Home appliance repairersAnyone whose washer, dryer, or refrigerator has ever broken knows the importance of a dependable repair person. Home appliance repairers, often called service technicians, keep home appliances working and help prevent unwanted breakdowns. Some repairers work specifically on small appliances such as microwaves and vacuum cleaners; others specialize in major appliances such as refrigerators, dishwashers, washers, and dryers. Home appliance repairers visually inspect appliances and check for unusual noises, excessive vibration, fluid leaks, or loose parts to determine why the appliances fail to operate properly. They use service manuals, troubleshooting guides, and experience to diagnose particularly difficult problems. Repairers disassemble the appliance to examine its internal parts for signs of wear or corrosion. They follow wiring diagrams 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 special tools designed for particular 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 use care to conserve, recover, and recycle chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) and hydrochlorofluorocarbon (HCFC) refrigerants used in the cooling systems, as required by law. Repairers conserve the refrigerant by making sure there are no leaks in the system; they recover the refrigerant by venting it into proper cylinders; and they recycle the refrigerant, with special filter-dryers, so that it can be used again. Federal regulations also require that home appliance repairers document the capture and disposal of refrigerants. Home appliance repairers generally 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 the gas line. They measure, lay out, cut, and thread pipe and connect it to a feeder line and to the appliance. They may have to saw holes in walls or floors and hang steel supports from beams or joists to hold gas pipes in place. Once the gas line is in place, they turn on the gas and check for leaks. Gas appliance repairers check the heating unit and replace tubing, thermocouples, thermostats, valves, and indicator spindles. They also answer emergency calls about gas leaks. Repairers also answer customers� questions about the care and use of appliances. For example, they demonstrate how to load automatic washing machines, arrange dishes in dishwashers, or sharpen chain saws to maximize performance. Repairers write up estimates of the cost of repairs for customers, keep records of parts used and hours worked, prepare bills, and collect payments. Self-employed repairers also deal with the original appliance manufacturers to recoup monetary claims for work performed on appliances still under warranty. Related news articles 1,000 Maytag repairmen to swap uniforms - Sep 22, 2006 BusinessWeekManagers from Benton Harbor-based Whirlpool met this week with technicians who worked for All-Brand Service, Maytag's home appliance repair unit, to inform ... Repairmen could soon lose jobs - Sep 23, 2006 The Register-Mail,Whirlpool managers met this week with technicians who worked for All-Brand Service, Maytag's home appliance repair unit, to inform them of the plan, Lau said. ... More information on Home appliance repairers from The U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook Overview of Home appliance repairers occupation Number of Home appliance repairers in the U.S. Salary and earnings for Home appliance repairers Working conditions for Home appliance repairers Significant points for Home appliance repairers Training requirements for Home appliance repairers Labor Information Home | Occupational data by city | Search Rainforests | Madagascar | What's new |