Misha Lobban, Contributor
For many households these gadgets and appliances are a must - LCD flat-screen televisions, DVD players, digitally controlled refrigerators and other innovations in household appliances and equipment.
But what do you do when these high-tech gadgets go on the blink? The truth is, with the advanced technology being used to manufacture them, it's no longer a case of fix-it-yourself or a call to the neighbourhood technician when they malfunction.
Marlon Carter, CEO of Audio & Video Technology Limited, explains that most modern household appliances and equipment are micro-processed control, that is, they contain components that are digitally made, and so, they require professional servicing and repair.
These appliances, he notes, are more fragile and susceptible to electricity outages, power surges, low voltage, lightning storms or improper usage, such as the use of burnt CDs in your DVD players.
Carter warns that some of these modern household appliances are made in the Far East and they are cheaper, the parts are often unavailable if they need to be repaired. He encourages consumers to stick to brands like Sony, Panasonic, Sharp and Toshiba which have higher quality and longer life spans as well as support services and available parts should these appliances malfunction.
Michelle Johnson, agent at Courts Jamaica Limited (Installation and Repair Service Dept.), agrees that most of these appliances require assessment by a professionally-trained technician when they malfunction.
An agent at Appliance and TV Depot located at Premier Plaza explains that with the influx of new television technologies, the company uses specialised contracted technicians to repair televisions sold by the company, if there is malfunction during the period of warranty.
Checks with local suppliers of the latest high-tech household gadgets reveal that the cost for repairs vary depending on the size, brand and the parts that need to be replaced.
The labour/service charge for repairing your LCD or plasma television (20-inch) at some outlets could run at $1,800 but this does not include the cost for part(s). The labour/service charge for repairing a 36 inch plasma or LCD television will, however, cost you as much as $6,500 (excluding the expense of parts). Where the regular television is concerned, the cost of replacing a tuner could range between $4,000 and $8,000 while a transformer, depending on the brand of television, could cost as much as $12,000.
Service charge for repairing a DVD could be $2,500 and upwards depending on the size, and the rate for repairing amplifiers could start at $3,500.
You could also get your microwave repaired for between $1,750 and $1,950 (exclusive of the cost for replacing parts) depending on the size of the microwave and whether it is used for domestic or commercial purposes.
A washing machine or dryer, for example, could cost $10,000 or more to replace a motor that has malfunctioned. This is in addition to an estimated $3,500 service charge.
In the case of an iron, a temperature fuse can be replaced for as little as $100 (exclusive of the cost for labour).
Repairing a refrigerator motor could cost $2,000 or more depending on the brand and as much as $4,000 or more for service charge. If the temperature gauge malfunctions, it can be replaced at a cost of $2,000 or $2,500, depending on the brand. The service charge for repairing a malfunctioned condenser may be $4,000 or more.
