Now and then, your Kenmore home appliances will go out of commission temporarily or permanently. When the device permanently breaks down, you have no other choice but to get a replacement. If the problem is temporary, you can either get a repair or a replacement for the appliance. Most times, the cheaper option is to repair. The average cost of repairs for Kenmore appliances doesn’t get up to the cost of purchasing a new one.
We need appliances such as the various models from Kenmore to make our days go smoothly. While we may do fine without these appliances, they make things a lot easier for us. As a result, we have become overly dependent on them. And when these appliances break down, the situation puts us in a rather uncomfortable condition.
That said, how do you go about getting your Kenmore appliance to work again when it’s on a fritz? Unless you’re a technician, a very hands-on DIY guru or Felix FIX-it, you want to get the professionals to do it for you. But that’ll come at a cost; they won’t fix your Kenmore appliance for you free of charge. Plus, you may have to purchase replacement parts and install them. So, how much will these repairs cost?
Average Per Hour Cost for Repairing a Kenmore Appliance
We’re discussing the cost of repair for Kenmore appliances in this post; however, this applies to all home appliances. Home appliance technicians don’t usually charge hourly rates like their counterparts in other professions. Instead, they mostly charge on a service basis and other factors.
However, there are situations where they may decide to charge hourly rates. Or, to make it easier for you to pay, they may break their fee down into hourly rates. So, depending on the overall amount the technician intends to charge you, the hourly rate can be any amount from $25 upward. But popular opinion indicates the average cost charged by technicians per hour for Kenmore appliance repairs generally ranges between 75$ to $150.
Interestingly, for most mild to average breakdowns, the technician should complete the repairs within an hour. But why are the average technician’s per hour charges so expensive? Most times, he’s able to finish the job in under an hour, but because he could finish the job quickly, it doesn’t mean the job was any easier.
Also, on some occasions, the technician may not be able to complete the repairs immediately. He may need to get replacement parts before returning to complete the repairs. You want to avoid paying a second service fee when the technician comes back to complete the job. Thus, you want to request for a project-based quotation from your technician rather than an hourly-based quotation for the repairs.
Related Article: Sears Appliance Repair Cost
Factors Influencing the Cost of Repair for Kenmore Appliances
Overall, a repair call may cost you around $275, including servicing and replacement parts charges. But that’s also dependent on other conditions. Various factors can also influence the cost of repairs for your Kenmore home appliances. Let’s take a look at some of them below.
The Power Source of your Kenmore Appliance
The fuel source for your unit will have a significant influence on the method and cost of its repairs. For example, electric water heaters often have a cheaper repair cost than gas water heaters. On the other hand, gas heaters cost more to repair because of the higher risk that comes with gas appliances.
For instance, a technician will be putting himself at a higher risk to fix a gas leak or fire hazard. With your electric appliances, he simply needs to make sure the unit is disconnected from its power source. Electric devices may have the more expensive parts. However, they’re easier to fix and attract fewer risks.
The Scale of the Repairs
The scale of the repairs is an obvious determiner of the cost of repairs for your appliances. If there’s physical damage to your Kenmore appliance, you can guess the cost of repairs from the looks of the damage. Generally, it’s common knowledge that the bigger the damage, the higher the price it attracts. The bigger the problem, the harder it is to take care of and the higher its cost.
Also, more extensive damages will take more time to repair than small ones. So, in case your technician is charging per hour, you should already know you’ll have to pay more. The more extensive the damage, the bigger the replacement part you may have to purchase.
The Accessibility of the Kenmore Appliance
The location or situation of the appliance you wish to repair also significantly impacts the repair cost. The job becomes a lot harder when the appliances are in hard-to-reach spots. This also applies when the components that require repairs are in tricky areas—for example, repairing the wiring for your devices or the lines to the air conditioner.
Availability of Spare Parts
If the repairs for your Kenmore appliance require the replacement of particular parts, that may cause a problem. Are the spare parts for your Kenmore appliances readily available in your local area? If they’re not, the technician will have to purchase it from out of town, and that’ll cost extra.
Or better still, technicians may help you get used appliance parts for the unit. Of course, the cost of the used appliance parts will depend mainly on the amount the owner is willing to sell them. Add all these with the actual service fee of the technician, and you’re attracting a large bill by the end of the repair process.
The Type and Functionality of the Appliance.
The model and functionality of your Kenmore have the most considerable influence on its cost of repairs. This is because each model has problems peculiar to them and different difficulty levels for tackling them. Then, there’s also the cost of replacement parts for each model. That said, let’s look at the different types of Kenmore appliances and how much their repairs cost.
