Home Maintenance: Appliance Repair

One part of your home that most homeowners never consider -- until something goes wrong -- are the appliances. Unless you're doing a major kitchen renovation, you'll likely never have to think about replacing your appliances either.

But when they break... then you know it's time to find some help. I wanted to provide some information for you for the next time something goes wrong with your refrigerator, freezer, oven, microwave, washer, dryer -- well, you name it. Any appliance in your home, whenever it breaks, can be huge inconvenience for anyone.

The question is - Do You Fix It or Buy a New One?

And it can be a massive expense to simply replace the item. New appliances can cost a lot -- and in most cases, it can be cheaper to have the appliance repaired than to buy a completely new unit. You could take a chance on buying a used appliance but you could end up inheriting someone else's problems, too.

Are You a Do-It-Yourselfer?

If you're good with your hands, tools, and you're not afraid to tackle appliance repair on your own then I've got the perfect tool for you. I've found an online forum that can help you fix your busted appliance. The site is a forum where you can get free advice on appliance repair - Free Appliance Repair Advice. They have individual categories for each major appliance listed in the forum. You can post a question on your particular appliance and get a response from a professional service technician.

Whenever you have a problem with your home appliance, you can describe the situation and hopefully get help to fix it on your own. This can save a ton of money in repair fees. Make sure you check through your paperwork so that you don't void any warranties -- but usually the appliance doesn't break down until the warranty is up. Right?

Make sure you give your specific brand and model number whenever you post any questions. That way the service tech answering you can provide more precise and accurate information. Make sure to check before you make a post on whether the appliance is electric, gas, or oil-powered as well. The more details others have, the easier is will be to help.

If it turns out you can fix the appliance on your own, you can also order parts from the company that hosts the forum.

Afraid to Try Appliance Repairs?

If you'd like to talk to a professional about repairing your appliance, consider submitting your request to ConstructionDeal.com. It's a fast and easy service where you can get 4 free quotes from Appliance Repair pros.

For those of you without tools or strong mechanical ability, you can post your appliance repair project with us. Companies that specialize in fixing major appliances will see your request and contact you directly. It's a free service to find a local appliance repair specialist.

So whether you've got great mechanical repair abilities and want to fix it yourself or you'd rather leave it to the professionals - consider appliance repair before you run out to buy a new one. It could save you a lot of money and keep you going until the next appliance stops working for you!

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The Latest Kitchen Remodeling Trend

According to the Washington Post's article on 'The Hot and the Not' in home remodeling, the hot stainless steel appliance trend is on the way out.

The author of the book 1,001 Tips for Buying and Selling a Home Mark Nash interviewed hundreds of real estate agents and the results were surprising.

The remarks about stainless steel appliances stuck out the most with me. Besides wanting a granite countertop, the next most requested item for any kitchen remodel is usually the gleaming silver, industrial look from those appliances. There is apparently a negative backlash to the stainless steel surface from many potential homeowners.

As much as people "love the look" of various additions to a remodeling project, it always seems to come back to function and maintenance. If it looks great but is hard to maintain, it can quickly fall out of favor. This may be what's happening with stainless steel. The surface is easily marred with fingerprints, especially in a heavily-used kitchen or a house with one or more children or even pets. Keeping something clean will eventually outweigh the value of the pure aesthetic appeal of almost any new product.

The author received a lot of feedback from real estate agents, "I'm hearing people say, 'I'm tired of it,' " Nash said. "They say: 'I don't have time to polish it. I have kids. I have dogs. It's too high maintenance.' "

While stainless steel appliances in the kitchen might still seem like a great idea for your kitchen renovation project, consider what the value of those items will mean to potential buyers in 5 to 10 years. Many of the those buyers may have already had steel appliances in their homes and are fed up with them. Think of some of the "hot" kitchen trends from as recently as the 90's -- many of those have fallen out of favor and are being replaced in today's modern kitchens.

Many of the agents, however, did say that stainless steel appliances are still a big item. They provide a "wow" factor and can still sell homes. Many love the neutral look they give to any style of kitchen - whether it's a sleek Contemporary kitchen or a French Country kitchen. One agent said, "'People here walk in and see that stainless steel, and it dazzles them,'"

I think it's important to weigh your options and your needs when it comes to deciding how best to renovate your kitchen. For you, having those gleaming steel appliance surfaces is worth a little extra elbow grease to keep them looking great.

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If you're interested in updating your kitchen and talking with a professional kitchen design company, post your request with ConstructionDeal.com. It's a fast, free and easy way to find a local kitchen company. Simply list your project details and kitchen experts will call you - no more looking up companies in the yellow pages and calling them at random! That saves you time.

And you'll get four quotes - usually in minutes. This gives you multiple bids. Many bids can mean you'll get the best pricing options. That saves you money.

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