Get Quotes from Top Appliance Repair Services in Charlotte, NC

Questions to Ask Before Hiring an Appliance Repair Service in Charlotte

Homeowners in the Charlotte area pay an average of $233 to fix faulty refrigerators, washers, and other household appliances. While it may seem like a cost-saving option to attempt these repairs yourself, doing so will not only void your warranty but can also end up costing you thousands of dollars due to improper repairs and possible property damage. To get safe and long-term solutions to your household appliance problems in Charlotte, you should always hire experienced and well-equipped appliance repair men. You can ensure that you hire qualified technicians for your appliance repair by asking the following questions:

Are You Licensed to Practice as an Appliance Repair Service in Charlotte?

Occupational licenses are generally not required for the repair of household appliances like refrigerators, washers, microwave ovens, and stoves in Charlotte. However, appliance repair men in the city who repair, service, or maintain appliances and equipment that contain and can release refrigerants into the atmosphere are statutorily required to undergo EPA-approved technician certification. Likewise, appliance repair men that wish to install, repair, or maintain commercial, transport, or industrial refrigeration equipment in Charlotte are also required to obtain a state-issued refrigeration contractor license from the North Carolina State Board of Refrigeration Contractors.

Note that this license is only issued to individuals that can verify that they have acquired at least 4,000 hours of relevant refrigeration experience. Eligible parties will be required to complete and submit an Application for Refrigeration Examination Form, along with the stipulated application fee, to the board at:

State Board of Refrigeration Examiners
1027 US Highway 70 West
Suite 221
Garner, NC 27529

Queries related to EPA-required certifications and state-issued refrigeration contractor licenses can be directed to the NC State Board of Refrigeration Contractors at (919)779-4711. Licenses issued by this board can also be verified online via its Search Licensee Database.

Considering that there are no mandatory occupational licensing requirements for appliance repair men in Charlotte, it is always a good idea to look out for voluntarily-obtained certifications before hiring any technicians in the city. These certifications are typically only issued to technicians that have demonstrated an acceptable level of skill, knowledge, and experience in appliance repairs, and hiring a certified technician usually translates into competent service delivery. Some reputable organizations that offer certification options to interested appliance repair men in Charlotte include the United Appliance Servicers Association, the International Society of Electronics Technicians, and the Professional Service Association.

Always request proof of certification from your from any appliance repair man that claims to be certified and authenticate this proof by contacting the relevant issuing organization.

How Much Do You Charge Compared to Other Appliance Repair Services in Charlotte?

The total amount of money you will have to pay to fix faulty household appliances like refrigerators, washers, microwave ovens, dryers, and dishwashers is primarily dependent on the following factors:

  • The make and model of the appliance
  • The specific nature of the problem
  • The extent of the appliance's damage
  • The cost of needed replacement parts

You should always get and compare quotes for your appliance repair from up to three different technicians before making your final hiring decision. Do not automatically hire the technician that submits the lowest estimate and always request an explanation for any estimates that are significantly different from the others. It is also a good idea to get the appliance repair men to diagnose the faulty appliance before coming up with their estimates. Note that some appliance repair men in the city may charge a separate diagnosis fee for this service.

Appliance repair men in Charlotte earn an average annual wage of $40,680. Provided below is a comparison of the hourly average wage for appliance repair men in Charlotte with those of these technicians in other areas of the State of North Carolina and several other locations across the United States:

Charlotte Appliance Repair Man Average Hourly Wage
$19.56
North Carolina Appliance Repair Man Average Hourly Wage
$19.07
New York City Appliance Repair Man Average Hourly Wage
$27.05
Los Angeles Appliance Repair Man Average Hourly Wage
$23.44
Chicago Appliance Repair Man Average Hourly Wage
$17.16
Houston Appliance Repair Man Average Hourly Wage
$22.60
Phoenix Appliance Repair Man Average Hourly Wage
$29.43
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Are You Certified by the Manufacturer to Repair the Appliance in Charlotte?

