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.
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.
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.
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.
Freezer·Moderate·45–90 minutes·DIY $0–$150·Pro $150–$900
If the coils are clean, both fans run, the seal is good, the relay is fine and the compressor runs continuously without the cabinet getting cold, the fault is in the sealed system — low refrigerant, a restriction, or a failing compressor. That work legally requires EPA Section 608 certification and typically costs $400 to $900. Weigh that carefully: a new chest freezer starts around $250 and a new upright around $500, so on a unit over eight years old, replacement is very often the better call. Get a written quote before authorising sealed-system work.
Microwave·Easy·15–30 minutes·DIY $6–$40·Pro $150–$350
If arcing continues after a new waveguide cover, a clean cavity, and no metal present, the damage has reached the waveguide or the magnetron antenna cap. That is professional work — and on a countertop microwave costing $90 to $250 new, replacement almost always beats a $200 repair. Over-the-range and built-in units are worth having a technician assess. Any cavity with rust perforating the wall should be replaced rather than repaired, regardless of unit type, because a compromised cavity cannot contain microwave energy.
Wine Cooler·Moderate·30–75 minutes plus a 48-hour log·DIY $0–$70·Pro $150–$400
If the sensor checks out against the chart, the load and seal are right and the cabinet still swings widely, the control board is misreading or its relay is chattering, and that is a board-level diagnosis worth paying for rather than guessing at — boards for smaller wine cooler brands are frequently unavailable, which is itself worth knowing before you spend anything. On a compressor model that runs continuously without holding setpoint, the fault is in the sealed system and that work legally requires EPA Section 608 certification.
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