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A guide to appliance repair in Los Angeles

A guide to appliance repair in Los Angeles

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Los Angeles is a sprawling city with a metropolitan area spanning five counties with more than 18.5 million residents. With people moving to LA every day, it’s only getting bigger. It’s a city full of sunshine, celebrities and opportunity. People dream of living in LA. But it isn’t all beautiful days and movie stars; it’s just like any other bustling city.

If you’ve recently moved to Los Angeles or the surrounding area, and purchased a home or bought new appliances, you might be in the market for a great appliance repair shop. Keeping your home and major appliances in working order is important to keep your home running efficiently.

Before you get stuck needing a washing machine or refrigerator repair, do a bit of research for an appliance repair company in your area. While it might seem daunting given the many local appliance repair shops, we are here to help. Here is a guide to help you find the best appliance repair Los Angeles has to offer.

What to look for when choosing an appliance repair company in Los Angeles

When researching appliance repair services in your area, there are a couple of ways to weed out unreliable companies. From checking customer reviews to knowing the company’s service area, you can do a lot of research online with a quick internet search. However, getting a better understanding of an appliance repair technician’s qualifications may require a phone call.

Here are a few topics to research to find a trustworthy and reliable repair shop for your appliance needs.

Online business reviews and ratings

Online reviews and ratings are a great place to evaluate whether an appliance repair company is a good fit for your needs. Customers unhappy with the repair work or customer service provided by a company will likely leave a negative review to warn future customers. A laundry list of bad reviews is a red flag.

It’s important to keep in mind that everyone has a bad day, so every company will have negative reviews. What’s more, it is always harder to get a satisfied customer to write a review than a dissatisfied customer. This usually results in more low or negative reviews than positive ones. So keep that in mind as you skim through the complaints.

If you find a company with a good mix of positive and negative reviews, another test is to look at how the company responds to bad reviews. It’s always a good sign if a company addresses the review in a way that shows it wants to help find a solution to the problem. It is another red flag if the company reacts poorly to the review, showing that it is more concerned with being correct than it is with admitting its mistakes. Review responses are a great indication of the type of customer service offered.

How long they’ve been in business

How long an appliance repair company has been in business is a great indicator of its experience and know-how. A repairman with years of experience with home appliances has seen it all and knows how to fix many problems. What’s more, a handyman with more experience under his belt has likely worked on all major brand appliances.

Major brands like Kenmore, Whirlpool and Maytag are always coming out with new features and upgrades. Technology in the world of household appliances is constantly changing and advancing. Companies that have been in business for many years show that they adapt to new technology and their technicians can work on new and older models.

Most importantly, a Los Angeles appliance repair company that has been in business for years knows how to keep clients coming back. This indicates that it has great customer service and work ethic.

Repair business qualifications

Not all appliance repair shops are alike. Just because a company can service your dryer repair doesn’t mean it can service your HVAC. It’s important to check a repair company's qualifications before making a service call. Companies list their services online.

Many companies list on websites such as Angi, Yellow Pages or Yelp, which include services offered, reviews and ratings. You can also check a company’s Better Business Bureau rating, determined by reviewing public information and customer reviews.

Before making a service call, it’s important to check that the appliance repair shop can service your appliance brands. Many brands only allow qualified service technicians to work on their appliances if still under manufacturer warranty. Luxury brands such as Sub-Zero, Thermador and Bosch may also require specially qualified technicians and tools to make repairs due to their advanced technology and mechanics.

Areas of Los Angeles the repair company serves

Los Angeles is the second largest city in America and the second largest metropolitan area. This means repair companies are going to have to limit their service areas. An appliance repair shop in Culver City isn’t going to work if you live in Irvine. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t a perfect repair shop in your part of the city, whether it’s Glendale, Burbank, Ventura or Northridge.

The best way to find an appliance repair shop that services your neighborhood is to search using your Los Angeles area ZIP code. This will limit your search to your surrounding area. Then double-check the repair shop’s website for more information. If you find a shop and are unsure if it serves your community, give it a call.

Questions to ask your Los Angeles appliance repair company

After you have narrowed down home appliance repair shops in your area, checked their online reviews and know their qualifications, it’s time to ask a few questions. You should ask any repair shop a few important questions before hiring them for repair service. You should understand everything from their fees and forms of payment to their insurance policies and service warranties. Here are a few questions you should ask when calling any Los Angeles appliance repair shop.

Ask about their service warranty

Every good appliance repair shop in Los Angeles should offer a service warranty on their repairs. This is a guarantee on both the parts and labor used in the repair. If your washer breaks down shortly after the repair, the company will fix the issues. You won’t have to pay for an additional repair if the issue occurs within a specific time frame. The standard service warranty is one year; however, that can vary from company to company. A service warranty gives you peace of mind and protects your budget.

It’s important to note that a service warranty differs from a manufacturer warranty. A manufacturer warranty is when you purchase a new appliance; brands will cover repairs needed on their appliances for a time after purchase. Service warranties cover you after manufacturer warranties expire.

