How an Appliance Repair Service Call Works in 2021

What we’ve changed to keep you safe.

Table of Contents

Before Your Appliance Repair Service Call

During Your Appliance Repair Service Call

After Your Appliance Repair Service Call

 Have you ever been fed up with how difficult it is to find a good appliance repair service? Or gotten vague answers on what goes into an appliance repair service call? We're fixing that today. Although we've covered what went into them before, that was before Covid-19, which feels like it was forever ago. 

 Before, it was a matter of giving us a call, setting up the appointment and waiting for us to  fix your appliances. Our technicians would come by and talk with you while they worked and figured out what had caused your appliance to break. All of these are still part of the process, but, they're not the only parts. 

Now though, whether it's with us or with others, there are health precautions that we all have to observe. Wearing face masks if a client requests it should be a standard part of how things work, regardless of who you decide to work with, and all of our technicians are well versed in it. For your safety and that of our technicians we do ask that you stay outside of the room while they're working, this way safe social distance is maintained. 

Now imagine that you have the day off and you're trying to get caught up on your laundry. Except your dryer isn't working. It's started making a strange humming sound while it's running, and you can't find anything about it on the internet. Other people have had this same humming dryer issue, but they don't know how to fix it either. What do you do? 

Before Your Appliance Repair Service Call 

- Do NOT Unplug the Appliance(s) 

We appreciate it, we really do, but we need to see and hear the appliance so we can understand what's going on. Unplugging the appliance can mean that we miss specific sounds that help identify problems. In our example, if you unplug it, and all we have to go on is your description of the humming that the dryer is making, we're in trouble. What sounds to you like an "Aahhhhhhaahhhh" might sound to someone else like an "Ooooohhhoooo." Does it make that much of a difference? Surprisingly, yes. Many times a sound or tic of an appliance might not pop up until it has been running for a while. So turning it off is "resetting" it in a fashion. That doesn't mean that it fixes it though. 

- Set Up An Appointment

When you give us a call, we'll work with you to find a time that works. While you're on the phone is the best time to schedule a look at all of your appliances. If our technicians are already at your home, why not roll all of your problems into one visit? By scheduling everything at once, you can save yourself time and money. Rather than having to schedule multiple appointments over several weeks, you have the chance to have everything checked or repaired at once. This means that everything is on one bill, problems can't be given the chance to get worse, and you give up one block of time rather than several. You can also ask for us to do maintenance checks on your other appliances which can lead to discovering issues before they can become serious problems. 

-Clear the Path to Your Appliances

Now that you've got your appliance repair call set up, what's next? Time for popcorn and a movie? Not quite. In order to be able to help, we need to be able to get at your appliances. So before we come to visit we need you to clear away anything around, on top of or behind your appliances. Whether it's just one appliance that you're asking us to fix or multiple that you want us to check on, we need access. If you can go through and move around things so that we can access every side of the appliances, you've made our lives MUCH easier. We're going to be looking for anything and everything during your service repair call so the less there is for distractions, the better it is. Tying this back to our example case, in the event of your dryer making a humming sound, once you take everything off the top of it, it can change the pitch of the sound that your dryer is making. It can become louder, or quieter, depending on what you had on top of it. 

During Your Appliance Repair Service Call 

-Ask Questions About What Happened 

Something is going on in your appliances. You now have a captive expert to ask all of your questions. The more questions you can ask, the better prepared you are for next time and can nip it in the bud. It also means you can ask about other things that bother you about the appliances in question. If you've put multiple appliance calls together you can also ask questions to find out about the others. 

- Request Maintenance Tips 

Just like they can offer explanations on your problems, our technicians can also offer tips for preventative maintenance. What can you do to prevent problems or prolong the life of your appliances? If you have questions about one type of maintenance over another, whatever, we want to hear it. 

-Ask Questions About Your Appliance Warranty

You know the giant manual that came with your appliances? Or the link that you were sent after purchasing it that's full of legal jargon? Yeah, that. 

We know a large number of people don't bother reading them, and we don't blame you! 

But once again, you've got an appliance repair expert at your home. Stay outside the room and stay masked, but ask all the questions that have been bothering you. How long are the motors covered vs the drum? What about the electronics? In the event that we don't know off the bat, we can find out. 

-Ask Questions About Your Appliance Warranty With Us

Yup! Appliance Rescue Service gives you a warranty as well. We've got the full explanation of what that is down below, but if you have questions while we're there? Go right ahead and ask. We want you to be comfortable and trust your neighborhood Appliance Rescue Service.  

