How to Find a Qualified Appliance Repair Professional in Your Area

When an appliance in your home breaks, it can bring your family’s daily operations to a standstill. Even though you want to get the issue fixed quickly, taking the time to locate a qualified appliance repair professional, rather than calling the first person listed in the phone book, is always a good idea.


In today’s world filled with modern conveniences, you probably take your dishwasher, washing machine, dryer, oven, and refrigerator for granted—until one of them stops working. Unless you’re a specialist in DIY appliance repair, you’re going to want to call in a professional to assess the problem. And, if you rely on the broken appliance on a daily basis, you want it repaired not only properly, but also quickly. If you’re new to the area or have never needed an appliance serviced, follow certain steps to locate the best company for the job.

Ask for Recommendations

Someone in your family or circle of friends has no doubt hired an appliance repair professional at some point in the past. Ask around for recommendations, inquiring about the speed of the repair, the repair cost, the professionalism of the technician, whether the repaired appliance ever broke again, and any other issues that concern you. Keep in mind that appliance repair companies might change their rates over time or experience turnover in personnel; take the recommendation as a guide but always do your own research, as well.

Go Online

While the phone book is great when you need contact information, you’ll find more detailed information on the Internet. Search on Google, Bing, or Yahoo! for technicians in your area, using keywords for your particular appliance, such as “refrigerator repair” or “washing machine repair." Examine the resulting Web pages in more detail, for instance checking whether a company indicates the brands it services, how its technicians are certified, or how long it has been in business. Look for customer reviews—positive and negative—both on the company’s own Web site and on sites such as Yelp and Angie’s List. Other homeowners’ experiences can help you make up your mind who to hire.

Interview Candidates

If time is on your side, you can call up your top few appliance repair companies to inquire about their services directly. Describe your problem and ask for rates and other relevant information, such as how long it would take for them to get a repairman to you and how long they anticipate the actual repair taking. If, for any reason, you feel uncomfortable speaking to the company’s representative, trust your gut and move on to the next candidate. Major appliance repair is expensive, and you need to feel confident in your technician.

When you do find a company you’re happy with, always write down the name and contact information of your technician, so you know who to call if the same appliance has issues in the future, if something else breaks, or if you need appliance installation down the road. You can also post a review of your experience online, on the same sites where you read about the company. Reviews provide valuable feedback to the company itself and can also help other homeowners in need of appliance repair.


Penny Jones is a home improvement enthusiast and a senior Internet marketing strategist at Prospect Genius, a leader in local online advertising.