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.
Oven & Range·Moderate·45–90 minutes plus preheat time·DIY $0–$80·Pro $150–$400
If the elements test good, the sensor matches its chart, the door seals and the oven still cannot hold a steady temperature, the relays on the control board that switch the elements are the usual remaining suspect — and a board is worth having confirmed by measurement before you buy one, since they run $150–$400 and are rarely returnable once fitted. On a gas oven, uneven baking that comes from a partially blocked burner tube, an incorrect orifice, or a burner that lights unevenly along its length is licensed trade work; a yellow, lifting or lazy flame in particular should be looked at by a qualified technician rather than adjusted at home.
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·20–60 minutes·DIY $0–$80·Pro $150–$350
If the drain path is clear end to end and the pump hums without moving water, the drain pump needs replacing — a $60–$150 part that is a moderate DIY job on some models and a machine-out, tip-it-over job on others. If the pump is completely silent during a forced drain and you have confirmed power at the machine, the control board is not commanding it, and that is a diagnosis worth paying for. A drain line that backs up into the sink as well as the dishwasher is a plumbing problem.
Washer·Moderate·30–90 minutes·DIY $0–$120·Pro $150–$600
If the belt, coupler, lid switch and actuator all check out, the fault is in the motor, the motor control board, or the transmission. Motor control boards run $150–$350 in parts and transmission work on a top-loader often costs more than the machine is worth. A grinding or scraping sound during what spin you do get usually means the tub bearing has failed, which on most front-loaders requires splitting the outer tub — a repair that routinely runs $400–$600 and is frequently not worth doing on a machine over eight years old.
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