The Budget-Friendly Guide to Fixing Your Appliances
16th August 2021
It’s true, there isn't a home in the UK that runs smoothly and is in full working order all year round. A typical UK family, especially in the 21st century, is often chaotic, fast-paced, and spontaneous, which is why home maintenance and repairs are often way down at the bottom of the priority list. While every home deserves to be loved and cared for, the pressures and hurriedness of modern life can lead to broken appliances, structures, and the overall interior of your house being neglected.
If this sounds like you, and you’ve not had the time to find budget-friendly home maintenance and appliance repairs yourself, then read on. Here are 4 tips to show your home some love in an affordable and reliable way.
1. Check Your Warranties
When you buy an appliance, such as a dishwasher, fridge freezer, or washing machine, these items always come with a manufacturer’s guarantee or a warranty. Whether you bought the appliance online or from the high street, this guarantee is worth using as if it breaks down, the manufacturer must either repair the problem or replace it.
However, it’s always important to check the warranty, as if your appliance becomes faulty after the guarantee period, you will not be eligible for a free repair or replacement. For a general idea, manufacturer’s guarantees or warranties typically last for around 12 months.
If you have a faulty appliance but your guarantee has expired, you can invest in extended warranties. This gives you prolonged security to fix any problems that may arise in the coming months or years, leaving you with peace of mind that your appliance will be eligible for future repair.
There are many companies that also offer household appliance warranties that don’t just cover one single purchase. Instead, these agreements can cover many of the electrical items in your home that are susceptible to breakdowns over time. Household appliance warranties are also relatively cheaper than extended warranties, and they often cover older items that have already expired guarantees. This is a very valuable insurance to hold, as older appliances are much more likely to experience faults.
2. FIY: Fix It Yourself
Fixing household appliances yourself is one of the best ways to save money. There’s no extra cost of hiring a tradesperson, and sourcing a spare part for your appliance yourself can save you lots of extra cash. It’s also cheaper than purchasing a brand new item in replacement. Yes, FIY may take up a bit of extra time, but what are a few weekends building up your DIY skills to save you money in the long run?
There are many fix-it-yourself videos on the internet to help you with your project, too. A particular favourite is Dad, How Do I? It’s a wholesome YouTube channel created by a regular dad who had to step up and learn skills and trades when his own dad left him and his siblings when he was young. Full of advice, guidance, and instructions for hundreds of different FIY appliance fixtures, there’s always someone out there to help you with your project, even if they’re on the internet.
There’s also no better feeling than fixing something yourself. That sense of achievement and gratification is well worth sourcing the problem, reading up on the job, and actually completing it correctly.
3. Ask Around
Do you remember when your next-door neighbour’s TV developed a fault a few months ago? Do you remember them telling you how it got fixed in no time? OK, their dad might be an electrician, but you may not have known that had the telly not broken down.
Asking around is one of the best ways to source affordable and reliable repairs. From asking your friends and family if they know anyone who could help you fix your problem, to calling on your plumber best friend to help you out in exchange for a few beers, nothing good ever came from not speaking up and asking. You may find that there is someone who is willing to fix your appliance for a cheaper rate, simply just because they want to help. The phrase mate’s rates can sound like a dream if your hoover has decided to call it a day.
Searching locally is also a great way to support tradespeople in your community. The fact that you actively searched for someone local, rather than calling a manufacturer’s professional can sometimes come in your favour. Not only will they be grateful for your inquiry, but individual repairmen may also have cheaper rates compared to big companies. They also have a duty to be reliable as they need their services to be recommended throughout the rest of the community.
4. Alternatively, Replace
Unfortunately, not all appliances are repairable, and sometimes there’s no other option than to replace them. In some cases, however, it can be a cheaper option if you are constantly having to repair items.
For example, if your washing machine breaks down, and there are a variety of components that are faulty, it may cost more to replace or repair each part compared to replacing the whole appliance.
What’s more, if your appliance is more than 50% through its lifespan, and the cost of repair is over 50% of the cost of a brand new appliance, it’s more budget-friendly and reliable to replace than repair.
There’s no better feeling than living in a home that is well looked after. There’s also no better feeling than looking after your home in an affordable way. By taking note of these 4 home repair tips, you’ll be able to successfully create an environment that operates safely, securely, and effectively all year round.
If you require repairs or a new appliance and the amount isn’t manageable without spreading the costs, we offer a range of personal loans. Rather than showering in cold water for the next few weeks or being forced to pay for a short-term solution, we offer new boiler and boiler repairs loans. To upgrade appliances like washing machines, tumble dryers and dishwashers, we provide kitchen loans. Our home improvement loans can be used for general household appliances and electronics like a new vacuum cleaner or to fix a broken TV.