Day Seventyfive: Doing It Yourself

My Maytag Jetclean Dishwasher

Now listen up. In this day and age, thanks to the internet, it's easier than ever to be a do it yourselfer. Let's go back to my Maytag dishwasher as an example. First of all, I could have called an appliance repair guy to come to the house and fix it. The fee would be at least $125.00 for parts and labor. Maybe more. I found I could buy the part on the internet for $26.00 plus shipping. The local appliance repair place wanted $66.00 for it. Well, $40.00 is more than I am willing to pay for instant gratification. I need to save cash wherever I can, after all, I am a victim of this recession in more ways than one. So, I ordered the part online and did the job myself.

Here is how I went through the process. The dishwasher would not fill with water on the rinse cycle. Sometimes it would work, sometimes not. I go to Google and search that symptom. In a few minutes I learn that the water fill valve is most likely the culprit. I down load a PDF copy of the repair manual. I read a few postings from others who had the same problem and read their stories about fixing it themselves. Sounds like I am on the right track. Most of them said it took about a half an hour. Is that all? How hard could it be?

A brief digression:

In the pre-internet days when I would have a problem I would begin by talking to everyone I knew, telling them my problem, asking them if they had any experience, or knew what to do next. Very often I would get wrong advice or mixed advice. The library would never have the books, manuals, literature related to such a problem. Then, if you did know for sure what the problem was you would have to go for an extended search looking for the replacement parts. Invariably someone would sell you the wrong part. If you called a repair person you would be at their mercy with no way of determining if they were on the level with you, or taking advantage of you. Every time I had a furnace problem, an appliance problem, a car problem, (or one time I had a problem with bats in the house), I would go through all sorts of crap trying to take care of it. Sometimes I got screwed because I didn't have the knowledge. Well, the internet has changed all of that. Hallelujah!
Anyhow, the photo left is the defective water inlet valve. There are two wires that clip to the electric connector. Simple. The hot water supply line screws onto one port. Then a rubber fill hose clamps on the other port. Then the piece is mounted to the side wall of thye washer with two screws. Simple simple. Truly a half hour to an hour job, including searching for your pliers and screwdriver, and putting the tools away afterward.