Get Quotes from Top Appliance Repair Services in Jacksonville, FL

Questions to Ask Before Hiring an Appliance Repair Service in Jacksonville

While you may consider a DIY repair of your broken dishwasher, refrigerator, or any other household appliance, you may void your warranty for a replacement and also risk electrocution in the process. Every year, faulty appliances account for about 15 percent of all electrocutions the United States. Hence, it is a smart decision to leave such repairs to trained appliance repair. When in search of a reputable appliance repair service in Jacksonville, always ask the following questions to ascertain their proficiency to complete your repair works according to manufacturer guidelines:

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

Jacksonville does not issue occupation-specific licenses to appliance repair men that wish to ply their trade within its jurisdiction. However, depending on the nature and scope of the repair work that they intend to do, these technicians may be required to obtain certain state and federal-level occupational licenses and certifications. For example, per the provisions of Section 608 of the Clean Air Act, appliance repair men that wish to work on appliances and equipment that contain and can release refrigerants into the atmosphere, such as refrigerators and air conditioners, must be certified by the EPA.

Likewise, appliance repair men in the city that provide services involving the installation, repair, or alteration of electrical appliances that generate, transmit, transform, or utilize electrical energy are statutorily required to possess a valid state-issued Electrical Contractor License. These licenses are issued by the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) across various licensing classifications, which are categorized into two main groups, namely:

  • Certified Contractor Licenses: Appliance repair men that hold a certified license can perform work within the scope of their license in any location across the State of Florida
  • Registered Contractor Licenses: Appliance repair men that hold a registered license can only perform work within the scope of their license in specified cities or counties in the State of Florida

It should be noted that performing any type of electrical work in Jacksonville without possessing a valid DBPR-issued license is considered a misdemeanor of the first degree, and is punishable by a fine of up to $1,000.

Appliance repair men that wish to obtain DBPR-issued electrical contractor licenses may submit application requests to the department online. Applicants must meet certain eligibility criteria, which generally include submitting proof of minimum acceptable educational or on-the-job work experience, passing a licensing examination, providing proof of adequate insurance coverage, and paying all applicable licensing fees. Inquiries concerning the DBPR's licensing requirements and procedures can be directed to the department's Customer Contact Center online or via phone number (850) 487-1395.

Finally, appliance repair men that wish to install, service, modify, alter, or repair LP Gas/Propane-powered appliances must obtain a separate Category V LP Gas Installer License from the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) before doing so. Applications for this license can be made by completing and submitting an LP Gas Category V Installer License Application Form, along with the stipulated fees and any necessary additional documentation, to the department at:

FDACS
P.O. Box 6700
Tallahassee, FL 32314-6700

You can get additional information on the FDAC's licensing process for LP Gas appliance repair men by contacting the department at (850) 921-1600.

You can equally confirm that your intended appliance repair man holds a valid state-issued electrical contractor or LP gas installer license by utilizing the DBPR's Verify a Licensee search portal and the FDAC's License/Complaint Lookup portal respectively.

Note that, in addition to holding state-issued licenses, some appliance repair men in Jacksonville also undergo non-mandatory certification with trade associations like the International Society of Certified Electronics Technicians (ISCET). Always authenticate any claims of professional certification that your intended handyman makes by contacting the relevant organizations.

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

The cost of repairing refrigerators, washing machines, ovens, and other faulty appliances in Jacksonville is primarily dependent on:

  • The type of appliance and its energy source
  • The appliance brand
  • Your location within the city
  • The urgency of the required appliance repair service

Getting and comparing costs from at least two or three different appliance repair men in the city can help you get a fair idea of the going rates for appliance repairs within your vicinity. Doing this is also a good way to avoid being overcharged by fraudulent technicians in the city. Note that this does not mean that you should automatically hire the technician with the lowest rates, as you should also consider other factors like their licensing status and level of experience.

