c/appliance-repairers

Remember when you could actually get a full service manual from the manufacturer for free?

I had to choose between hunting down a paper copy for a 1998 Maytag Neptune or paying $45 for a digital scan from a third-party site last week. Went with the scan, which saved me an hour of digging, but it just feels wrong compared to the old days of calling the 800 number and getting a real book mailed out. Anyone else miss that, or am I just getting old?

My old boss told me to never touch those new inverter fridges

He said the boards were impossible to diagnose and parts were a nightmare. That was five years ago. I just fixed a Samsung inverter fridge last month, found a bad thermistor with a $40 multimeter, and had it running in under an hour. The part was $22 online and arrived in two days. Now I see them all the time and they're just another appliance. Anyone else find that the 'scary' new tech from a few years back is actually pretty straightforward now?

Hot take: I fought a Samsung ice maker for three hours yesterday and lost.

It was a model RF28R7351SG, and the auger motor just quit mid-cycle, leaving a full bin of cubes. I swapped the motor with a new one, but now it's making a grinding noise and won't eject. Has anyone else had this specific auger motor replacement go sideways?

Had to choose between a new diagnostic computer or a full set of old school manuals

The shop was making enough to upgrade, so I picked the manuals because I still trust my own eyes and hands more than a screen. It cost about $1,200 for the full set, but now I can fix a 1990s dryer without needing a software update. Do you think I'm just being stubborn, or is there still a real place for paper schematics?

A job in a 1920s apartment building in Boston made me rethink how I handle old wiring. Do you always replace it or try to patch it up?

That one call for a fridge in the old brick apartments on Maple Street

Got a call for a fridge not cooling in a building from the 1940s, and the whole access panel was rusted shut. Ended up having to carefully drill out three screws just to get to the condenser coil, which was packed with what looked like decades of dust. Has anyone else had to deal with a repair where the building itself was the biggest obstacle?

How a clogged dishwasher filter shifted my repair confidence

My dishwasher began making an awful gurgling noise during the drain cycle. With three kids, it runs daily, so I feared a big repair. I used to think only pros should touch the pump. After finding an online guide, I checked the drain filter. It was full of food bits from our busy kitchen. I rinsed it clean and put it back. The noise vanished, and the machine works like new. This small win made me rethink what I can handle on my own.

My brother's 'quick fix' cost me a whole weekend redoing it.

He tried to repair his oven without telling me and messed up the wiring. I had to spend my whole weekend fixing his mistake. How do you deal with family members who complicate repairs?

That moment when testing a start relay with a multimeter clicked for me

I was troubleshooting a refrigerator that ran constantly but stayed warm. My first thought was a sealed system issue, which meant a big job. On a whim, I decided to test the start relay with my multimeter set to ohms. I got a reading that showed it was completely dead, not just weak. Replacing it took two minutes, and the fridge kicked on cold immediately. I had always assumed relays either worked or didn't, but this taught me to test them first every single time. It's such a fast diagnosis that avoids so much unnecessary work. Now I explain this to customers to help them understand the fix. This little tip has made my service calls way more efficient!

My last job made me question digital diagnostics over hands-on checks

Software fans argue speed, but old school methods catch what screens miss.

Just realized popping pain meds before heavy lifts is dumb

Everyone on my crew swears by taking something for the ache before hauling washers or dryers. I used to do it too, thinking it helped me push through. But after my stomach got messed up from too many pills, I had to rethink. Now I focus on proper form and rest breaks instead. Tbh, masking pain just leads to bigger injuries down the line.

Hot take: I fixed a dryer by telling the owner to use it less

Had a customer who kept calling about their dryer overheating. Instead of selling them a new heating element, I asked about their habits. Turns out, they were running huge loads back to back without letting it cool down. I told them to space out loads and clean the lint trap every time. It worked perfectly after that. Maybe we focus too much on parts and not enough on how people use their stuff.

Loose gas valves showing up on stoves in my part of town

I was on a repair job in the Oakwood area and found a stove with a loose gas valve. Then I found two more just like it on other calls this month! This is scary because it can lead to gas leaks. I talked to a few other repairers, and they've seen the same thing. We think a local supplier might have sent out a bad batch of parts. Always give gas connections an extra tighten during your work. Let's help each other stay safe out there!