Ask if they offer a home warranty

Whether you’ve recently purchased a new home or are just sick of costly home repair costs, a home warranty is a great way to save. Some companies offer home warranties that cover appliance repairs and home system repairs. You will pay one yearly rate and won’t worry about a surprise garbage disposal or dishwasher repair. Even if you have a dryer repair service one week followed by a freezer repair the next, your home warranty will have you covered.

While the terms, costs and services vary from company to company, asking about a home warranty is a great way to help protect your budget. Overall, it can help you save money on repairs. What’s more, home warranty companies, such as Cinch Home Services, hire well-qualified and reliable local service technicians for you, so you don’t have to worry about finding them yourself.

Ask about their experience with your brand of appliances

When speaking with a Los Angeles appliance repair shop, always ask if it has experience working with your particular brand. The last thing you need is to call in for an ice maker repair only to find out they don’t service Viking refrigerators. This is especially important for high-end appliances or those with special features because these may require special training or tools to make repairs.

If your brand-name appliances are still under manufacturer warranty, not just any service technician can make repairs. Brands such as Samsung, KitchenAid and Frigidaire will require certified technicians to service their appliances. To ensure you are hiring a certified technician, call the number on your warranty. The manufacturer should point you in the right direction.

Ask about pricing, fees, estimates, forms of payment and more

Pricing out an appliance repair service is always tricky. If you call in for a cooktop or oven repair, the shop will only be able to give you an estimate. Labor and parts costs determine the final repair price. To help make sure you don’t get surprised by the final bill, ask about any additional fees added after your service. This can include an after-hours charge, extended-hours charge or service fees.

When making a service appointment, always ask about the shop’s preferred form of payment. Appliance repairs cost a lot of money. A service technician likely doesn’t want to carry that much cash around. Most companies accept credit and debit cards. However, if a company or technician insists on payments in cash, it is a red flag.

Ask about the repair company’s insurance

No matter how careful a person is, accidents happen. To prepare for the possibility of this, always ask about the repair company’s insurance policy. Know what you are liable for and what the company will cover if a technician is injured in your home or damages your person or property. Here are a few questions to ask about their insurance policy.

Is injury to the homeowner covered by the company?
Does the company cover injury to the technician?
At what point is an injury or damages covered under your homeowners insurance?
Which insurance covers any damages to personal property?
Are damages to the repaired appliance covered by the company?
What is your liability as a customer?
How do you file an insurance claim if there is property damage?

Check the repair company’s appointment availability

When an appliance breaks, you want to fix it as soon as possible. Checking the appointment availability is the next step to getting your appliance fixed. Most appliance repair shops allow you to schedule appointments online. However, if you need emergency or next-day service, making an appointment online may not be fast enough.

Calling a repair shop is a great way to get the next available appointment. This is also the perfect opportunity to ask any lingering questions about the company, its services or qualifications. What’s more, you can give the technician any important information they need before making repairs.

What to do when you have an appliance emergency in Los Angeles

If an urgent appliance breaks after service hours, you may have to make an emergency service call. While researching appliance repair shops in Los Angeles, always ask if the shop is available after hours and for emergency service calls. While many shops offer this service, those that don’t may work with another company or have recommendations for a repair service to call in emergency circumstances.

It’s important to know that after-hours and emergency service calls tend to cost more than regular service calls. Given that not all companies take after-hours calls, it’s always a good idea to have a backup company ready to call in an emergency.

What’s the best appliance repair service in Los Angeles?

Finding the best appliance repair company in Los Angeles is all about finding the one that fits your needs. A great appliance repair company meets certain criteria, including:

Provides great customer service and has good reviews
Has years of experience working with a variety of brands and models
Provides reliable service in your area
Charges appropriate prices for its work
Offers a service warranty
Has the qualifications and certifications required to service your brand-name appliances

Let Cinch handle the process of finding a professional repair person for you

Don’t let the stress of finding the right appliance repair technician in Los Angeles wear on you. Let Cinch do the hard work. With the Cinch appliances warranty, we handle the process of finding and vetting a professional appliance technician. We only work with reliable technicians, so you can have peace of mind that repairs will be done well.

Appliance warranties aren’t the only service Cinch offers. To help keep your budget safe from costly home repairs, Cinch offers warranties for both appliances and home systems. Both the Cinch plans help reduce repair costs, offer discounts on brand-name appliances and are customizable to protect all aspects of your home.

Cinch Appliances plan. This plan covers repairs on major home appliances, including name and luxury brands.
Cinch Built-in Systems plan. Perfect for protecting major home systems such as electrical, plumbing and air conditioning.
Cinch Complete Home plan. Covers both appliances and home systems. This plan also includes a homeowners insurance deductible reimbursement.

Join the nearly 1 million customers who trust their homes to Cinch. Get a quote today!