A guide to appliance repair in Cincinnati
Nestled on the Ohio River, opposite the suburbs of Covington and Newport in northern Kentucky, Cincinnati is Ohio’s third largest city — and one of its cultural, transportation and business hubs. It also boasts the country’s oldest professional baseball team, the Cincinnati Reds. The citizens of Cincinnati rely on a range of appliances ranging from refrigerators and washing machines to furnaces and air conditioning to provide essential home services and quality of life.
Sometimes the cost to repair or replace an appliance can be a major expense, so it’s a good idea to find appliance repair experts that you can trust and who can provide the best service at a reasonable price.
Here are some things you should consider when hiring an appliance repair business, including the questions you should ask and what you should do in the event of an emergency.
Keep in mind that one way to prevent the kind of sticker shock that can come with looking for appliance repair in Cincinnati is to have your major appliance and in-house systems covered by a home warranty. Look for a warranty provided by a reputable company that represents some of the best service technicians in the city and across the country.
What to look for when choosing an appliance repair company in Cincinnati
Appliance breakdown is an unfortunate fact of life. The problems they pose can be beyond many of our modest DIY skills. And because the cost of the repair or replacement of a major appliance can be high, we want to make sure you hire the right appliance repair company in the greater Cincinnati area.
Some factors you should consider when choosing an appliance repair business include:
Referrals
Ask friends, neighbors, family and colleagues for referrals and appliance repair business recommendations in your area of the city. Did they provide good, reliable service? Did they give an upfront estimate that they adhered to? If you need a refrigerator repair, did the recommended service shop handle the same kind of work for the same brand and model?
Online business reviews and ratings
You have access to a wealth of online resources with reviews and ratings to check out appliance repair businesses in Cincinnati, Ohio. Which ones receive glowing testimonials and high ratings? And which relay bad experiences with poor performance ratings?
Some of the top consumer-review websites include:
Experience and qualifications
Check out how long the appliance repair company has been in business. You don’t stay in business for a long time without doing something right. Are its service technicians well-trained and experienced? Are they licensed in their fields of repair? Is the company factory certified to service your specific brand of appliance?
Clear pricing and payment options
Find out what you can about the tri-state area appliance repair company’s payment and pricing policies. Does it provide written estimates of work upfront, so you know what kinds of costs are involved? How much does a visit by a service repairman cost, and what do you need to pay upfront? What forms of payment are accepted: cash, debit, credit card, online payments, etc.?
Protection against damages and injuries
Does the appliance repair company in Cincinnati have insurance in case of property damage or personal injury? While an accident is unlikely to happen with service professionals, a good company provides this kind of protection just in case. Also, do its repairs come with workmanship warranties or guarantees?
Areas of Cincinnati the repair company serves
Cincinnati has about 70 different neighborhoods, ranging from the Central Business District and Over-the-Rhine (downtown) to the hipster district of Northside and DeSales Corner, which was once a rival to downtown Cincinnati. So, it’s important that you know if an appliance repair company will service homes in your district — without an extra wait or cost.
Questions to ask your Cincinnati appliance repair company
When an appliance breaks down, it’s not unusual to feel great stress. If your refrigerator stops working, you worry about food going bad. If your air conditioning malfunctions during a heat wave, you could face discomfort in your home. But even with this kind of pressure, you should prepare some questions for a prospective Cincinnatiappliance repair company or technician to ensure you get the right help for your sitwwwion.
Among the questions you should ask are:
Do you have a service warranty?
You want to make sure that the company offers a warranty to cover its work and appliance parts, showing it is confident in the quality of the service it provides. A good home protection plan doesn’t have any tricky fine print and spells out what is covered and any kind of limitations in the coverage.
Does the plan have a workmanship guarantee? Does it cover unknown pre-existing conditions? Can you get new appliances at discounts? Ask all these questions.
Do you have experience with my brand of appliance?
While appliance repair technicians may have many years of experience, they might not be helpful if your refrigerator’s ice maker is malfunctioning and they’ve never repaired one before. They should have experience with the type of appliance in question and would be much better positioned to help if they have worked with the specific brand and model you have in your home, whether it is Maytag, Whirlpool, KitchenAid, Amana, Frigidaire, Samsung, Sub-Zero or something else.
If a Cincinnati home appliance repair company doesn’t list the brand of appliance you have, it may still be worth a call to see if it has the expertise but hasn't put it on its website yet.
How much will it cost?
