Archive for category: Absolute Appliances Repair

When an appliance in your home seems out of sorts – whether it smells funny, sounds suspicious, or doesn’t perform its job like it used to, one of the first questions that comes to mind is usually, “How much is this going to cost me?”

Oftentimes, choosing Marin County appliance repair is less expensive than purchasing an entirely new appliance…but what if the appliance is beyond repair? What if you’re not sure if it can be repaired or not? It’s important to know your options ahead of time and formulate a back-up plan before an appliance breaks down. That way, you aren’t frantically trying to find the fastest solution in a panic, which can often result in less-than-ideal (and expensive) solutions.

Following are a few questions to ask yourself before enlisting the help of a professional in appliance repair in San Rafael or replacing your appliance:

1. How old is your appliance? Whenever considering replacement or repair for big ticket items like electronics, appliances, and vehicles, one of the first factors to consider is the item’s age. Part of the importance of the answer is tied to its value – typically, the older an appliance, electronic, or vehicle is, the less it’s worth. Sometimes, appliance repair in Mill Valley can cost more than the value of the item; if this is the case in your situation, you may want to consider replacement instead of repair. In addition, older items are sometimes more difficult to repair and find parts for, making the job more expensive than normal.
2. What would the cost of repairs be? This question is especially important if you’re undecided about repairing or replacing an item. There are many factors that determine just how much appliance repair will cost, including the specific part(s) needed, labor costs, labor time, the age of the appliance, and availability of parts. It may be worth it to save money and get an item repaired instead of replacing it; oftentimes, this is the more economical way to go when an appliance breaks.
3. Is the appliance under warranty? There’s a lot to be said for the value of warranties, and all too often, when appliance owners acquire a new item, they fail to register the product for the warranty that comes with it. Down the road, it becomes a regrettable decision, should the appliance break down prematurely. Hopefully, you followed through with your item’s warranty when it was first purchased. Check and see if the appliance is still covered and if it is, be sure that you understand exactly what is covered and what is not. This can not only save you money on appliance repair in San Francisco, but can also help you avoid a lot of unnecessary stress and unwanted surprise charges later on.
4. Do you need an appliance that is more energy efficient? This isn’t a question everyone considers when an appliance breaks. Those that are newer can save you big money over the course of its life when compared to your older appliance, and this holds true for refrigerators, dryers, washing machines, dishwashers, ovens, and more. If you have the option to repair an appliance, before you do, consider how old your unit is and how much its non-efficiency is costing you. You may save a lot of money over the next few years by upgrading to an energy-friendly appliance.

Should you need an expert in appliance repair in Larkspur, Novato, San Rafael, Mill Valley, or San Francisco, contact Absolute Appliances Repair today. We service most brands and models of all household appliances and can help you get yours up and running again.

We rely on our appliances every day, and when something goes wrong with your washer or dryer, refrigerator, dishwasher, freezer, or anything else, fixing it becomes top priority. Unfortunately, there are people out there who are eager to take advantage of those of us in that desperate situation. Time is critical when the food will spoil soon or washing clothes in the bathtub threatens, and you’ll need the help of an appliance repair expert to get things working again.

You don’t want to settle for just any appliance repair company in San Francisco, though. There are many excellent companies throughout the Marin County area that are fair, honest, and truly want the best for their customers. However, there are also a few that represent the opposite, and you need to know how to avoid becoming the victim of any scam.

Here are some things to keep in mind to protect yourself from these companies:

• Always make sure your money is going to a company – and not an individual person. Whether it’s a credit card payment, personal check, or automatic debit, you owe the company for which the technician works for – not the technician him/herself. On a similar note, never ever pay cash for services! Always make sure you pay with traceable means to protect yourself.
• When a technician arrives, before he or she enters your home, insist that you are shown an official tag or badge that validates their identity and their relationship with the repair company they claim to represent. You shouldn’t have to ask for this, either – they should offer this validation right away to you.
• You shouldn’t ever have to prepay for appliance repair in San Francisco. Unfortunately, a popular tactic with shady companies or personnel is to claim that they need the money upfront to pay for a part they need for the repair job. This is not a sound business practice, and if you pay for anything before work is done, you may never see that tech or your money again.
• Don’t let the tech leave without you being satisfied that your appliance is in good working order once again. Don’t be afraid to keep them there while you test your appliance out. You know best how your appliance is supposed to behave, so if the tech claims they are finished, but something still seems off to you, state so. You are paying money for a service that promises to restore your machine – make sure you get what you pay for.
• Be suspicious of the whole “I got that fixed, but now this is broken” scheme. Sadly, bad repair companies or techs may break one part of an appliance as they “fix” the original broken part, then tell you it will cost you more if you want the newly broken part fixed.