Appliance repair men in Jacksonville earn an average annual wage of $48,240. Provided below is a comparison of the hourly average wage for appliance repair men in Jacksonville with those of these technicians in other areas of the State of Florida and several other locations across the United States:

Jacksonville Appliance Repair Man Average Hourly Wage
$23.19
Florida Appliance Repair Man Average Hourly Wage
$20.08
Houston Appliance Repair Man Average Hourly Wage
$22.60
Boston Appliance Repair Man Average Hourly Wage
$25.69
Los Angeles Appliance Repair Man Average Hourly Wage
$23.44
New York City Appliance Repair Man Average Hourly Wage
$27.05
Seattle Appliance Repair Man Average Hourly Wage
$23.82
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

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

Factory certification is an important criterion to look out for when searching for appliance repair men in Jacksonville, especially if your appliance is still under warranty. Factory-certified appliance repair men are technicians that have been designated by an appliance manufacturer to provide advanced or specialized services on their brand of products. These technicians typically undergo extensive background checks from the appliance manufacturer before receiving their designations, and they also have access to direct technical and administrative support from these manufacturers.

Thus, by hiring a factory-certified appliance technician, you can be assured that your appliance repair will be handled by an experienced professional and done per the specifications of the appliance's manufacturer. Other advantages of hiring factory-certified technicians include access to authentic parts for the repair as well as an assurance that your appliance's warranties will remain intact.

Note that hiring an appliance repair man that has not been designated as factory-certified does not automatically mean that your appliance repair job will be done unprofessionally or with subpar parts. In situations where you are unable to find a factory-certified technician for your specific type and brand of appliance, or if the warranties on the appliance have expired, you can consider retaining the services of an experienced and properly equipped non-factory-certified technician. Note that you should always confirm your appliance repair man's licensing status and also make sure that they use authentic parts for the job.

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

When faced with faulty home appliances, such as refrigerators, washing machines, and ovens in Jacksonville, it is important to find out the types of parts that your intended appliance repair man will use to carry out any necessary repairs. There are two main types of appliance parts used for appliance repairs, namely:

  • Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) parts
  • Generic parts

OEM parts are parts made by the original manufacturer of the appliance. They are usually of higher quality than generic parts and using them helps protect any existing warranties on your faulty appliance. On the other hand, generic parts refer to parts that are made by any firm or company that is not the original appliance manufacturer. Note that these firms or companies may or may not be affiliated with the appliance's original manufacturer.

Always make sure that your appliance repair man uses OEM parts for your repair. This is because, even though these types of parts are typically more expensive, their quality and durability generally saves you money in the long run. However, you may have to utilize generic parts in situations where your appliance's original manufacturer has discontinued the production or supply of the required OEM parts and they are also unavailable via alternative sources like online marketplaces or local supply stores.

Also, regardless of the types of parts that your appliance repair man utilizes for the job, always request a warranty that guarantees the quality of these parts as well as the actual repair work done. Make sure to read and understand the terms and conditions of this warranty before signing it.

What Kind of Appliance Repair Services Do You Offer?

Jacksonville appliance repair men generally offer different types of repair services across several appliance brands to interested residents of the city. These services include refrigerator repairs, washing machine and dryer repairs, microwave and dishwasher installation and repairs, and stovetop and oven installation and repairs.

Therefore, you should always confirm the area of specialization of the appliance repair man that you intend to hire in the city and make sure that it aligns with the specific type and brand of appliance that you own. Also, find out how much you will be charged for your required appliance repair service. Listed below are the cost estimates of some commonly requested appliance repair services in Jacksonville:

Central vacuum system installation
$1,405 - $2,085 (for existing typical four-bedroom home)
Dishwasher repair
$80 - $250
Dishwasher water and drain line installation
$110 - $127
Dryer repair - $80
$180
Electrical appliance installation
$106 - $145 (for basic appliance hookup only)
Garbage disposal unit repair/installation
$70 - $370
Ice maker repair
$65 - $250
Ice maker water line installation
$110 - $150
Microwave oven installation
$107 - $120 (labor only, for basic microwave installation)
Microwave oven repair
$80 - $250
Refrigerator water line installation
$110 - $150
Washing machine water repair
$120 - $350
Stove repair
$100 - $350
Refrigerator repair
$150 - $500

How Do You Handle Issues of Product Repairs Going Wrong?

