A guide to appliance repair in Philadelphia
Whether you love culture and American history, or if you just love the bustle of cities and the access of the Northeast Corridor, you will find something you adore in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the City of Brotherly Love.
However, Philadelphia’s geography and weather make appliances critical for those living in this modern city. To live here, you need access to basics such as refrigerators, ovens, washing machines and dryers. If one of these important appliances breaks, it can disrupt daily life. Fortunately, Philly is also home to numerous appliance repair businesses that can help you maintain and fix your appliances so they continue working well. Your biggest decision, therefore, is to determine which of these businesses will be the best fit for your appliances.
The best way to select an appliance repair business is to carefully research your options and then speak directly to the business to gather as much information as you can about them and their services. Here is how to find the right business for you.
What to look for when choosing an appliance repair company in Philadelphia
The first step when choosing an appliance repair company in Philadelphia is carefully researching the business. Through thorough research, you can learn more about the capabilities of this business and what it can do for you. You will be able to narrow down your list of potential businesses to a top few, which you can then speak to directly to make your final decision.
As you perform this important research, you want to keep some important factors in mind. Here are some areas on which you should focus.
Online business reviews and ratings
Start by looking at websites that offer online business reviews. Learning more about the experience of other customers can help you better gauge the skill and professionalism of the different companies.
There are a few different ways you can do this. Simply Googling the name of the business will likely bring up the Google My Business reviews and ratings, which people make directly through Google. This serves as a great starting point.
After Googling the business, you can also go directly to popular review sites such as Yelp and Angi and plug in the business name to search for it. Look at how the business rates across the different sites and see why people compliment or complain about it. You can use this information to decide if you should investigate a particular business further, or if you want to eliminate it completely from your search. For example, if a business has consistently negative reviews complaining about the quality of its work, then you likely do not want to hire it.
How long they’ve been in business
Next, you want to consider how long a particular organization has been in business. In the world of appliance repair, experience matters tremendously. A business that has been around for many years likely has experience with your type of appliance problem and will know how to fix it. A newer professional might not know how to fix the problem immediately and might not have the same skill level in diagnosing the issue and making the repair.
Of course, this comparison does not always hold true. Sometimes experienced professionals start businesses, which renders the age of the business itself meaningless. Therefore, this will likely be only one factor in your column of whether to include or exclude a particular organization. It should not be the only factor you use when considering a company.
Repair business qualifications
Next, you want to look at the qualifications the organization carries. There are a variety of types of certificates or ratings that businesses and technicians might earn, and you want to carefully consider which ones matter for your particular job.
When you search for the business on sites like the Better Business Bureau, you will see an internal rating system based on customer feedback. You can use this to better gauge how the business compares to others and the type of reputation it has.
You can also look at important industry credentials. If technicians have received certifications from local trade schools, that speaks well of their skills and dedication. Similarly, see if they carry specific qualifications put in by various manufacturers or if they advertise courses they took for particular appliances. That can all help you better gauge their skills and ability in working directly with your particular appliance needs.
Areas of Philadelphia the repair company serves
As you investigate your target appliance repair professionals, you also want to carefully consider the areas that business serves. Philadelphia is a large city, particularly when you factor in the surrounding towns like Horsham and the suburbs throughout Montgomery County and Bucks County that might be considered part of the Philadelphia area. You want to make sure your chosen business will come to your ZIP code.
You have two main ways to check this. Most people start by looking on the business website. Many businesses will list which of the surrounding areas they travel to. If they do not, or if you are still unsure if the business comes to your address, reach out to the business itself. This will tell you right away if you should eliminate a business from your list.
Questions to ask your Philadelphia appliance repair company
Once you establish which of the Philadelphia repair companies top your list, you want to speak directly with the business. You will have the chance to ask them questions about your appliance and the job you need completing. This will help you narrow down your list and make your final decision.
Ask about their service warranty
Ask the company about any service warranties it might carry. With a service warranty, the business promises that its work will not fail within a reasonable amount of time. Depending upon your appliance and the work you need done, this promise might extend for a few months, a year or longer.
You want to speak with your potential contractor about what service warranties it offers and what those warranties cover. Understand not only what the warranty promises but also what it does not include. You can then compare the warranties and restrictions offered by the different companies you are considering to help you determine which one will be best for you.
