Get Quotes from Top Appliance Repair Services in Kansas, MO

Questions to Ask Before Hiring an Appliance Repair Service in Kansas

Kansas has a temperate yet continental climate that boasts all four seasons, providing an environment for agriculture to thrive. However, summers in the city are hot and muggy. To cope with this extreme weather, residents will require home appliances like refrigerators, freezers, and AC units to work optimally. Occasionally, home appliances develop faults either from usage or poor maintenance. Attempting to repair faulty appliances yourself may worsen the problem, void your warranty, or cause an electrical shock. Luckily, residents of Kansas can count on over 150 home appliance repairers serving in the city to help fix any fault.

However, before you hire an appliance repair service in Kansas, you should ask the following questions to ensure you pick a reliable technician:

What Do I Need to Know Before Hiring an Appliance Technician in Kansas?

Contact an experienced appliance repair technician in Kansas if you notice the following warning signs:

  • Burning smell from the appliance
  • A strange or abnormal voice from the appliance
  • A sudden increase in your energy bill
  • Noticeable signs of moisture around the appliance
  • You detect general malfunctions

No matter how new your appliance is, contact an experienced appliance repair technician if you notice the above warning signs. Kansas appliance technicians are skilled in installing, servicing, and repairing old and new household and commercial appliances. These technicians do not require any occupation-specific license to operate in the city.

However, they may have to comply with other local requirements before providing certain services like installing and repairing gas-fired appliances. While appliance technicians are generally knowledgeable about various appliances, many specialize in a particular niche. These areas of specialization include:

  • Product: These appliance technicians specialize in one or more products from a particular appliance manufacturer, like LG, KitchenAid, Sub-Zero, Dyson, and Frigidaire.
  • Appliance: These appliance technicians are skilled in fixing and maintaining a particular type of appliance, regardless of the product manufacturer.
  • Energy-Source: These appliance technicians focus on electric or gas appliances. However, some technicians in this category also work on hybrid/dual-fuel and solar-powered appliances.
  • Size: While many appliance technicians focus on regular household appliances, some may specialize in larger-sized appliances commonly found in commercial kitchens, restaurants, and other commercial settings.

Are You Licensed as an Appliance Repair Technician in Kansas?

There are no occupation-specific licensing requirements for appliance repair technicians in Kansas. However, depending on the nature and scope of the service they offer, appliance technicians in this city may need at least one of the local, state, and federal-level licenses and certifications:

  • A Gas-fired appliance contractor License from the city's Planning and Development Department is required for appliance technicians who install and service gas-fired appliances such as space heaters, ovens, water heaters, clothes dryers, and furnaces.
  • A Mechanical Contractor License from the city's Planning and Development Department is required for technicians who intend to work on HVAC duct systems. These hydronic piping systems are part of an HVAC system, equipment, and appliances intended to utilize solar energy for space heating or cooling and refrigeration systems.
  • A Section 608 Certification from an EPA-approved organization - Technicians who repair, service, or maintain refrigerators, freezers, and other appliances that contain refrigerants and may release them into the atmosphere are required to have this certification.

Before hiring an appliance repair technician, we recommend you confirm the individual's license status to ensure they are qualified and skilled enough to do a satisfactory job. You can verify a locally-issued license using the city's Planning and Development Department's find licensed contractors portal. For more information concerning a licensed contractor in Kansas, call the city's Planning and Development Department at (816) 513-1500.

What Rates Do You Charge for Appliance Repairs in Kansas?

When hiring an appliance repair technician in Kansas, the usual hourly rate is around $28 to $45, although some may charge higher. Before giving an estimate, technicians take various factors into account:

  • The type of appliance
  • The type of problem
  • The cost of necessary replacement parts
  • The appliance's energy source
  • The urgency of the repair
  • Accessibility to the appliance

Listed below are estimates for repairing some common household appliances in Kansas:

Refrigerators:
$52 - $400
Freezers:
$85 - $500
Washers:
$50 - $450
Dryers:
$80 - $420
Room AC Units:
$90 - $850
Stoves/Ovens:
$90 - $420
Cooktops:
$80 - $380
Microwaves:
$60 - $375
Dishwashers:
$110 - $300
Garbage Disposals:
$43 - $200
Trash Compactors:
$45 - $220
Water Dispensers:
$50 - $355
Ice Makers:
$120 - $250

We recommend you always obtain and compare estimates from at least three city appliance repair technicians before hiring a technician. This will allow you to determine your required service's average market price.

Are You Certified by the Manufacturer to Repair This Appliance?

One of the simplest ways to determine if a technician can handle a task is to check if they are factory-certified. This means they have received sufficient technical training to provide advanced or specialized services for a specific brand of products from a manufacturer. Although hiring a factory-certified technician may be more expensive, the additional cost is balanced out by various advantages, such as:

  • Assurance that experienced professionals will handle your repairs
  • Warranty protection
  • Access to authentic replacement parts and direct technical support from your appliance's manufacturer

Appliance repair technicians in Kansas receive certification from product manufacturers and local trade schools. They can also obtain additional training and certification from globally recognized organizations such as the International Society of Certified Electronics Technicians (ISCET).

You can confirm whether your preferred appliance repair technician is certified by a product manufacturer, international organizations, and local trade schools by asking for proof of certification and verifying it with the organization responsible for issuing the certificate.

Do You Replace Parts with Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) Parts?

Before choosing any appliance repair technician to work with, always confirm if the individual will use Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) or generic parts for repairs. As the name implies, OEM parts are specifically designed by a product's manufacturer to facilitate the repair of a particular make and model of their product. On the other hand, generic parts are made by third parties that may or may not be affiliated with the product's manufacturer.

While both OEM and generic parts can be used to repair your appliance, we recommend asking your appliance technician to use OEM parts, as these parts can increase the operational life of your appliance and protect any existing warranties on the appliance.

However, you may allow your appliance to use generic parts as a substitute when the production of the OEM part for your appliance has been discontinued. Always ask your appliance technician for a warranty covering their repair work and all replacement parts used before signing any agreement.

Will My Home Warranty Cover the Cost of Repairing the Appliance?

Home warranties are service contracts that cover the cost of servicing, repairing, and replacing household appliances that fail because of normal wear and tear. Note that these warranties may not cover the cost of failures that result from the following:

  • Pre-existing faults
  • Damages caused by appliance misuse
  • Damages caused by improper appliance installation

We recommend reading your home warranty carefully before signing to know its duration and specific terms and conditions. Note that most home warranties are valid for a set period, usually one year, and can be renewed annually.

Are You a Fully Insured and Bonded Kansas Appliance Technician?

Appliance technicians in Kansas are not required to maintain any local insurance before providing their services to members of the public. However, reputable technicians in the city maintain the necessary insurance policies to protect you from financial liabilities that may result from work accidents. Therefore, ensuring the appliance technician you intend to hire is insured is essential.

Always verify any proof of insurance your preferred appliance technician claims to have before finalizing hiring agreements with them. You can do so by requesting a copy of the insurance certificate and verifying with the insurance company that issued the certificate.

How Do I Resolve Any Issue I Have with Appliance Repair Services in Kansas?

You can resolve issues with your appliance repair services in Kansas by filing a complaint with the Office of Missouri Attorney General. You can file your complaint by calling the Consumer Protection Hotline (800)392-8222 or completing an online form.