Even after hiring a licensed, experienced, and factory-certified appliance repair man in Jacksonville, there is always the possibility that you end up unsatisfied with the technician's services at the end of the day. In situations like this, your first course of action should be informing the technician of your dissatisfaction and letting them know the specific aspects of the appliance repair service that you have issues with. Professional appliance repair men in the city will typically try to resolve the problem through several methods, such as:

  • Re-doing the repairs
  • Referring you to a different technician
  • Refunding your repair fees, either partially or in full

However, in situations where you cannot reach an amicable or satisfactory solution with the appliance repair man, then it is advisable to take action against them by filing a complaint with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDAC). These complaints can be filed online or by submitting a completed Consumer Complaint Form to:

FDACS
Mediation and Enforcement
2005 Apalachee Parkway
Tallahassee, FL 32399-6500

You can also get assistance concerning unsatisfactory appliance repair services in Jacksonville by contacting the Northeast Florida and Southeast Atlantic Regional Office of the Better Business Bureau at:

4417 Beach Boulevard
Suite 202
Jacksonville, FL 32207
Phone: (904) 721-2288

In the event that neither of these agencies can help you get satisfactory personal remedies from the appliance repair man, you can take further action by filing a lawsuit against them with the Duval County Clerk of Courts' Small Claims Department. Note that the amount in contention must not exceed $8,000. Also, while small claims cases can be filed without an attorney, it is always in your best interest to get legal advice before taking any court-related actions. You can find qualified consumer attorneys in Jacksonville via online referral services and directories provided by the Jacksonville Bar Association and the National Association of Consumer Advocates.

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

The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that a total of 1,000 nonfatal work-related injuries occurred amongst home appliance repairers in 2020. Hiring a technician that is properly insured ensures that you are not held liable in situations where these injuries or any other detrimental work-related events occur during your appliance repair. To this end, appliance repair men in Jacksonville are typically expected to meet certain insurance obligations, and the specifics of these insurance requirements are dependent on the type of license that they hold.

Appliance repair men that hold FDAC-issued category V LP gas installer licenses must carry bodily injury and property damage liability insurance of at least $1,000,000. Likewise, appliance repair men that hold DBPR-issued electrical contractor licenses must meet insurance coverage limits of $300,000 per occurrence, including completed operations and products, $500,000 for property damage, including completed operations and products, and $100,000 per person or an $800,000 combined single limit.

Always request proof of insurance from your intended appliance repair man and contact the appropriate insurance provider to verify the technician's coverage limits. You can also get additional information on the mandatory insurance requirements for appliance repair men in Jacksonville by contacting the state's Department of Business and Professional Regulation and Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services at (850) 487-1395 and (850) 921-1600 respectively.

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

In March 2022, local media house News4Jax reported that a contractor charged with defrauding consumers in the area by receiving payments for repairs and then failing to provide the required services had been ordered to pay $50,000 in restitution to these consumers. Since 2011, the Florida Attorney General's Office has recovered over $10 billion for consumers across the state that have fallen victim to scams and other unfair and deceptive business activities. Some common ways that bad appliance repair men in Jacksonville scam consumers include:

  • Falsifying their licensing status
  • Exaggerating the extent of damage to the appliance in question and subsequently overcharging for the required repairs
  • Failing to provide services that have already been paid for
  • Deliberately doing a poor job so that they can get a call back from the consumer

To this end, when searching for qualified appliance repair men in the city, you should always take the following steps to avoid falling victim to a repair scam:

  • Be wary of technicians that go door-to-door offering unsolicited repair and maintenance services
  • Make sure that any technician you hire possesses an appropriate state-issued occupational license via either the DBPR's Verify a Licensee search portal or FDAC's License/Complaint Lookup portal
  • Get and compare costs for your repair from several technicians
  • Be wary of technicians that cannot provide you with references. It is also a good idea to get third-party reviews and testimonials on your preferred technician via websites like Google Review, Yelp, and the Better Business Bureau
  • Do not pay the full cost of the repair upfront and never agree to cash-only deals
  • Always insist on a written contract for the job and review this contract properly before signing it
  • Make sure that you are given a warranty for the job
  • Keep copies of all documents used for the job properly, such as warranties, contracts, receipts, and invoices. They can come in handy if you have any misunderstandings or disputes with the technician

Matters concerning appliance repair scams that occur in Jacksonville can be reported to the city's Office of Consumer Affairs online or by calling (904) 630-2489.

Complaints concerning these types of matters can also be filed via the following channels:

  • By completing and submitting a Consumer Complaint Form to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services online
  • By contacting the Jacksonville Office of the Florida Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division at (904) 348-2720 or submitting a Citizen Services Contact Form to this division online