Self-repair is by far the most economical solution to saving your household appliances.
It often costs less than €50 when a part needs to be replaced.
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For example, if your refrigerator no longer produces enough cold, ordering on the Spareka platform and changing the defective element yourself will cost you €33.
By comparison, a home repair is billed on average €120, according to Ademe.
This explains why self-repair is increasingly practiced by the French.
The tutorials posted on the Spareka site are viewed by 2 million people every month.
These are the household appliances that people repair the most themselves, in more than one in two cases, according to figures from Ademe (with, in mind, the toaster).
On the other hand, self-repair remains in the minority on equipment with a strong electronic component, which is more complex and more fragile.
It represents only 32% of interventions on smartphones, 41% on computers, 42% on tablets and 37% on televisions.
Extend your garden tools
Leroymerlin website.
spareka.fr, created by the two partner brands, offers you spare parts for gardening equipment from major brands sold by Leroy Merlin: Bosch mowers, Ryobi hedge trimmers, Nilfisk cleaners, etc.
Read the instructions carefully
“
The majority of breakdowns are due to improper use or lack of maintenance.
You have to run your washing machine at 90°C once a month to fight against tartar
,
which is rarely respected
, ”recalls Aurélie Fircowicz, marketing director of Murfy.
The 2022 Fnac-Darty after-sales service barometer shows that 47% of repairs are carried out without it being necessary to replace defective parts.
Many problems can be solved in 10 minutes.
The solutions are often found in the manuals of the devices, which consumers do not always take note of.
Among the most common sources of failure:
The forgotten coin in a trouser pocket that lands in the washing machine pump and blocks the propeller, thus preventing the appliance from emptying.
All you have to do is open the hatch at the bottom of the machine to get out and clean the filter.
Residual water at the bottom of the dishwasher is the result of a clogged filter, the cleaning of which, which must be done regularly, has been neglected.
Blocking of the oven or hob is often due to inadvertent activation of the child lock, when the user has pressed several buttons at the same time.
Improper installation of devices can also be the cause of malfunctions.
“
The drain pipe of a washing machine that is badly connected or at an incorrect height is enough to cause a breakdown
,” notes Laurent Falconieri.
Diagnose
The first step in self-repair is therefore to find the origin of the breakdown.
Many tools available on the Internet can help you: DIY forums, decision trees in the form of "chatbots" (an artificial intelligence dialogues with you and asks questions about the problem encountered to guide you towards a diagnosis), videos from sale of spare parts, etc.
In 80% of cases, these resources will be effective in finding out where the problem is coming from.
But if you encounter difficulties, you can also be assisted remotely by a technician.
After making an appointment online, he will guide you in video using the camera of your computer or smartphone.
Find the spare part
The difficulties arise when you have identified the origin of the breakdown and you need a spare part.
Even if many sites now sell it directly to the general public, it is not easy to navigate because there are millions of references.
Some manufacturers manage their spare parts shop online (such as Electrolux, Beko, Whirlpool, etc.)
Where to find spare parts ? | |
General websites | spareka.co.uk |
werepair.fr | |
misterpieces.com | |
mespiecesdetachees.com | |
adepem.com | |
sos-accessory.com | |
sosav.fr | |
Websites specializing in household appliances | 1001pieces.com |
npm.fr | |
planetrepair.fr | |
lesitedelapiece.com | |
Sites specializing in batteries | portablebattery.com |
battery.co.uk |
When this is not the case, you will have to turn to specialized shops or sales sites.
Obviously, if your device is recent and its brand known, you will have a better chance of finding what you are looking for.
“
Similarly, it is easier to obtain parts for appliances manufactured in Europe and Turkey than in Asia.
In the latter case, the cost of transport burdens the economic profitability of the repair
”, specifies Olivier de Montlivault, founder and director of SOS Accessory, leader in France on the spare parts market.
Sometimes you have to be patient or contact the site's customer service to find the item you need.
You must enter the model, or even the serial number (or technical reference) of your device, the trade name is often insufficient.
This information is listed on the
nameplate
or under the label of your device under the mentions of the model, type, reference, PNR, PNC, E-Nr, etc., depending on the brand.
This plate can be affixed under or on the back of small household appliances, inside the refrigerator at the level of the vegetable drawer, on the door of the washing machine...
Some parts are suitable for several models, sometimes of different brands.
“
The mechanical elements are fairly easy to access, because they are the same ones that are used for several generations of devices.
When a customer searches for a part on our site and there is an equivalence, it is offered to him by our search engine.
It is much more complicated to find components for multimedia or high-tech equipment.
They are very expensive, concern devices with a short lifespan and come mostly from China
,” continues Olivier de Montlivault.
If the part is not suitable, Spareka and SOS Accessory will take it back and reimburse you.
However, self-healing has its limits.
“
3% of the spare parts are no longer available because the device is too old, low-end or impossible to disassemble
,” notes Aurélie Fircowicz.
"
Repairing yourself is not as easy as some videos suggest
," says Laurent Falconieri.
Pay attention to safety
The magnetrons of microwave ovens, carrying a potential of very high electrical voltage, are not sold to the general public.
adobe-stock
A third of breakdowns require the trip of a technician, especially when there is a risk to the safety of people.
Some spare parts are not sold to the general public, such as the magnetrons of microwave ovens, which carry a potential of very high electrical voltage even when the device is unplugged, or the refrigeration circuits of refrigerators, which require authorization to be manipulated.
Another pitfall, the electronic cards that equip most devices are sold blank and must be programmed by a technician approved by the brand.
A way for some manufacturers to lock access to their spare parts to preserve their margins.
SOS Accessory is the only one to have authorizations from many manufacturers to program their cards, with the exception of those of Miele appliances, which are more complicated and more expensive to configure.
“
The electronic card is 20 to 35% cheaper if it is programmed by us rather than sold by a brand technician.
Replacement is easy, provided you have taken a photo before dismantling the old card.
These are just a few connections to make
,” explains Olivier de Montlivault.
How to get help?
Many resources are available on the internet to guide you through the different stages of a repair.
1/ Use online diagnostic tools
These sites help you to determine the origin of a breakdown.
SOS accessory
we repair
Murfy (For washing machines, dryers and dishwashers only).
Sosav (For mobile phones, tablets, game consoles, Mac computers).
2/ Ask the discussion forums
Search through the list of topics already covered and create an account to ask a question yourself.
The forums are powered by individual contributors and professionals.
Darty after-
sales service
: The answers are written by the community of Darty after-sales service users and technicians.
Commentréparer.com
: This community of mutual aid deals with the repair of all appliances (domestic appliances, computers, but also DIY, cars, plumbing, etc.).
Some requests remain unanswered and the site, which is free, has many advertising banners...
Forum Spareka
: This forum deals with the world of household appliances, but also of the garden, the swimming pool and the gate.
3/ Watch online tutorials
Many photos or videos offered by experts allow you to find the breakdown, repair and maintain your devices yourself.
SOS accessory
Ifixit (For computers, tablets, mobile phones, game consoles, cameras. On this collaborative platform, articles are sometimes written in English).
Sosav.fr (Specialized in household appliances, smartphones, tablets, game consoles).
we repair
Spareka
4/ Treat yourself to a video intervention
This is the ultimate solution before bringing a professional to your home.
PIVR €39.
Baker €39.
Spareka €6.99 for 10 minutes.
Accessory SOS from €15.90 (quick advice) to €35.90 (complete repair).