Ask about their experience with your brand of appliances
Sometimes, different companies also specialize in different types of appliances. For example, one might have extensive experience with refrigerators while another does a lot of washers and dryers. Even different major brands, like Samsung, Maytag, Whirlpool, Frigidaire, Kenmore and KitchenAid, have differences in how they build their appliances. Therefore, a company that does most of its work on Samsung might not have as much experience on KitchenAid. Ask the business if it specializes in different brands so you have a better idea of its level of experience with your particular appliance and brand.
Ask about pricing, fees, estimates, forms of payment and more
No one wants to receive a surprise bill at the end of a job. You want to know what the final repair cost will be and how you will make your payment. Preventing this type of surprise starts in the beginning.
When you call a company to discuss the potential for estimates, ask about whether or not the estimates are free. You also want to ask what the estimate includes, such as how long the estimate is good for and what potential situations would change your final price. For example, say you sign the contract for a particular job and the company realizes that a part has to be replaced instead of repaired. How will that be communicated, and how does it impact your price?
Then, as you look at your estimates, ask about what forms of payment you can use and whether or not the business accepts payment plans or financing plans. If you have a larger project with an expensive price tag, you might be interested in options to pay over time.
As you look at your price estimate, make sure you also understand if any additional fees might impact your final price that the estimate might not explicitly list. Knowing what your final bill will say allows you to compare it accurately to the estimates you receive from other companies.
Ask about the repair company’s insurance
Although a professional company will hopefully not run into any potential problems during your job, you also need to know what the plan would be if something goes wrong. Specifically, you want to make sure that the business you are considering hiring has the proper business insurance. Sometimes, accidents happen during a job. For example, a technician might make a mistake during the job and either break the appliance they are working on or break something completely unrelated as they move throughout the home.
Speak with the contractor about the insurance the business carries, what it covers, what you would need to do if an accident occurs, and what your liability and responsibilities are during the job.
Check the repair company’s appointment availability
As you evaluate your top companies, you also want to remember the importance of checking on the company’s appointment availability. After all, if an important appliance in your home breaks down, you want it fixed as soon as possible. Ask about their openings, how long they expect the repair to take, and if they have commonly needed spare parts on hand. This will give you a better idea about the schedule you can expect.
What to do when you have an appliance emergency in Philadelphia
If you have an appliance emergency, you want to have businesses in mind that can take your service call around the clock and get you a same-day appointment. Imagine waking up one morning and finding that your refrigerator has stopped cooling. Or you do your dishes and see that the garbage disposal has completely backed up and none of the water will drain out of the kitchen sink. These types of appliance emergencies require same-day or next day service, or else they can cause tremendous problems. You do not want to wait several days for your refrigerator repair or oven repair.
Knowing which reputable companies offer an emergency line you can contact even outside of business hours can help you avoid panic in these situations. Keep in mind that you will likely have to pay more for emergency services like this.
What’s the best appliance repair service in Philadelphia?
The best appliance repair business will vary depending on your unique needs. The company you end up calling will be the one that can best help you with your problem, whether it is a dishwasher repair, dryer repair, washer repair or ice maker repair. You will want to carefully evaluate potential companies based on the criteria outlined above. This includes looking for companies that:
- Have a good reputation and provide good customer service
- Have good reviews and provide quality work
- Serve your specific area
- Will do the work within your price range
- Have experience working with your particular appliance type and preferably the same brand as what you need fixed
- Carry the necessary insurance and can offer you a quality servicewarranty
Keeping these factors in mind will help you sort through the different Philadelphia home appliance repair businesses and find the one that is best for your household.
Let Cinch handle the process of finding a professional repair person for you
Although we all rely on appliances daily to keep us comfortable, it can be an enormous hassle to find a trustworthy appliance repairman to help when we run into trouble. There are a lot of steps involved in evaluating different companies, and sometimes choosing one option over the others can feel like a challenge.
A home warranty from Cinch Home Services simplifies this entire process. When you invest in the Cinch Appliances plan, you will get protection and peace of mind for the appliances throughout your home. Then, if something happens to one of your appliances, you don’t have to worry about vetting all of the different service companies in Philadelphia. Instead, you just call Cinch. We will do the vetting process for you, finding a qualified and insured professional to come to your home to help with the appliance as soon as possible. Expect excellent service for your major appliances with a plan through Cinch.
See how convenient it can be to have a home warranty from Cinch. Get an instant quote today!