Kenmore Microwave Repair Cost
Most Kenmore microwave models are relatively easy to repair, so their repairs don’t cost much. Also, their parts are easily obtainable in cities around Canada, so you shouldn’t have problems without finding replacement parts.
However, if we’re dealing with damage and not a breakdown, the severity of the damage will determine the price to a significant extent. Breakdowns are usually not as challenging to fix as damages. As such, they don’t cost as much. For a breakdown, you only need to find the cause of the problem and fix it. For damage, you’ll probably have to replace parts or knock things back into place.
If you’re dealing with a breakdown, the technician may charge you between $100 to $200. However, if you’re dealing with a breakdown, the cost can increase to $300. And in some situations, you may also want to consider replacing the unit altogether.
Cost of Kenmore Dishwasher Repair
On average, you’ll have to spend between $100 to $300 to repair your dishwasher. Minor repairs may cost less or be on the lower end of the range given above. Issues like damaged seals and springs will only cost between $70 to $120 to repair. Even with replacements, the cost shouldn’t rise beyond $150.
However, significant fixes involving parts such as the motor, control panel etc., are on the higher end of the cost range. This is because repairs to these parts are more complex and take longer to complete. Also, their replacement parts usually cost more. But luckily, Kenmore dishwashers have well-protected internal components. Therefore, situations of damage to such components are rare.
Kenmore Dryer Repair Cost
Belts break, motors failure, and drums coming off track are some of the common issues you may experience with your Kenmore dryer. To fix the problems like this, a technician will typically charge you between $100 to $200. The actual price will depend mainly on the type of Kenmore dryer you have. In some places, gas dryers cost more to repair than electric dryers.
Let’s not forget the degree of the repair the technician will carry out on the dryer. The more costly repairs are for damages to the heating elements of the dryers. But, repairs to parts such as the doors and bearing cost a lot less. A need for spare parts will increase the overall cost of the repairs and even the time to complete the repairs if the parts are not readily available.
Kenmore Washing machine Repair Cost
Appliance repair technicians across Canada typically charge between $150 and $300 for common problems with Kenmore washing machines. But for the less common issues, the price can vary significantly. Then again, the cost of spare parts (if the repairs required any) will also increase the overall cost significantly.
The model and size of your Kenmore washer will also influence how much to repair it. Naturally, the smaller the washing machine, the cheaper it’ll most likely cost to repair. Integrated washers cost the most to repair. Integrated washing machines can cost as much as $500 to repair due to the time and effort it takes to complete their repairs.
Kenmore Refrigerator Repair Cost
Given the size of most refrigerators plus the complexity of their components, the cost of their repairs will always be on the high side. That said, you want to budget close to $500 for repairing your Kenmore refrigerators. The general average price to repair Kenmore refrigerator units and other similar appliances in Canada ranges from $200 to $500.
Repair activities such as condenser coil cleaning or fan replacement are lower in the price scale. However, you should expect to break out the big bucks when the breakdown problem is with the control panel or compressor.
Also, It takes longer to repair most refrigerator faults. On average, the technician may take two to three hours to identify and fix the fault with your refrigerator. You should also factor the cost of replacement parts for the fridge into the calculation. A rough estimate puts you well within the range stated above.
Should I Repair or Replace My Kenmore Appliance?
There will always be times when you need to let go of your Kenmore appliance for a new one. However, many people fail to realize or notice when such times come. Instead, they stick with the same old machine and spend a lot of money on repairs for it. But how do you know if you should continue repairing your Kenmore appliance or go for a new one?
A good rule is to consider the appliance’s age when deciding whether to repair or replace it. If the machine is less than seven years old, then fixing it is not a bad idea. If the device is between 7 and 14 years old, it’ll be more of a hit-or-miss situation. At this point, if you can afford it, go ahead and replace the appliance. However, if the device is over 14 years old, you should absolutely look to replace it.
You also want to consider the efficiency and productivity of the device when deciding to repair or replace it. The efficiency is easy to determine for electric appliances. Just check if the appliances are running up your electricity bill; if they’re, you want to change them. You may also try the same logic for appliances with other fuel sources. Are they consuming more fuel than normal? If they’re, then it’s time to replace them with more fuel-efficient models.
Related Article: Electrolux Appliance Repair Cost
Final Thoughts
The cost of repairs for your Kenmore appliances will depend primarily on how much the technician decides to charge. The cost varies from technician to technician. Also, you want to note that the technician offering the lowest price may not be the best. So, always be on the lookout for the best value for money, not just the cheapest option.
Get a technician to give a more accurate quotation of the cost of repairs for your Kenmore appliances. Need a technician to help out? We have you covered. Prime Appliance Repair can provide expert technicians who have experience with Kenmore appliances. They’ll help you figure out what’s wrong with your devices and also repair them for you.