After Your Appliance Repair Service Call 

-Feedback & Review

We want to know how we did, not just so that we can fix any issues you have, but also so that we can do better in the future. Did all of your questions get answered? Did our techs remember to give you your written estimate of the work?  We want to hear from you. You can call us at ((214) 599-0055) to let us know or set up an appointment today. Or you can go to our contact page to set one up. We hope to see you all again next week. 

Additional Reading: 

Freezer Deep Dive

Warranty With Us (the Run Down) 

When you book an appointment with us, we will send an expert technician to your home, and give you a complete written estimate that includes all parts and labor required.

Your technician is often able to provide you with life expectancy, preventative measures, and periodic maintenance that may help you decide whether or not to proceed with a repair.

Our diagnostic trip charge fee is $75.00

Each part we install, and its related labor is warranted for 90 days of normal household use. Technicians use factory new parts on all repairs unless you have chosen otherwise.

If any part we install in your appliance fails during your warranty period, simply give us a call! We will quickly replace the defective parts at no charge!

Each part we install, and its related labor is warranted for 90 days of normal household use. Technicians use factory new parts on all repairs unless you have chosen otherwise.

30 DAY WARRANTY ON LABOR

If any part we install in your appliance fails during your warranty period, simply give us a call! We will quickly replace the defective parts at no charge!

5 Things To Know When Shopping Post Covid-19

The world has changed and so has shopping.

Know What's Changed When Shopping For Appliances

With Covid driving up demand for appliances and chip shortages still very much going on, the marketplaces have changed. There aren't as many discounts as there were in 2019, nor are they as large as they were before. Stores are also more spread out and still suggesting, if not requiring, masks. There are still going to be restricted amounts of stock both in stores and online, largely because of the chip shortage. Keep that in mind as you go on your appliance hunt. 

Know What Appliance You Want

Before you go to your retailer of choice, do a quick search online. For example, let's say you're looking at buying a new range.  Do you want a range that is gas powered, or do you prefer an induction stovetop? Look up the possibilities for what you're looking for so that you know, generally, what you're wanting. You can start by looking at our Deep Dives on different appliances to get an idea of what your options are, and work from there to drill even deeper into different models and what features might be available. By researching ahead of time online, you make a short list to bring to a store, rather than having to look over everything on offer. It also cuts down on the amount of shopping burnout you can go through if you try to compare everything in store. 

Does It Fit In Your Home? 

We're not saying you should look at just the physical design of the appliance and how it would look compared to your other appliances. You should also look at the dimensions of the different models you're considering. If you purchase a range that's larger or smaller than your current one, will you have to rearrange your kitchen and where things are placed? Can you do that, or are your cabinets and other features built in? For that reason, it's best to look at ones with very similar measurements, if not the exact same. Finally, make sure that it fits in with your budget. 

Make sure to also carefully look at reviews and review sites like Consumer Report. 

A few things to watch out for while you're reading over reviews. 

-Check social media about the brand. What are people saying? People will voice their opinions and call out a brand if their products are not working as expected or wanted. 

- Are reviews really, really positive and all posted within a week or two? These are probably fake. Ignore them and take a closer look at the others. 

- Are the reviews stuffed with repetitive phrases? Do several posts in a row mention words that are very similar to how the company describes the product? That's another good sign of fake reviews. 

- If you're worried about digging for hours through reviews, see if you can't find a video review instead. They're much harder to fake. 

Online? In-store? Which Is Better? 

Before we can answer that question, we have to ask a different one: Do you know what you want? If you know exactly what you want, go shopping online. Check to see which sites have the item you want in stock and work from there. Many sites will offer shipping and delivery, although it might not be free, or it might not include installation. However, if you aren't dead set on a brand and model, go in store. Take advantage of having an actual sales rep to talk to and ask questions of. If you're in the store, you also have the option to negotiate. 

Ways To Save When Shopping For New Appliances

While what we said up above is true that stores aren't offering deep discounts like they did in 2019, there are still ways that you can save. 

- Find the best price online and ask the retailer to match it. Many retailers still offer this service, even if they don't advertise it. 

- Don't be afraid to negotiate! They want your business. If they can't match the price, see if they can throw in delivery, assembly, installation etc. 

- Follow the retailer on social media. Many retailers will offer special discounts or promotions online that don't show up in newsletters or on their main site in exchange for you interacting with their page.

We know there are probably examples of ways shopping has changed, and that's why we want to hear from you! Let us know about your most recent experience over on our Facebook page. What have you seen online or in stores when shopping for appliances? 

