, as well as accessibility of your appliance, could also affect the repair costs. From a general point of view, however, the average cost for fixing a large appliance ranges from $150 to $300.

Appliance Repair in Jackson MI Hourly Rates and Labor Charges

Some appliance repair technicians will charge a flat rate on specific repair projects, and If the repair task takes no more than one hour to complete, for instance defrosting, the charge will most probably be a flat fee. However, since every appliance repair job is always unique, most repair professionals charge an hourly rate for the services rendered. A home appliance repair service, for instance, could charge $75 per hour for the standard appliance repairs and more than $90 per hour for the more sophisticated repair tasks that require an assessment of difficult-to-access parts. All the same, you should expect the hourly rates to range from $100 to $200, on an average, irrespective of the kind of repair job being done.

Minimum Service Fee

Some appliance repair professionals usually charge a minimum fee to cater for their costs of traveling to your home and diagnosing the problem with your faulty appliance. Depending on the technician, the minimum service fee could include a specific amount of work, or it could be meant to solely cover the diagnosis. An appliance repair service could charge a minimum fee of $80, which includes appliance diagnosis, up to 1 hour of travel from their location, and an estimate to repair the faulty appliance. In such a case, the service will probably not charge any extra fees if they have to return to your home to continue with repair works at a later date. Request for an estimate from your repair technician, including his service fee, before they can begin any repair work.

The Appliance Parts

The parts that are needed for Appliance Repair Lansing could also affect the overall cost of a repair service. In most cases, a homeowner will need to purchase a new part to get their appliance up and running again. The cost of the appliance parts usually varies based on the type of home appliance, the brand, and the part to be fixed.

Gas or Electric

Generally speaking, gas-powered household appliances such as fireplaces, stoves, refrigerators, and heaters are relatively more expensive to fix compared to electrical appliances. If you are repairing a gas-powered appliance and taking into account the expenses that are associated with a newer model, be sure to consider this aspect. Gas-powered appliances are more expensive to repair for a reason; the risk of fires as well as carbon monoxide risks typically make gas appliance repairs more dangerous hence more costly.

The Type of Appliance

Different home appliances need different amounts of time to fix and, as a result, could cost more or less for labor. Here are the most common home repairs and their average costs.

1. Dryer and Washer Repairs

If your dryer and washer are no longer working, you will need to visit a laundry service. A prompt repair could aid in keeping your laundry routine convenient. Repairing a washing machine costs between $150 and $500 depending on the problem. Common problems with washing machines are drain clogs, leaking hoses, and broken or worn drive belts.

Dryer repair costs are comparable to washer repair costs. For an electric dryer, you should expect to pay anything between $100 and $400 for repair whereas a gas dryer would cost between $150 and $600. Common dryer problems are clogged vents, bad timer or thermostat, broken or worn belts, and faulty heating coils or fuses.

2. Refrigerator Repairs

A failing refrigerator could end up being an expensive prospect. Failure to have the problem sorted immediately could risk food spoilage. The average repair cost for freezer and refrigerator repairs ranges from $200 to $400. Common issues with freezers and refrigerators include broken icemaker, faulty compressor, broken evaporator fan motor, and a defective defroster motor.

3. Oven and Cooktop Repairs

Without an oven or a cooktop, your cooking possibilities are limited. The average repair cost for these appliances including labor and parts is usually between $100 and $300. A majority of issues with an oven or cooktop involve a single part and could be handled in less than one hour. Some of the common repairs, in this case, include broken igniter, faulty burner, malfunctioning heating element, failing temperature sensor or thermostat, and a broken door latch.

Repair versus Replacing

An honest appliance repair technician will inform you whether it is worthy to repair a household appliance compared to replacing it with a new appliance. Appliances usually have a lasting period after which they should be replaced. A refrigerator, for instance, that is eight years or older should be replaced. Similarly, if repairing a home appliance will cost more than half of what it will cost to buy a new one, it would be a smart choice to have the appliance replaced. And if your appliance has broken down more than once, it is obviously more cost effective to purchase a new one rather than continue repairing it. You might end up spending a fortune fixing an old appliance than you would if you bought a new replacement.