Most households only think about their appliances when one stops. The washing machine floods the laundry, the fridge goes warm, the stove trips the power, and suddenly the day is about that one machine. pink ideas repairs sends a technician to your home to find the fault and fix it, so you're not left carrying a washing machine to a workshop or waiting days for a service centre.
We repair washing machines, fridges, freezers, dishwashers, stoves, ovens and tumble dryers, as well as small appliances like microwaves, air fryers and coffee machines, aircons and heat pumps. If your appliance isn't on that list, send us a message and ask. We'll tell you straight whether it's something we work on.
Appliances we repair
Faults we fix
Won't switch on
Before anything else, try another plug point and check the circuit breaker. If the appliance is still dead, the fault is usually a fuse, a switch, a door interlock or a control board.
Tripping the power
An appliance that trips the earth leakage has a fault to earth, often a heating element or wiring that has got damp. Leave it switched off until it has been checked.
Leaking water
Washing machines, dishwashers and fridges can all leak. Switch off at the wall, close the water tap if there is one, and note where the water collects.
Not heating or not cooling
Elements, thermostats, fans and sensors control temperature in nearly every appliance in the kitchen and laundry. They're among the most commonly replaced parts.
New noises
Grinding, banging, buzzing or squealing that wasn't there before is a warning. Bearings, belts, fans and pumps make noise before they fail completely.
An error code
Write it down or photograph the display before you switch anything off. Error codes tell the technician which part of the appliance to test first.
Is it worth fixing an appliance?
Usually, if the appliance is reasonably young or the fault is a common part. Seals, filters, belts, switches, elements, pumps and thermostats are everyday repairs. It's less likely to be worth it when an old appliance needs one of its most expensive parts, such as a fridge compressor or a washing machine's drum.
A useful rule of thumb is the 50/50 rule: if an appliance is past half of its working life and the repair costs more than half the price of a new one, replacing usually makes more sense. Our repair or replace check applies it for you.
Electrician, plumber or appliance technician?
If every plug in the kitchen is dead, call an electrician: the problem is your home's supply. If water won't reach the appliance because a tap or pipe is blocked or broken, that's a plumber. If the power and water are fine but the appliance itself won't work, leaks from inside, or trips the power the moment it switches on, you need an appliance technician.
When it isn't obvious, start with us. The technician checks the supply and the connections at the appliance while finding the fault, and tells you plainly if the problem sits outside it.
What to look for in an appliance repair service
Whoever you call, ask these questions before anyone arrives:
- What does the call-out cost, and when do I pay it? Ours: no call-out fee when we repair it. If no repair is done, a R500 call-out applies.
- Will I know the price before any work starts?
- Do you come to me, or does the appliance have to go to a workshop?
- Will you tell me if a repair isn't worth it?
Power surges and load shedding
Power cuts are hard on appliances. When the power returns, the surge can damage control boards, relays and motors. Switching appliances off at the wall during load shedding, and on again once the power is steady, protects them. Surge-protected plugs are a good idea for fridges, washing machines and anything with a digital display.
If a surge does damage an appliance, check your household contents policy before you pay for the repair yourself: some policies cover power surge damage.
No call-out fee when we repair it.If no repair is done, a R500 call-out applies. The technician finds the fault and explains the repair before any work starts, so you decide whether to go ahead.
Book a repairAppliance repair questions
Why did my appliance suddenly stop working?
Start with the supply: try another plug point, check the DB board and, for a stove or oven, the isolator. If the power is fine, a fuse, a door switch, a control board or a part damaged in a surge is likely. Note any error code and what happened just before it stopped. If it followed a power cut, book a technician.
Why does my appliance keep tripping the electricity?
An appliance that trips the earth leakage has a fault to earth, usually a heating element or wiring that has worn or got damp. Switch it off at the wall or the isolator and don't keep resetting the power, because each trip is a warning. Note which setting or programme trips it, then book a technician.
Why does my appliance smell like burning?
Switch it off at the wall straight away. In a dryer it's often lint near the heater, in a stove or oven a connection overheating at the back, and in a washing machine or dishwasher a motor or pump working too hard. A new oven element can smell for its first few uses, but anything else needs checking before you use the appliance again. Book a technician.
Is it better to repair or replace an appliance?
Usually repair, if the appliance is reasonably young or the fault is a common part like a seal, filter, pump, element or thermostat. Replacing makes more sense when an old appliance needs one of its most expensive parts. The 50/50 rule helps: past half its working life, with a repair costing more than half the price of a new one, replace it. Our repair or replace check applies it with you.
How much does an appliance repair cost?
It depends on the appliance and the part. The technician finds the fault and tells you the price before any work starts. No call-out fee when we repair it. If no repair is done, a R500 call-out applies. See how our prices work.
Can I fix my appliance myself?
Some things, yes: cleaning filters, clearing a kinked or blocked hose, defrosting a freezer and resetting a tripped DB board. Leave anything behind a panel to a technician, because live electrical parts, gas fittings and a fridge's sealed cooling system are dangerous to open. Our guides cover the safe checks, starting with a fridge not cooling and a washing machine not draining.
Should I switch my appliances off during load shedding?
Yes, at the wall, especially the fridge, the washing machine, the dishwasher and anything with a digital display. Switch them on again a few minutes after the power is back and steady, one at a time, so the surge and the rush of everything starting at once don't trip the power or damage the electronics. Book a technician if one won't start.
What do you call people who fix appliances?
Appliance repair technicians. They work on the appliance itself, which is different from an electrician, who works on your home's wiring, or a plumber, who works on the water supply and the drains. When it's the appliance, book one of ours.