Appliances play crucial roles in everyone’s day to day activities. These gadgets (be it electric or gas) help homeowners to complete various tasks, including cooking, washing, and cleaning. They help to improve efficiency by saving time, cost, and energy. It is easy to overlook the importance of their roles in various homes. However, their significance becomes apparent when they become faulty and require repairs. This guide provides a walkthrough on everything there is to know about appliance repairs in Canada – ideal for Canadians and those interested in comparing repairs in this country to theirs.
Most people are quick to discard their appliances when they no longer function properly. And therein lies the question: is it worth repairing these gadgets or not? Surprisingly, many of these appliances do not cost much in repairs and could still serve a household for several years to come. Sometimes, all it may take is to replace the compressor in a refrigerator or get a new expansion valve for a faulty air conditioner. Other times, repairs may cost much more, but not up to the price of getting a new appliance.
Why Not Get A New Appliance?
According to a data analysis by Statistics Canada, the average household expenditure on home appliances increased from $450 per annum in 2013 to $554 in 2017. With this high rate of purchases, it is uncommon to find many homeowners stuck with tons of faulty gas and electrical appliances, thereby increasing the cost of repairs. It becomes an undesirable loop when such people purchase new gadgets with hopes of replacing old or faulty ones. The sole problem lies in the quality of the machines they buy from the retail stores.
If the appliance is of high quality and later develops a fault, then repair would be the ideal call – provided that the cost does not rally around or exceed the price of a new appliance. Based on a report from the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC.ca), 92% of residents preferably replace a household appliance with high repair costs. 58% would not spend over $300 in repairs on a domestic gadget worth $1,000.
What Is the Average Cost of Repairs?
The cost of repairing an appliance depends on the type, availability of component replacements, warranty, among others. Additionally, if the gadget regularly breaks down after repairs, then getting a new one would be ideal. In Canada, the average cost of repairing home appliances sits at $220; although, residents are known to spend anywhere around $135 to $300. Many of the repair costs come in hourly rates, which range from $130 to $260. The prices also apply to repairs completed below the one-hour timeframe, which implies that if the hourly rate is $150 per hour, an appliance repair expert would still charge the same amount ($150) for a job he completed in 45 minutes.
Homeowners are to repair all their broken or faulty gadgets at once, to save time and money. Some repairs come with service fees – the cost of visiting the individual’s home. Therefore, get extensive detail of what is included in the payment before hiring such services.
Factors That Affect Repair Cost
Type of Appliance
Most home appliances are of two types: gas and electric. The former comes with a higher cost of repairs than the latter, which stems from the fact that there are more risks involved in repairing such appliances. Although electric gadgets cost more money – in terms of electricity bills – to operate, they are simple and straightforward to repair; hence, their low costs.
Accessibility of Replacement Parts
Not all appliances have parts that are easy to come by; some require more time, effort, and money to find – this mostly applies to gadgets of lesser-known brands. Thus, the cost of repair may vary from one appliance to another, even though they fall within the same category, for example, dishwasher.
Appliance Layout
Some household appliances have easy-to-reach damaged areas than others due to their layouts and components. Such items would be easier to fix, costing less than their more complex and intricate counterparts. These are factors that a homeowner should consider before repairing an appliance.
Warranty
Product warranty comes in handy when fixing a broken home appliance. Some warranties cover the entire cost of repair, while others come with discounted rates. Extended warranties are essential, especially for large home appliances, such as wall ovens, refrigerators, laundry machines, and stoves.
However, smaller appliances do not require an extended warranty, as they have a low maintenance cost. Many modern household machines come with more expensive parts that may ramp up the cost of repairs. Nevertheless, they are more efficient in the long run.
Inquiries to Make Before Hiring an Appliance Repair Professional
Some questions are worth asking as they provide a general idea of the convenience, cost, and outcome an appliance repair service offers.
- What payment option do they accept?
- How many clients have they worked with previously, and what is the success rate?
- Is there a written guarantee that comes with their services?
- Who takes care of accidental damages that may arise during repairs?
In return, the appliance repair professional should also ask or get relevant information from the client regarding the appliance. In the absence of inquiries from such an individual, kindly check out another professional.
Home Appliances and Their Costs
Refrigerator
There are some common issues homeowners face when using their refrigerators. Some of these include non-functional ice maker, faulty compressor, and incessant noise from its components. For example, ice makers that are no longer functional may require a repair cost of up to $330. Contrastingly, compressor replacement may fall between $50 and $300, depending on the model. Generally, the appliance repair professional may fix noisy refrigerators for $50, but such an amount can skyrocket to a price range of $100 to $200 if it stems from the defroster.
Oven
Oven repairs can range from replacing the burner to changing the wiring or element. Repairs can cost anywhere between $130 and $260, depending on the degree of damage.
Dryer
Common problems a gas dryer may pose include overheating, drum-related issues resulting from a broken belt, and faulty thermostat. The average cost for fixing these faults range from $130 to $500.
Washing Machine
Repairing a damaged washing machine can cost between $155 and $600, depending on the type of fault it has. Problems associated with this home appliance include wobbling, underfilling, leaking, standing water, worn-out drive belts, mechanical failures, and many more.
