Lowe’s Home Improvement sells a variety of home appliances and equipment. But big-ticket items — like your refrigerator, oven or clothes washer — are not only expensive up-front, but costly to fix.

Joy Wills’ dishwasher doesn’t work. Her extended protection plan purchased through Lowe’s isn’t working, either. It’s been six months — will she ever get a working appliance? Question: I’m having ...