Refrigerator·Moderate·45–90 minutes·DIY $0–$150·Pro $150–$900
If the coils are clean, both fans run, the defrost circuit tests good and the compressor runs continuously without the evaporator ever getting cold, you are looking at the sealed system — a low refrigerant charge, a restriction in the capillary tube, or a compressor that has lost compression. Telltale signs are a suction line that never gets cold to the touch, frost on only the first few inches of the evaporator, or an oily residue around a weld joint. Opening that system legally requires EPA Section 608 certification and recovery equipment, so it is not a DIY repair. Expect $400–$900, and get that quote before committing on a unit over ten years old.
Freezer·Moderate·45–90 minutes plus a 24-hour defrost·DIY $15–$150·Pro $150–$450
If the heater, thermostat and drain all check out and the coil still ices over, the control board is not commanding a defrost cycle, and that is a board diagnosis worth paying for rather than guessing at. Call a professional immediately, and do not run the unit, if you find an oily residue anywhere on the evaporator or the tubing — that indicates a refrigerant leak, and sealed-system repair legally requires EPA Section 608 certification. On a chest or upright freezer over ten years old, get the sealed-system quote before assuming repair is the right call.
Dishwasher·Easy·30–60 minutes·DIY $0–$70·Pro $120–$400
If the filter, arms and inlet are all clear, the fill level and water temperature are correct, and the machine still leaves food on the dishes, the wash pump or its diverter valve is the likely fault — and on machines that route water between the upper and lower arms with a motorised diverter, a failed diverter starves one rack while the other cleans normally. Diagnosing that properly means running the service test cycle, which is worth paying for rather than replacing pumps on a guess. Grinding from the pump, or a burnt smell during the wash phase, means stop using the machine and get it looked at.
Washer·Moderate·45–90 minutes·DIY $0–$130·Pro $150–$400
If the drain path is completely clear, the pump impeller turns freely, and the pump is still silent when the machine calls for drain, the fault is in the wiring harness, the motor control or the main board — and boards run $150–$400, are rarely returnable once fitted, and are not worth buying on a guess. A burnt-plastic smell from the pump area means the motor has failed and, more importantly, that something ran it stalled for a long time, so find the obstruction before fitting the new part. Water backing up out of the standpipe is a plumbing job, not an appliance repair.
Dryer·Moderate·45–120 minutes·DIY $5–$70·Pro $150–$400
On a gas dryer, anything past swapping the igniter, flame sensor or valve coils — adjusting the burner, opening the gas valve body, or touching the supply line — is licensed trade work in most jurisdictions and should not be attempted at home. On an electric dryer, get an electrician rather than an appliance technician if the outlet, cord or terminal block shows scorching, if a leg of the 240-volt supply is genuinely missing, or if the breaker trips the moment the element energises. And if every heating component tests good but the element still never gets power, the fault is in the timer or the control board — a diagnosis worth paying for rather than guessing at.
Wine Cooler·Moderate·30–75 minutes·DIY $0–$120·Pro $150–$600
On a compressor wine cooler, if the coils are clean, the fans run, the seal is good and the compressor runs continuously without cooling, the fault is in the sealed system — and that work requires EPA Section 608 certification. Get the quote before authorising it: sealed-system repair often runs $300 to $600 against a replacement cooler at $200 to $800 for typical undercounter sizes, so the maths frequently favours replacement. Control board faults on either type should be confirmed by measurement rather than bought on a guess.
Microwave·Advanced·15–30 minutes for safe checks·DIY $0·Pro $150–$400
Call a technician for anything past the door latch. Magnetrons, high-voltage capacitors, diodes and transformers are all professional work, not because the parts are complicated but because the stored charge in that capacitor is genuinely dangerous. A technician will also verify the door seals and check for microwave leakage after any repair, which matters and which you cannot do without a survey meter. If your microwave is over-the-range or built in, get a quote — those are worth repairing. If it is a countertop unit, price a replacement first.
Refrigerator·Moderate·30–90 minutes·DIY $0–$80·Pro $150–$400
If the leak is coming from the sealed system — an oily residue around a weld joint, or frost forming on the suction line — stop. That is refrigerant, and repairing it requires EPA Section 608 certification and recovery equipment. Likewise, if you have cleared the drain twice and it keeps freezing solid, the defrost heater or defrost thermostat is failing and the whole defrost circuit needs testing.
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