Appliance repair guides

The model number is the key to everything. It determines which parts fit, whether the appliance is still supported, and whether a technician can bring the right component on the first visit. It's on a data plate — inside the door frame, behind the kick plate, or on the back panel depending on the machine. Photograph it and keep it.

Error codes are worth writing down exactly. Two codes that differ by one character can mean completely different failures, and a technician who hears the right code can often price the job over the phone.

Some checks are genuinely safe and can save you a service call: cleaning a dishwasher filter, clearing a dryer lint trap and vent, checking that a washer's drain hose isn't kinked, confirming the appliance is actually getting power. These account for a real share of "broken" appliances.

The hard boundary: never work on gas lines or sealed refrigerant systems. Gas oven repair is professional work, and published safety guidance is that natural gas should only be turned back on by a professional. Sealed refrigeration systems require certified handling of refrigerant, and that repair runs $800–$1,200 for good reason. Getting either wrong is not a money problem.

If you buy your own part, know what you give up. Many technicians won't warranty labor on a customer-supplied part, and if the part turns out to be the wrong diagnosis you've bought something non-returnable. Given diagnostic fees of $35–$120, paying for the diagnosis first is usually the cheaper path.

How to choose

Photograph the data plate today

Model and serial number for every major appliance, saved in your phone. It pays for itself the first time something fails.

Write the error code down character by character

Close isn't good enough. Codes are how a technician prices a job before driving out.

Unplug before you open anything

And for anything hardwired or gas-connected, stop and call a professional instead.

Do the free checks first

Filters, vents, hoses, power. A meaningful share of service calls are one of those four.

Don't supply your own parts unless you're sure

It often voids the labor warranty, and a wrong part on a wrong diagnosis is money gone.