Factory-certified technicians are appliance repair men that have been vetted and deemed qualified by appliance manufacturers to provide advanced services on their brand of products. Hiring a factory-certified technician to fix your faulty household appliance provides you with a measure of confidence that your required appliance repair service will be provided professionally and satisfactorily. This is because these technicians generally receive continuous training as well as direct technical and administrative from appliance manufacturers on their specific brands of products. Thus, they are better equipped to fix your faulty appliance than non-factory-certified technicians. Other advantages of hiring factory certified technicians in Charlotte include:

  • They are more likely to use authentic replacement parts for your appliance repair
  • Doing so protects your appliance's warranty

Note that the availability of factory-certified technicians in Charlotte is usually dependent on the specific make and model of your faulty appliance as well as your location within the city. In situations where you cannot find a factory-certified technician to handle your appliance repair, or if the appliance in question is no longer under warranty, you can consider hiring a non-factory-certified technician for the job. Make sure to confirm that this appliance repair man is aptly experienced in providing repair services for your specific appliance and also has access to authentic replacement parts and components.

Will You Get the Appliance Parts and Accessories Required by the Manufacturer?

The average life expectancy of household appliances like refrigerators, garbage disposers, microwave ovens, dishwashers, stoves, washing machines, and dryers, ranges from 10 to 15 years. Nonetheless, some components and accessories in these appliances may need replacing during this time, and the types of parts used for these replacements will determine their efficiency moving forward. As such, you should always hire appliance repair men that utilize Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) parts when replacing faulty appliance components and accessories.

OEM parts refer to appliance parts, components, and accessories that are made and supplied by an appliance's original manufacturer. The key difference between these types of parts and generic parts is that generic parts are made and supplied by third parties that are not the original manufacturer of the appliance in question. Note that these third parties may or may not be affiliated with the original appliance manufacturer. Advantages of always choosing OEM parts over generic parts for your appliance repair include:

  • They are more compatible with appliances than generic parts
  • They are more durable than generic parts
  • They protect existing warranties on your appliance

However, sometimes you may have no choice but to use generic parts for your appliance repair. This usually happens when the original appliance manufacturer has discontinued the production of the appliance in question and your technician is unable to source them from local suppliers, appliance parts stores, or online marketplaces. In these situations, professional Charlotte appliance repair men will typically request your go-ahead before purchasing and using any generic parts for your appliance repair.

Also, it is in your best interest to always request a written warranty from your appliance repair man once your repair job is concluded. These warranties guarantee that authentic parts were used for the job and they generally hold the appliance repair man liable if your faulty appliance is not properly fixed. Note that you should always properly read and understand any written warranties that you are issued before signing them.

What Kind of Appliance Repair Services Do You Offer?

Professional appliance repair men in Charlotte are generally equipped to provide repair services for a wide range of household appliances, including, but not limited to, refrigerators, dryers, washing machines, garbage disposers, stoves, and microwave ovens. Nonetheless, you should always confirm that the appliance repair man you intend to hire specializes in your repairing the specific make and model of appliance that you own to ensure that you get satisfactory service delivery at the end of the day.

In addition to confirming your appliance repair man's area of specialization, you should also find out how much they charge for their repair services before they commence any repairs, and get a written agreement to this effect. Provided below are cost estimates for common appliance repair services offered by professional appliance repair men in Charlotte:

Central vacuum system installation
$1,409 - $2,092 (for existing typical four-bedroom home)
Dishwasher repair
$100 - $280
Dishwasher installation
$110.90 - $127.70 (labor only)
Dryer repair
$80 - $220
Electrical appliance installation
$106.50 - $145 (for basic appliance hookup only)
Garbage disposal unit repair/installation
$296.85 - $374.70
Ice maker water line installation
$100 - $150
Microwave oven installation
$108 - $126.50 (labor only, for basic microwave installation)
Microwave oven repair
$100 - $250
Refrigerator water line installation
$110 - $155
Washer repair
$110 - $355
Stove/oven repair
$100 - $300
Refrigerator repair
$100 - $325

How Do You Handle Issues of Product Repairs Going Wrong?