Appliance repair is not free, and the only thing worse than paying for repairs is being conned by a person or company you trusted on top of the cost of repairs. Be aware, be insistent, and be sure you go with a reputable company about which you don’t have to worry. Contact Absolute Appliances Repair the next time you need help with your appliances and rest easy while we work for you. We serve customers in San Francisco, Larkspur, Novato, San Rafael, Mill Valley, and areas in Marin County.

Summer is just about here, and that probably means that use of your kitchen will change a bit – maybe the refrigerator will be opened and closed more times each day as the kids grab snacks, and maybe your oven will be used less than it is during the colder winter months. In celebration of the arrival of summer, you may want to take some time to prepare your appliances for the season ahead, and that means taking a look at each one to see what kind of maintenance each might need.

Are your appliances ready for summer?

• Your Refrigerator: Any time is a great time to do a deep cleaning of the fridge, but just before summer hits, you’ll want to make sure that it’s roomy and ready for fresh vegetables, fresh fruits, and ingredients for meals on the grill. Wash drawers and shelves with warm, soapy water, and wash the walls with a food-safe natural cleaner. Throw out any old or questionable foods, and make sure the thermostat is set to keep everything crisp and fresh. It’s also a good idea to make an appointment with an appliance repair company in the San Francisco area to perform a quick lookover and tune-up on your refrigerator to keep any breakdowns to a minimum!

 

• Your Cooktop and Oven: What better way to get your kitchen ready for summer than to get that stove and oven nice and clean? Use non-abrasive cleaners and soft sponges for the cooktop, and avoid using your oven’s self-cleaning feature; it may not work well and could result in broken oven parts. Instead, take some time to use your favorite oven cleaner and grime remover to ensure that your appliance is good to go this season. Should you discover that your stove or oven isn’t working right, contact us ASAP to get it working again before summer parties!

 

• Your Garbage Disposal: Few things stink up a kitchen faster than the heat of summer combined with a full or dirty garbage disposal! Be sure you won’t run into any odor issues from your sink by taking a few minutes and giving the appliance a good cleaning. You can use deodorizers and cleaners that loosen grime in it, but don’t use things like coffee grounds, contrary to popular belief. Those grounds can get stuck in the mechanisms and break your disposal. Try lemon or orange wedges or rinds for a natural scent and natural cleaning power this summer.

 

• Your Dishwasher: Even though a dishwasher is an appliance that you would expect to be somewhat self-cleaning, it does still require a bit of extra help from you to keep churning out dishes that are clean and sparkling. Check hoses and lines to make sure nothing is kinked, clogged, or cracked, and use a special dishwasher cleaning agent at the start of summer to get your appliance ready for the season. Should you discover anything amiss during your pre-summer inspection, don’t hesitate to call Absolute Appliances Repair for help.

 

Whether you have big plans for your home over the summer or you’re just planning on going about “life as usual”, should you need any appliance repairs in San Francisco or the surrounding area, give us a call. We’ll be happy to help you make sure all your machines are functioning properly and efficiently to guarantee a great summer with your kitchen. Contact us today for all your appliance preventive maintenance needs, too. We provide a full one-year warranty on parts and labor!

When your washer, dryer, refrigerator, or other major appliance stops working properly, fixing it often becomes an immediate priority. Whether the idea of hundreds of dollars’ worth of food spoiling scares you, or the thought of having to travel to a laundromat stresses you out more, the fact is that you will need the help of a pro to get things back in working order.

No matter how desperate you are for appliance repairs, however, don’t settle for just any repair company.

