Sticker Shocked into Wanting to DIY

After reading countless appliance blogs/postings, watching countless youtube videos on refrigeration repairs, and checking the prices for the parts I need...I (hesitatingly) believe that I could fix our refrigerator problem on my own...

...but I won't. I'm not sure if I could have diagnosed the problem on my own, though there appears to be 3 to 4 solid things to check in order to determine what the issue is when your refrigerator is warm and your freezer is cold, but freezing up.  It would take me quite a while to figure out the specific issue, so having someone come out to diagnose the problem was worth it. However, there appears to be quite the mark up on the part I need. Across the board, I found that the part that I need is less than $100.  My repairman wants to charge me $345 for it. His time is $145. I won't dispute the cost of his time. Fine. That's for his expertise...And it took him about 20 minutes to determine the problem and it would have taken me several hours, I'm sure.  But a $245 markup for a part????? Really?????  Between my husband and I, we were able to talk him down a couple hundred dollars...but still...bye-bye anniversary weekend away that we've been planning for 2 years....That mark up alone put me in to a DIY frenzy.  Hence the checking out of appliance blogs, youtube videos, etc.

I found out (and it's taken me about 8 hours of research to determine this) that I can probably change the part myself fairly easily.  I just had to figure out where my part is located and what it looks like. The hardest part was finding out where it is.  I know silly, but I could not find my specific refrigerator model on any of the forums and somewhere out of left field I kind of stumbled on it.

Being a SAHM means that we do not have a lot of disposable income. We gave up my "cushy" paycheck so that I could raise our kids. Not having a lot of disposable income makes me much more money conscious.

In retrospect, I kind of wish that I had more faith in my abilities, thanked the repairman for coming and paid him for the visit and diagnosis. Then, I wish I had ordered the part on my own and fix the problem on my own.  I bet I could. Well, now after hours of research, I bet I could.  Next time, I won't doubt my ability so quickly and see if I could do it myself.

Have any of you been sticker shocked into DIY? What have you done on your own because you could not fathom spending that much money on a project? Have you ever wished you let a professional take care of it instead?

Hebrews 10:35
Therefore, do not throw away your confidence for it has a great reward. (New American Standard)

Not Cool

My nearly empty refrigerator due to a broken defrost control board

Our refrigerator has been making an odd buzzing noise. The noise became louder and louder and by the end of the week it had gotten so loud that Buggy and I jumped when it turned on.  Hubby and I talked about the causes. Last week, I came home from a mom's night out to find him surrounded by our food in coolers while he chipped the ice away from our no-frost freezer (that is not a good sign!).  We talked about pulling out the refrigerator from the wall and vacuuming the back. It probably hasn't been dusted back there since it was installed about 18 months ago.  And then yesterday morning, I came home from my early morning run to to hear the words, "Honey, the 'fridge is warm." Ugh!

Sometime during the night, the refrigerator and freezer shut off. Our food had gone bad in the fridge, but was still okay in the freezer. We unplugged the fridge, vacuumed and dusted, and plugged it in again. Everything came back on, but still no cold air in the fridge.  I threw out everything that had gone bad. Even as I did I was grateful that it was my shopping day and I hadn't restocked anything yet. I was grateful that my husband caught the problem before he went to work, because being distracted with getting Boogie ready for school, I probably wouldn't have noticed until after I had done my shopping. I was grateful that most of the stuff I was throwing away were leftovers and only a little bit of milk.

In the midst of this situation I was trying to find the grace to be grateful.  Why bother?  Well, as I've learned the hard way many times over, it doesn't do to dwell on the negative. What's done is done. You work to make it better or if it's not salvageable you move on. Also, it could be worse. We are healthy, we have a roof over our heads, we will not go hungry, and we have the money to repair the refrigerator.  So I was grateful for what we did have. I was grateful that the food in the freezer was saved and could be placed in the deep freezer in the basement. I was grateful that we had the money to repair it. I was grateful for my husband's cool head in what would have been a crisis if I found this out after he had gone to work and after I done the shopping. Despite it being inconvenient, I am grateful that God was able to give me patience, strength, and a clear head as I was able to make dinner from what food was still available. Hello Crockpot!

I had the repairman come today. I was not thrilled with the diagnosis and the cost of labor and parts. It was a lot more than I was expecting but that's because I don't know anything about refrigerators and their parts. However, I am grateful that I was able to talk him down to a more reasonable price...still not great, but better!

We have a temporary fix, but as I need a new defrost control board, I still need to have the refrigerator repaired.  The repairman said he was coming back on Monday, latest Tuesday, to fix it because he has to wait for the part. In the meantime I will only buy small amounts of the essentials because he said I'll probably have the same problem by Saturday night. On Saturday night, I'll have to defrost the freezer again in order to keep things cool until he arrives to repair it...I am grateful my husband will bring home dinner tonight.

So I'll try to keep in mind the verse from 1 Thessalonians 5:18.  By giving thanks, I am humbled by what we do have and how fortunate we are despite the current situation.

1Thessalonians 5:18
Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.