Your Best Guide To Common Appliance Questions In 2022

It’s no secret that appliances are an absolute necessity around the house just about anywhere you look. From the fridge which keeps your groceries cold, to the stove that keeps your kitchen functioning, and the washing machine that helps you clean dirty garments – your appliances are an undeniably important part of life at home.

However, just like anything else – appliances are bound to have problems arise over the years. And that’s why today we’ve decided to bring forward our definitive guide to common appliance problems and the various appliance questions that we see popping up on a regular basis.

Table of Contents

• What Are The Common Problems Of Appliances?
  • What Is The Most Common Cause Of Appliance Failure?
  • What Appliances Have The Most Problems?
  • Why Did My Appliance Stop Working?
• What Maintenance Do Appliances Need?
  • How Do You Maintain Electrical Appliances?
  • How Can I Make My Appliances Last?
  • Do Washing Machines Need Maintenance?
• Is It Worth It  To Fix An Appliance?
  • How Much Does It Cost To Fix An Appliance?
    • How Much Does It Cost To Fix A Dryer?
    • How Much Does It Cost To Fix A Dishwasher?
    • How Much Does It Cost To Fix A Washing Machine?
    • How Much Does It Cost To Repair A Refrigerator?
    • How Much Does It Cost To Fix A Stove / Oven?
• Closing Thoughts

Let’s get started!

What Are The Common Problems Of Appliances?

There’s a lot of ground to cover here. But the short answer is the most common appliance problems are related to wear and tear over time. 

From a garbage disposal motor that broke down, to a washing machine that doesn’t spin, and an insufficient refrigerator compressor – all of these problems and more are caused simply by the regular use of the appliance.

What Is The Most Common Cause Of Appliance Failure?

While wear and tear can’t be avoided, a lot of problems can be avoided, or at least minimized with very basic maintenance.

For example, cleaning the dryer exhaust ducting to prevent lint buildup which makes rollers and pulleys seize, or even making sure your fridge’s condenser coils are clean which helps your fridge dissipate heat.

What Appliances Have The Most Problems?

When it comes to appliances that fail frequently – the dishwasher and dryer take the crown. They are very maintenance dependent, and a lot of people are simply unaware they have to do anything about either appliance to keep it running smoothly.

Why Did My Appliance Stop Working?

Appliances break, but the cause behind the failure isn’t always obvious. Most cases where your appliances stop working have to do with a component or part that’s failed.

Not sure how to diagnose it? Let the professional appliance technicians at 604 Appliance Repair get it all figured out and repaired for you.

What Maintenance Do Appliances Need?

Now that we’ve mentioned maintenance a few times – let’s talk in detail about what sort of maintenance your appliances actually need.

The biggest maintenance your appliances will need is cleaning. You should always clean your appliance – especially any exhausts, and filters. 

How Do You Maintain Electrical Appliances?

Here’s a quick overview of what you’ll want to clean when it comes to your major household appliances:

How Can I Make My Appliances Last?

Follow the tips above and perform regular cleaning and maintenance on the accessible seals, filters, and other key components to help your appliance last a long time.

In short, a long life for an appliance is closely related to regular maintenance. And the lack of maintenance will eventually lead to things breaking down.

Do Washing Machines Need Maintenance?

One of the most common questions our appliance repair technicians in Coquitlam get asked is whether or not washers need maintenance.

The answer is – of course! 

General maintenance for a washing machine involves keeping an eye on the door gasket’s condition, making sure you don’t leave coins and other objects in your clothes when you wash them, and cleaning the drain filter out regularly to make sure you don’t run into a failed drain error.

Is It Worth It To Fix An Appliance?

Ahh – the age old question, is it worth it to fix an appliance? This is perhaps the most commonly discussed topic between our appliance repairmen and our clients. 

And we’re happy to report that in most cases – it’s worth it to fix an appliance that’s broken!

Here’s the rationale – if the repair for your appliance doesn’t exceed 60% of the cost of a new unit, it’s definitely financially sensible, and a good logical decision.

Another factor is the life expectancy of your appliance. The spruce reports that your appliance will last on average somewhere between 9-15 years. 

However, this is like a “best before date” on food, this type of ballpark doesn’t mean your appliance will break down and become unrepairable the moment it turns 10 years old. 

In fact, this is the usual span of time before the appliance has any major failure. And as we’ve already mentioned, many of these failures are relatively easy and inexpensive (compared to the cost of a new appliance) to fix.