While a huge majority of appliance repair companies in the Marin County area are honest, fair, and truly want what’s best for the customer, like all other business sectors, there are always a few rotten ones in the bunch. There are some warning signs that could signal the fact that you’re dealing with a not-so-honest company, though. Watch out for some of the following bad business practices:

• The License Fraud

Unfortunately, there are some professionals in several business sectors (not just appliance repair) that claim to be licensed, bonded, and/or insured who actually aren’t. They may tell you that the work you need done doesn’t require a license or that they are a factory-authorized tech when they actually aren’t. You can do a license check here, and you can also contact the manufacturer of your machine to ensure you are hiring a truly qualified individual.

 

• The Pay First Scam

If a company or technician asks you to pay money up front before the work on your machine is done, beware! He or she might say they need your money in order to get a part, but the sad reality is that if you hand over the money beforehand, you may never see the tech – or your money – again. Don’t pay until the work has been completed.

 

• The Personal Check Tactic

This is another red flag to watch out for when dealing with repair personnel: If the technician asks you to write a check out to him or her personally instead of making it out to the repair company. It’s all too easy for an unethical person to cash your check and pocket the money, only to have you fielding phone calls from the company demanding payment they never received.

 

• The Broken-Broken Riff

This one can happen when a repair person is left alone in a home to finish a job. It’s sad but true that some people will intentionally break another part of an appliance or cause some other type of damage, then offer to fix it for you – for an additional fee. If you must be away from your home during a repair visit, try to have a friend, neighbor, or family member stand in for you at home during repairs.

By knowing some red flags to look out for, you can ensure that your Novato, Larkspur, or San Rafael area repair job is done in a fair and righteous manner. Another way you can rest easy knowing your task is in good hands is to contact Absolute Appliances Repair! We are licensed, bonded, and insured (we’ll even give you our license #: 43445) and have served the Bay Area for more than 15 years. Rely on us for your appliance repair needs!

The longer the coronavirus pandemic continues to disrupt life as we know it, the better your chances are that you’ll need appliance repair services in Marin County at some point. Needing repairs during shelter-in-place orders can be stressful – you don’t want to risk someone coming into your home and unintentionally spreading the virus, and you also don’t want to unintentionally give it to a repair person, either.

What do you do when you need repairs during the pandemic?

Appliance Repair in San Francisco during the COVID-19 Pandemic

First, you’ll need to decide if the appliance is one you can do without for a little while – like perhaps a dishwasher – or if it’s one that is vital to your daily life – like a refrigerator. If you can do without the appliance for a bit, it may be best to wait to call for service, just in case. However, if it’s your stove, oven, freezer, or other critical-need appliance, you’ll need to move to the next step: deciding if you should get it repaired or completely replaced.

Repairing or Replacing Appliances

Under normal circumstances, the decision to repair or replace an appliance would be based on how old the appliance is, how many times it’s been repaired already, and how much parts and labor would cost you compared to purchasing a new machine.

During the coronavirus pandemic, however, with social distancing necessary, a couple of additional factors need to be considered, including whether risking the health of your family and a service technician is worth having an in-home repair done is worth it. At the same token, also consider the fact that some retailers may not currently be delivering and installing new appliances as they normally would.

Appliance Repair in the San Rafael Area

Keep in mind that if you are going to have the appliance repaired, a technician may have to come to your home more than once, because many service providers can’t possibly stock every part for every brand of appliance on their vehicle. If your chosen appliance repair pro is extremely busy, they may need to prioritize repairs, like servicing refrigerators and ranges for customers before broken a broken washer.

Replacing an Appliance in the Novato/Larkspur Areas

If you decide that your machine is beyond repair and you need to have it replaced, there are a couple new considerations for you to keep in mind during the coronavirus pandemic. Avoid going into stores if you can, and shop online instead. Many retailers have curbside store pick-up available. While you should always measure your doorways and space to make sure your selection will fit, this is even more important now, since you really won’t want to have to return the item. Finally, be sure to ask about delivery, installation, and haul-away, if that is something you are still interested in.

Absolute Appliances Repair in Mill Valley

Our team of experts serves the entire San Francisco area, as well as surrounding areas. If you need your dryer, dishwasher, oven, stove, washer, or anything else repaired, contact us. We take all necessary precautions as urged by the CDC when it comes to the COVID-19 pandemic in order to keep our customers and our team members safe. Let us know how we can help you with your appliance today.