A good appliance repair shop in Cincinnati will find out all it can about your problem and then provide a detailed estimate upfront so you are aware of the work that will be done — and its cost. They will also do their best to stick to this estimate (which should be put in writing and not just provided verbally), barring any unforeseen circumstances. The estimate will clearly spell out the costs of parts and labor, as well as payment terms and forms of payment accepted. If it’s a small job, find out the minimum amount you’ll have to pay for a service technician visit.
Remember that while it is nice to get a reasonable quote for work to repair your appliance, you don’t necessarily want to go with the lowest quote. Paying a small amount of money is not really beneficial if the work isn’t done properly and needs to be redone by someone more qualified.
Is it better to get it repaired or replaced?
If you need a serious oven repair, washer repair or dryer repair, or if it is an older appliance that is just going to rack up more repair bills down the road, then ask if it would be more economical to get a new replacement. When making this calculation, make sure you get the installation costs for the new appliance because this can wind up being a large part of the final price tag.
Is it energy-efficient?
If you are considering getting a new replacement appliance, find out about its energy efficiency. An energy-efficient forced air furnace can provide savings on utility bills and ongoing savings that your bank account (and the environment) will love.
Does size matter?
If you are replacing an appliance, it may be worth asking if you have the right size unit for your home. For example, an air-conditioning system that’s too small for your home will have to work harder and cost more in energy bills. So, it might make sense to upgrade to a more powerful system.
Also, you might want to ask yourself if color matters. If you are open to different colors and styles of appliances, you have a greater selection to choose from, which may increase your chances of finding a bargain.
Are you insured?
While you likely have home insurance providing you some kind of liability protection, you also want to be sure that your Cincinnatiappliance repair company has insurance in case there is damage to your house or the worker is injured on the job. While it’s unlikely that service professionals will have these kinds of problems, it’s always better to be safe than sorry.
When can you come?
Usually, when you need an appliance repaired or replaced, you want it done sooner rather than later. So, it’s a good idea to ascertain how long it will be until a technician can make their service call. Will they be able to get replacement parts quickly, or will there be a wait?
What to do when you have an appliance emergency in Cincinnati
While you might have the luxury of choosing suppliers when some appliances break down, you need help right away if your HVAC stops working during a sub-zero Cincinnati winter, or if the water line to your clothes washer springs a leak. An emergency can include a fire risk, flood risk or complete appliance shutdown.
You have to look for appliance repair companies that supply 24/7 service. Unfortunately, in many cases, such help often comes at a price premium. You can help cut down on emergencies if you do the kinds of maintenance recommended in appliance manuals. Appliance repair companies can also provide maintenance plans.
Also, keep in mind that if you have an appliance you want to get repaired quickly, but it isn’t an actual emergency, many companies offer same-day or next-day service.
What’s the best appliance repair service in Cincinnati?
The best appliance repair service in Cincinnati is the one that best serves your particular needs. They are a good fit for you if they:
- Are licensed to do the repair work you require and are factory-authorized to deal with your brand and make of appliances.
- Have service technicians who are experienced and qualified to perform the repairs you’re asking for.
- Are clear about pricing and types of payment accepted and provide straightforward estimates.
- Will check before proceeding with work if something does fall outside the original quote.
- Will provide timely service, so you aren’t kept waiting.
- Have a good reputation, with superior online ratings and testimonials or referrals from someone you trust.
- Will only perform work that you have approved.
- Are insured for liability or damage.
- Have official repair parts from the manufacturer of your appliance.
- Provide warranties or guarantees for work done.
- Have service technicians who will explain clearly what work needs to be done and why.
Let Cinch handle the process of finding a professional repair person for you
One proven way to ensure you get the right help for any day’s appliance repair is to obtain a Cinch Home Services protection plan. Our three plans, available at reasonable monthly costs, can cover major appliances (Appliances plan), built-in systems (Built-in Systems plan), or a combination of the two (Complete Home plan). Whether the problem is a malfunctioning cooktop, clogged garbage disposal, or a clothes dryer that no longer runs, we have coverage that offers maximum benefits with minimum hassle, providing you with peace of mind.
Getting one of our vetted, insured appliance service technicians to come to your home when you need them is simply a matter of requesting service online. It’s available anytime, any day, including weekends and holidays.
Your repair request is matched with our network of hundreds of experienced professionals who will do the work you require. A Cinch home warranty will get you up and running as quickly as possible. Your home repair is always our number one priority. Reach out for your quote today!