Here are the average “ball-park” lifespans for your household appliances:

We frequently see a lot of appliances that have far surpassed their “average lifespan” and we were able to bring many of them back in action with relatively simple repairs and minor maintenance on the owner’s part. 

How Much Does It Cost To Fix An Appliance?

While the figures may differ from case to case – here’s a general guideline to the typical costs to repair common issues with major appliances.

Below, we’ve outlined the average cost of a new appliance:

Now that we’ve covered how much it costs to buy a new unit – let’s see how much it would cost to repair some common issues with different appliances?

How Much Does It Cost To Fix A Dryer?

First and foremost, let’s look at dryers – below, we’ve jotted down some of the most common problems, and a ballpark estimate of how much they might cost to fix in Canadian Dollars.

As you can see – in most cases, repairing your broken dryer is worthwhile and sensible. And in our experience, most issues tend to be on the lower end of the ballparks we quoted, with the exception of major repairs like a motor or control board replacement.

It’s fair to say that on average your bill with parts and labour included will run close to $300 between all of the options above. That’s only 25-30% of the cost of a new dryer. And when you consider the fact that you’ll be getting at least a few more years of life out of it, it’s easy to see why the repair makes sense.

Learn more about our dryer repair services here.

How Much Does It Cost To Fix A Dishwasher?

Compared to a washer or dryer, dishwashers are significantly cheaper. However, the parts and labour involved in repairing one are relatively level with both aforementioned appliances.

Here are some of the common dishwasher problems our technicians fix, and the average repair prices for them:

When it comes to gauging whether or not a dishwasher is worth repairing, the particulars of your model and installation are some of the most important factors you should assess. For example, if your dishwasher is the cheapest $700 model on the market, but it fits a very specific way in your kitchen’s cabinets – it might just be worth repairing if the next best option will run you $1,500 and all we’ve got to do is replace a wash pump.

Learn more about our Burquitlam dishwasher repair services here.

How Much Does It Cost To Fix A Washing Machine?

Washing machines are a little trickier to ballpark compared to a simple appliance like a dryer – but we’ve done our best to give you a similar rundown on the common problems and their average repair costs below.

Similarly to dryers, washing machines are usually worth fixing as the average repair cost ballparks around $300, which even covers some major repairs.

However, the ceiling on certain issues is much higher than it would be with a dryer. Here are 3 faulty components that are not worth repairing in a washing machine:

1. Drum support system – we typically replace the spider arm together with both drums, and it’s a very labour intensive job, requiring several hours of labour. This ends up costing more than a new unit in most cases.
2. Control boards – in some washers there are as many as 3 control boards, and especially with Whirlpool we often have to replace 2 of them at a time, this ends up costing close to $800 in parts alone, and even on high end washing machines that’s a hefty price to pay for repairing bad manufacturing quality.
3. Drum bearings – while on some brands it’s a relatively affordable repair, a broken drum bearing is often a sign that there are more issues to be addressed like a misaligned drum, or a warped shaft. These usually end up costing more than a new washing machine would.

Need a quick quote? Check our our washing machine repair service near you here.

How Much Does It Cost To Repair A Refrigerator?

A fridge is undeniably one of the most important appliances in any household. And it’s also one of the most expensive ones.

Here’s a quick overview of the most common issues refrigerators run into, and how much it would cost to repair them:

Given that the average cost of a fridge is $1,500-$5,000 and up – just about any repair your fridge might need will make sense in most cases. Especially with more modern fridges like Samsung and LG models with the in-door ice makers that cost upwards of $3,000 Canadian dollars.

Need help with a Fridge in Coquitlam? Learn more about our refrigerator repair service and prices.

How Much Does It Cost To Fix A Stove / Oven?

While stoves and ovens may seem pretty complicated at first, they’re actually relatively simple appliances to work on. Here’s a quick overview of their most common issues and the associated repair costs:

In the case of stoves and ovens, many of which have a comparable cost to a new refrigerator – the majority of common repairs are definitely worth your time and money. Especially since most stoves and ovens can easily run problem-free for 20-30 years.

Learn more about our stove repair and oven repair service here.

Closing Thoughts

And there you have it folks! Our definitive guide to the most common questions people ask about appliances – answered by our tried and true repair technicians.

Need help with an appliance? 604 Appliance repair will be happy to help you diagnose and repair your appliance quickly and affordably anywhere in Burquitlam, Coquitlam, Burnaby, Port Moody & other nearby areas.
Call us today or book online to set up a same or next day appointment with a trusted local appliance repair company near you.