Home appliance repairers, also known as in-home service professionals, install and repair home appliances. Some repairers work on small appliances such as microwave ovens and vacuum cleaners. Others specialize in major appliances such as refrigerators, dishwashers, washers and dryers, and window air conditioning units. (Workers whose primary responsibility is the installation and repair of heating and central air conditioning units are covered in a separate Handbook statement on heating, air conditioning and refrigeration mechanics and installers—although some worker responsibilities may overlap.) Home appliance repairers install household durable goods such as refrigerators, washing machines, and cooking products. They may have to install pipes in a customer's home to connect the appliances to a gas or water line. In these cases, once the lines are in place, they turn on the gas or water and check for leaks. Home appliance repairers also answer customers' questions about the care and use of appliances.
When problems with home appliances occur, home appliance repairers visually inspect the appliance and check for unusual noises, excessive vibration, leakage of fluid, or loose parts to determine the cause of the failure. Repairers disassemble the appliance to examine its internal parts for signs of wear or corrosion. They follow service manuals and use testing devices such as ammeters, voltmeters, and wattmeters to check electrical systems for shorts and faulty connections.
After identifying problems, home appliance repairers replace or repair defective belts, motors, heating elements, switches, gears, or other items. They tighten, align, clean, and lubricate parts as necessary. Repairers use common handtools, including screwdrivers, wrenches, files, and pliers, as well as soldering guns and tools designed for specific appliances. When repairing appliances with electronic parts, they may replace circuit boards or other electronic components.
When repairing refrigerators and window air-conditioners, repairers must take care to conserve, recover, and recycle chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) and hydrochlorofluorocarbon (HCFC) refrigerants used in the cooling systems, as is required by law. Federal regulations also require that home appliance repairers document the capture and disposal of refrigerants.
Repairers write up estimates of the cost of repairs for customers, keep records of parts used and hours worked, prepare bills, and collect payments. If an appliance is still under warranty, self-employed repairers will talk with the original appliance manufacturer to recoup monetary claims for work performed.
Work environment. Home appliance repairers who handle portable appliances usually work in quiet and adequately lighted and ventilated repair shops. Those who repair major appliances may spend several hours a day driving to and from appointments and emergency calls. Repairers sometimes work in cramped and uncomfortable positions when they are replacing parts in hard-to-reach areas of appliances. Repairer jobs generally are not hazardous, but workers must exercise care and follow safety precautions to avoid electrical shocks and gas leaks, and prevent injuries when lifting and moving large appliances.
Home appliance repairers usually work with little or no direct supervision. Many home appliance repairers work a standard 40-hour week, but may work overtime and weekend hours in the summer months, when they are in high demand to fix refrigerators and window mounted air-conditioners. Some repairers work early morning, evening, and weekend shifts and may remain on call in case of an emergency.
| 1. | Disassemble appliances so that problems can be diagnosed and repairs can be made. |
| 2. | Bill customers for repair work, and collect payment. |
| 3. | Trace electrical circuits, following diagrams, and conduct tests with circuit testers and other equipment to locate shorts and grounds. |
| 4. | Service and repair domestic electrical and/or gas appliances such as clothes washers, refrigerators, stoves, and dryers. |
| 5. | Replace worn and defective parts such as switches, bearings, transmissions, belts, gears, circuit boards, or defective wiring. |
| 6. | Talk to customers or refer to work orders in order to establish the nature of appliance malfunctions. |
| 7. | Reassemble units after repairs are made, making adjustments and cleaning and lubricating parts as needed. |
| 8. | Record maintenance and repair work performed on appliances. |
| 9. | Provide repair cost estimates, and recommend whether appliance repair or replacement is a better choice. |
| 10. | Maintain stocks of parts used in on-site installation, maintenance, and repair of appliances. |
| 11. | Clean and reinstall parts. |
| 12. | Observe and examine appliances during operation to detect specific malfunctions such as loose parts or leaking fluid. |
| 13. | Observe and test operation of appliances following installation, and make any initial installation adjustments that are necessary. |
| 14. | Refer to schematic drawings, product manuals, and troubleshooting guides in order to diagnose and repair problems. |
| 15. | Instruct customers regarding operation and care of appliances, and provide information such as emergency service numbers. |
| 16. | Assemble new or reconditioned appliances. |
| 17. | Clean, lubricate, and touch up minor defects on newly installed or repaired appliances. |
| 18. | Conserve, recover, and recycle refrigerants used in cooling systems. |
| 19. | Level refrigerators, adjust doors, and connect water lines to water pipes for ice makers and water dispensers, using hand tools. |
| 20. | Set appliance thermostats, and check to ensure that they are functioning properly. |
| 21. | Level washing machines and connect hoses to water pipes, using hand tools. |
| 22. | Install gas pipes and water lines to connect appliances to existing gas lines or plumbing. |
| 23. | Respond to emergency calls for problems such as gas leaks. |
| 24. | Install appliances such as refrigerators, washing machines, and stoves. |
| 25. | Contact supervisors or offices to receive repair assignments. |
| 26. | Light and adjust pilot lights on gas stoves, and examine valves and burners for gas leakage and specified flame. |
| 27. | Test and examine gas pipelines and equipment to locate leaks and faulty connections, and to determine the pressure and flow of gas. |
| 28. | Measure, cut, and thread pipe, and connect it to feeder lines and equipment or appliances, using rules and hand tools. |
| 29. | Take measurements to determine if appliances will fit in installation locations; perform minor carpentry work when necessary to ensure proper installation. |
| 30. | Hang steel supports from beams or joists to hold hoses, vents, and gas pipes in place. |
| 31. | Disassemble and reinstall existing kitchen cabinets, or assemble and install prefabricated kitchen cabinets and trim in conjunction with appliance installation. |
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