If you are a homeowner, one of life's greatest frustrations is keeping all those home appliances working. And affording the fix from repair companies is another challenge. But we've found a web site that can offer up fast and free appliance repair advice.

They call this site http://www.repairclinic.com/

It was started by a guy who actually ran a Midwestern major appliance repair firm for more than a decade. The site's main draw is a service called the repair guru. Is your dishwasher making some strange noise? Does your refrigerator's ice dispenser jam? Why won't the washer spin? Jot down your question, e-mail it in and, sometimes within minutes, almost always within a day, you'll get useful advice by return e-mail.

The site helps over 10,000 people a week get their appliances working again. It offers a special area filled with information on how to do your own repairs. There are also daily maintenance tips, to help keep everything working. We're talking major appliances here, not toasters or electric shavers, but things like dryers, dehumidifiers and the big kitchen appliances.

http://www.repairclinic.com/

makes its money by selling repair parts, offering next day delivery, with instructions on how to hook them up. But the help and advice is free.

-- ~Rogo (rogo2020@yahoo.com), January 24, 2001

Answers

How timely you are! The electronic ignition on our gas range has just bitten the dust. Thanks.

-- marilyn (rainbow@ktis.net), January 24, 2001.

You're welcome, Marilyn.

-- ~Rogo (rogo2020@yahoo.com), January 24, 2001.

Broken appliances are exactly why I prefer to own as few as possible but still live comfortably. It's amazing what one really DOESN'T need! There are no such things as "durable goods" as they all break!

-- Sandy Davis (smd2@netzero.net), January 25, 2001.

Thanks a bunch, Rogo! As far as we live from any repair services, this will come in handy! Jan

-- Jan in CO (Janice12@aol.com), January 25, 2001.