DIY appliance repair works until the part you bought online doesn't. You searched, you found the price you wanted, and you ordered it. No rules, no warranty, no customer service. For tool batteries especially, the knockoff market for brands like DeWalt and Milwaukee is deep enough that buying the wrong thing is easy to do accidentally.
The $800 thermostat repair quote on a commercial fridge became a $56 fix with the right OEM part. The knockoff version of the same part couldn't hold a temperature, which means the repair failed without the technician ever touching it again. Before you replace any pump on a front loader, clean the drain. That one check skips the repair entirely most of the time.
Ontario basement needs a dehumidifier. Alberta needs the opposite. Same instinct, completely different answer depending on where you live.
Topics: DIY appliance repair OEM parts, knockoff battery DeWalt Milwaukee, front loader drain washing machine, cheap online parts risk, dehumidifier humidifier Canada
GUEST: Andy Baryer | handyandymedia.com | @handyandymedia
Originally aired on 2026-02-02

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