Home repairs

[Bill of Rights]

OK, so... the day after Christmas, I get a text from 7th Stepper to the effect that the dryer no longer works. Great. I find out the light still comes on, but when you click "start", all that happens is that it clicks, like the timer running.

OK, so I get home the next morning and check it out... Sure enough, just as reported. No doubt in my mind, but I wanted to see it for myself. Hello, internet! So I pull the dryer out of it's "pocket", unplug it, and take off the back cover, get out my handy dandy little meter and check... yep. Thermal fuse. Call the local appliance parts place and get quoted $16 and change, plus tax. Look online, find the part, less than $5.00 with free shipping if I want to wait until like Jan. 10 or so. Two-day shipping: $34 and change.
Expedited shipping: ~$17. I have a $6.00 credit with Amazon, so I use that. The part arrived today and I had it installed within about 10 minutes.

Total cost: $11.00

I asked a buddy of mine who recently had to have some appliance repair done what he guessed that would have cost me. Granted, it's not his profession and he isn't speaking from anything but anecdotal information, but his guess, based on service call, a half hour to an hour of time, and parts, probably $150.00

Total savings: $139.00

Now I just have to fix the fridge and stop the water waste from a leaky toilet.

It never stops, but it sure is nice to be able to save some cash SOMEtimes.

Blessings,
Bill

 

[PapaScout]

Very nice. I love saving money by doing a little on my own, too. That'll buy a good quantity of ammo for your next shoot.

 

[churchmouse]

Fortunately I am a "Jack of all trades" Hvac tech by trade so any heating, cooling,electrical or plumbing issues are right up my alley. I am a base line carpenter due to having friends that are top shelf nail drivers so I learned from them. My hobby is Drag racing so having built my own cars for years I have the knowledge to work on or at least diagnose my trucks, cars etc. That said, I have no idea how folks survive when paying for everything that goes wrong. Bill of rights is correct, it just never stops.

 

[Kitty]

Congrats on your success! The dryer LIVES!

 

[Mr Evilwrench]

I kept a dryer alive for 18 years, wheezing and limping as it was at the end. I replaced the timer twice and several of those thermal fuses. It's not so hard. I just wouldn't leave the house while it was running anymore. Tries the nerves.

 

[acersbull]

I dont think there is anything I own that I havent worked on. I just dont understand the reasoning some people have of picking up the phone when something is broke.
If I dont know what's wrong with it, " I dont care if it's a nuclear reactor" I will at least tinker with it and try to see whats wrong....Heck it's already broke all you can do is break it more.

 

[hornadylnl]

My problem is that my wife takes all the many thousands we save by me fixing it for granted. When I need $150 of parts for the car, she freaks out. She has no idea how many hundreds a mechanic would charge for the same repair. She doesn't understand why I spend so much on tools. Invariably, when I buy a tool "I don't need", I use it to fix something for her.

 

[woowoo2]

My wife has realized she will never get a new stove.....
I keep fixing her old one.

 

[hornadylnl]

My wife has realized she will never get a new stove.....
I keep fixing her old one.

At the rate of use of my stove, it ought to last another 100 years.

 

[eric001]

At the rate of use of my stove, it ought to last another 100 years.

Just think of it as time, effort, and money saved not doing repairs on the stove in question. And if that doesn't brighten your day, try mentally converting $$ saved into potential $$ for guns and ammo--that ought to do the trick! Happy shooting!!!

 

[littletommy]

I met my wife by repairing her washing machine. She was my ex wifes cousins sister in law, so I knew who she was. I brought my kids over to her house for a cook out, and she said her washer was about to die, so I fixed it, and we got married later that year. Still married after 6 years, but got a new washer and dryer about 2 years ago.

 

[cbseniour]

And I thought I was cheep, go buy the part and install it. You are already saving a service call charge.
If your wife is anything like mine making her wait will only irritate her. If you fix it right and right away you just may get lucky tonight.

 

[Indy_Guy_77]

Oh how I wish I could fix things... *sigh*

-J-

 

[eldirector]

Until my sister married an actual appliance repair man, I was the family handyman. Still am, I guess. I'd rather have the satisfaction of doing it right and saving the money, than hiring it out.

That said, I've been hiring out a lot more since my girl was born. Time is worth more than money right now.

Reminds me.... Gotta fix the kitchen sink. Another "not hard, just time consuming and annoying" job!

 

[Stschil]

Just think of it as time, effort, and money saved not doing repairs on the stove in question. And if that doesn't brighten your day, try mentally converting $$ saved into potential $$ for guns and ammo--that ought to do the trick! Happy shooting!!!

Oh contrair, in the mean time, they've burned through two microwaves and had to replace two set of tires picking up Chinese take out and pizza hut.

 

[churchmouse]

My problem is that my wife takes all the many thousands we save by me fixing it for granted. When I need $150 of parts for the car, she freaks out. She has no idea how many hundreds a mechanic would charge for the same repair. She doesn't understand why I spend so much on tools. Invariably, when I buy a tool "I don't need", I use it to fix something for her.

I work with guys who suffer that same thing only they do not have the right tools for our work. Old broken junk butt tools. I ask what they are thinking and they say the wife will not let them spend any money on new tools. Just freaking nuts. Not slamming you in any way but sometimes I feel so blessed to have my wife. She gets it.