If you're not looking for new appliances and instead are looking for someone who can repair your appliances, you're in the right place. Appliance Rescue Service is here for you whether you're in McKinney or Dallas or somewhere in between. You can set up an appointment on our contact page or reach out to us by calling ((214) 599-0055). We can help whether you're looking to stop your washer from rattling or your fridge from being chillier than the North Pole.  We cover all major appliances. 

Additional Reading: 

Dryer Deep Dive

Washing Machine Deep Dive

Appliance Shortage

Semiconductor Chip Shortage

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How The Appliance Shortage Got Here, And Where We Go Next

With vaccines being rolled out every day and mask restrictions being relaxed, many people think things are going back to normal. However, the appliance industry is showing that the effects of COVID-19 are going to  be felt for far longer than people anticipate. There is a massive appliance shortage not just here in Texas, but across the country.  So, how did it start, where is it going, and what can you do about it? 

Realistically, this shortage started almost right away in March of 2020 when we were beginning mass shutdowns across the country. It began in China where factories had to close for 6-8 weeks, which meant there was no stainless steel in production.  From there, the manufacturing plants for appliances in China, Mexico and the U.S. were either closed or had restrictions on how many people were allowed in. This meant that not only were the appliances delayed now, but so were the parts for those appliances. 

There were also businesses closing left and right, as  well as layoffs that swept the nation. So, people aren’t going to be shopping as much thanks to quarantine and shelter in place orders. With both of these factors going into play many of the manufacturers thought it was reasonable to scale back production. Stores felt the same and so they reduced their orders. 

Now let’s zoom in a bit, and take a look at the average person. As we were told to shelter in place, we needed ways to keep busy. So we looked around our homes and decided we wanted to bake sourdough bread. Or learn how to make new and exciting meals (that normally we’d get from takeout...) Some of us decided if we couldn’t go on vacation, we’d renovate our kitchens instead. Or others just had the bad luck of having their appliances break with all of the extra use from the family being home all day every day. 

All of this combined together meant a lot of time in our kitchens and the need for more appliances, or new appliances, or repairing our appliances. 

Then there’s a second angle to supply increase, the housing market. Even as COVID-19 happened, people were looking at buying new homes thanks to the Federal Reserve putting interest rates at 0%.  New homes were also still being built, and those come standard with a full appliance set of a microwave, dishwasher, oven, refrigerator and washer and dryer. So all of those homes still needed their slated appliances. 

All of this came together to create our current situation. Appliance backlogs of six months or more for specific brands and models. And let’s not even talk about being able to get the color you want.  

Several manufacturers are quoted as saying that they are ‘ramping up production’ or ‘being resourceful to meet demands.’ That isn’t showing in the market just yet though. Despite encouraging messages from Whirlpool, Electrolux and LG, we still have backorders of at least 6 months. 

So what to do? How do you, our loyal readers and clients, deal with this not six months from now, but right now? We know you have appliances that are still breaking, or ones you’re hoping to replace.  For the latter, we advise being flexible. Place an order as early as you can.  Know that the size you need is more important than specifics of the brand and model. If you can find a fridge that fits what you need and isn’t a sacrifice  on price, jump on it. 

If on the other hand your appliance has broken, we appreciate your patience. We are still working as hard as we can to take care of our clients throughout Dallas and the surrounding area. Know however that the manufacturing companies are backed up on parts as they are on the full appliances, with those full appliances taking precedence. Unfortunately for all of us, companies are focusing on the greatest profit margin they can attain right now, which means their higher tier models.  We understand your frustrations, and we hate it just as much. 

However! There are things you can do, other than just being the patient people we know and care about. 

Keep things clean and spaced properly. We’ve got several articles talking about how to make sure your fridge, freezer and dryer can breathe properly. 

If you aren’t sure, don’t put something through your dishwasher, washer or dryer. 

 Take preventative measures. If you think something is off with one of your appliances, give us a call. We do maintenance calls, and right now “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” for you, your time and your wallet.  

So while we aren’t sure about when things will change for the better, we can tell you that we will be here. We’re here to keep your homes running, whether you live in Coppell or Garland, Dallas or McKinney, we at Appliance Rescue Service are here for you. 

If you need to set a maintenance appointment, or something in your kitchen has broken, give us a call. You can reach us at ((214) 599-0055), our website, or via our Facebook page. 

We can only hope that our stores and showrooms will one day go back to showing appliances this way and having sales like this.