Despite taking steps to hire certified technicians and ensuring that only OEM parts and components are used for the job, there is always the chance that you end up unsatisfied with the services provided by your appliance repair man. When faced with these types of situations, your first course of action should be to contact the appliance repair man in question and point out the areas of their repair service that you are not satisfied with. Professional appliance repair men in Charlotte generally handle issues concerning unsatisfactory customers by taking any of the following actions:

  • Properly re-doing the repair job
  • Offering the customer a refund for payments made
  • Referring the customer to a different appliance repair man

However, if your appliance repair man does not take any of the aforementioned actions, or if you are still unsatisfied with the resolution that they offer, you may consider escalating the issue to either the North Carolina Department of Justice or the Better Business Bureau for necessary consumer assistance and protection actions. Complaints can be filed with the North Carolina Department of Justice by completing a complaint form online or by calling (919) 716-6000. Likewise, you can get consumer assistance from the Better Business Bureau by contacting its Southern Piedmont and Western North Carolina office at:

9719 Northeast Parkway
Matthews, NC 28105
Phone: (704) 927-8611

Finally, if these agencies cannot help you get satisfactory compensation or personal remedies, you can take legal action against the appliance repair man by filing a small claims case at the Mecklenburg County Courthouse. Note that small claims cannot exceed $10,000. Also, even though you may file these types of cases without an attorney, it is always a good idea to get proper legal advice before taking any type of court action. To this end, you can utilize lawyer referral services and online directories provided by the Mecklenburg County Bar and National Association of Consumer Advocates to find licensed and qualified consumer attorneys in Charlotte whom you can consult with.

Do You Carry the Necessary Insurance Policy for Appliance Repair Services in Charlotte?

Failing to confirm your appliance repair man's liability insurance status means that you can be held liable for any injuries that they suffer in your home during your appliance repair. Data published by the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics suggests that at least 1,000 household appliance repair men were injured on the job in 2020. In North Carolina alone, more than 10 percent of the fatal on-the-job injuries that occurred during this period were recorded amongst installation, maintenance, and repair workers.

Therefore, even though there are no mandatory liability insurance obligations for appliance repair men that ply their trade in Charlotte, you should always make sure that you only hire technicians that carry liability insurance. Request a copy of your intended appliance repair man's insurance certificate and contact the relevant insurance provider to validate the details of this certificate. Also, confirm with the insurance provider that the technician's insurance limits are adequate for the scope of your appliance repair.

Note that, per state law, appliance repair men in Charlotte that have at least three employees must carry workers' compensation insurance for these employees. If your preferred appliance repair man fits this criterion, then you should also request proof of compliance with this state-mandated insurance requirement. You can get additional information on state-mandated workers' compensation insurance requirements by contacting the North Carolina Industrial Commission via email or by calling either (919) 807-2501 or toll-free number (800) 688-8349.

How to File a Complaint Against a Bad Appliance Repair Service in Charlotte

When looking to hire an appliance repair man in Charlotte, it is important to take certain steps to ensure that you do not fall victim to an unscrupulous technician. Complaints concerning household appliance repair services and fraudulent appliance repair men are one of the most common complaint categories across North Carolina, with the state's Department of Justice receiving more than 420 of these types of complaints in 2019 alone. In February 2020, this office announced that it had won a $122,000 judgment against a Charlotte appliance repair man that had been accused of defrauding over 22 consumers in the area. This appliance repair man was also permanently banned from providing appliance repair services across the State of North Carolina.

Utilizing the following tips when searching for qualified appliance repair men in Charlotte can help ensure that you end up retaining the services of a legitimate technician:

  • Get referrals to appliance repair men from trusted friends and family or via online platforms like the Better Business Bureau, Google Review, and Yelp. You can also look up reviews and testimonials on appliance repair men in the city via these platforms. You can equally check an appliance repair man's complaint history by contacting the North Carolina Department of Justice's Consumer Protection Division at 1-877-5-NO-SCAM
  • Get and compare estimates for your required appliance repair service from at least two or three technicians
  • Request references from your preferred appliance repair man. Be wary of technicians that cannot provide you with up to three local and verifiable references
  • Be skeptical of upfront fees. Never pay the full cost of your appliance repair until it is satisfactorily completed and avoid cash transactions if you have to make any down payments
  • Always confirm your intended appliance repair man's insurance status
  • Always read and understand warranties, contracts, and any other documents that you are given carefully before signing them

You can report unsatisfactory appliance repair services, unscrupulous technicians, and other appliance repair-related matters that occur in Charlotte to the North Carolina Department of Justice by completing and submitting a General Consumer Complaint Form online. Note that you may be required to attach copies of supporting documents when filing these complaints. Complaints can also be filed with this office by calling toll-free number 1-877-5-NO-SCAM for callers within North Carolina and (919) 716-6000 for callers outside the state.