How to Become an Appliance Repair Technician

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If you want to run a successful appliance repair business, you need to become a good appliance repair technician first. Thus, here is a post to let you know all about becoming an appliance repair technician.

There’s a massive demand for appliance repair technicians across the US. The average household has five appliances, so many homeowners keep a trusted appliance repair technician in their phonebook.

The good thing about appliance repair technicians is that they can fix anything. 

Therefore, you need to know how to work with large, portable, mechanical, and electrical appliances, along with some precautions. The IBIS world survey says 70,052 people work in appliance repair in the US.

You’ll need to travel a lot, deal with ordinary customers, work in uncomfortable conditions, and probably keep odd hours as an appliance repair technician. It will require training, hard work, and educational courses before becoming an appliance repair technician.

Once you’ve reviewed those requirements, it’s time to ask yourself: Are you ready to start an appliance repair business? How to become an appliance repair technician? Is it worth it?

A career to become an appliance repair technician can be rewarding and allow you to gain experience and knowledge. 

Meanwhile, this article aims to explain the basics of becoming an appliance repair technician, reveal employment information, and other crucial details regarding becoming the ultimate, in-demand many appliance technicians.

Let’s get some insights into it.

📝Key Takeaways:

  • Learn how to become a professional appliance repair technician by following these basic steps. After understanding the appliance repair industry’s ins and outs, you can get a high-paying job or start your venture.
  • Discover the salary for an appliance repair technician, the industry’s future, and more crucial details about this profession.

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Education Requirement for Appliance Repair Technician

It’s wise to get a professional certificate course if you want to become an appliance repair technician. If you’d like a little more training and want to improve your chances of becoming a professional appliance repair technician, consider an online associate’s degree program.

You can obtain several certifications from the Professional Service Association (PSA) and the National Appliance Service Technician Certification (NASTeC). There may also be a requirement for general education courses in associate’s degree programs.

To put it simply, many educational opportunities are available online. Depending on what you’re into, you can learn how to fix small and more significant appliances like air conditioning and heating.

In-home appliance repair, you usually know about electric appliances, gas control systems, wiring repairs, diagnosing appliances, common appliances, thermodynamics, preventative maintenance, relationship building, safety, ethical and legal standards, and gaining experience in bookkeeping.

You’ll also need specific skills to be an appliance repair technician. Have you got a mechanical mind? Most appliance technicians need a basic understanding of repair tools, how the product works and how their components work together. You must have the ability to listen well and think critically. 

Making good decisions under time constraints and troubleshooting problems requires managing your time effectively. As most people will need you to drive their repair van to the customer’s house to repair, you’ll need a valid driver’s license. Thus, keep a clean driving record and pass random drug tests.

Get Certificates & Licenses

how to become a repair technician

While no certifications are required to be a general appliance technician, you’ll need to gain certifications for specific appliances, such as refrigerators.

Becoming certified in several different large appliances online programs, particular brands, and other types of training will only make you a more in-demand and knowledgeable technician.

Although appliance repair certification isn’t mandatory, it still has a lot of benefits, especially considering how cheap it is.

You can benefit from an appliance repair certification in the following ways:

  • You’ll have more clients

    You can get more clients for your small repair businesses with your certification. Knowing the term will give you a professional edge, even if not everyone knows what it means. 

    When clients search online for someone to fix their broken dryer, they’re probably more likely to click on the ad that says “certified appliance repair technician.” You can use the same language on your marketing materials, including business cards and websites. 

    It boosts your clients’ trust in your professionalism.

  • Streamline the industry

    Take your appliance repair certification to ensure you have the latest safety standards and best practices. There are so many opinions and approaches to online learning, so it can be hard to know what to follow. Certification in appliance repair will give you a better understanding of troubleshooting, installation, repairs, and customer service.

  • Skills & learning opportunities

    The lack of certification requirements for appliance repair technicians makes it difficult to gauge your skill level. Before starting your own business, certification can help you gauge your knowledge level. You can also identify areas where you need to improve. Perhaps you need to improve your communication skills if you’re good at fixing appliances but not so good at talking to clients.

Steps to become an appliance repair technician 

Steps to become an appliance repair technician

Appliance repair technicians have pretty high qualification requirements. The following steps on how to become an appliance repair technician:

  • Research it

    It depends. You might need to meet different requirements where you live and plan to become an appliance repair technician. It’s important to remember that there are no national standards for appliance repair technicians – every state and employer has different requirements. Whenever you are thinking about becoming an appliance technician, make sure you do as much research as you can.

  • Specialties and certificates

    To boost your demand as a technician, you should get certifications and specializations in specific appliances. The Environmental Protection Agency regulates some chemicals, such as chlorofluorocarbon, which refrigerator mechanics certified by the EPA can use. There’s no requirement for certification in other fields, but it shows competency and professionalism. 

    You can get a National Appliance Service Technician Certification from the International Society of Certified Electronics Technicians. Moreover, qualified appliance repair technicians must hold a driver’s license, have a relatively clean driving record, pass a background check, and be drug-free.

  • Training in a technical or professional field

    Thousands of technicians receive on-the-job training, but some schools and colleges can be helpful for you in your training journey. Getting vocational or technical training  and a professional degree can be a helpful way to learn more about appliances, and many colleges offer professional courses. To broaden your knowledge, you should also gain knowledge of drywall, plumbing, woodworking, electricity, and blueprint reading concerning appliance repair. By doing this, you can enhance your uniqueness.

  • Acquire experience 

    Appliance technician training courses and internships in this field are excellent ways for individuals to gain experience. You should take inspiration from experienced technicians and fix minor problems on your own, such as a leaking sink, enabling you to understand appliance repairs better.

    The appliance technician job placement will require a lot of specialized and on-the-job training.

    During your search for employment as a technician, you might be looking for the opportunity to get on-the-job training. Still, you might consider looking into internships before landing a job.

    The best way to ensure that your status as a highly sought-after technician remains highly respected is to make sure that you maintain up-to-date information about appliance manuals, attend seminars, and make sure that you stay current with the latest trends in appliances on your own.

  • Keep learning

    free appliance repair training

    It is essential to continue your education even after you have landed professionally in your technician career. With the rapid advancement of technology, appliances are constantly changing, and it’s crucial to stay on top of your skills. Most certifications also require continuing education.

Salary & Future Growth of Appliance Repair Technician

Do you think appliance repair technicians would make an exciting career choice?

Hearing the debates, reading the job description, and reading the articles. The prospect of traveling to customers’ homes, learning about their systems, and working with small and large appliances sounds exciting.

Consequently, the next and most important question is – what is the expected salary for the position and what will be the future growth prospects for the position?

Well! As per several salary aggregate websites, appliance repair technicians in the US earn salaries ranging from $29,000 to $67,000 on average, with an average salary of $47,000.

The income you earn depends on the business you run or the organization you work for (such as a multi-tech operator). Each of these has its advantages, but it also has its disadvantages. Although you can earn much more when you run your own business, you also have to handle the whole operation, such as finding clients, paying expenses, etc. The risks associated with this venture are substantial, but if you work for an MTO, you can enjoy more excellent stability and a more predictable schedule.

Every organization will offer a wide variety of salaries, in accordance with your qualifications and experience levels, depending on the level of the position.

The salary ranges for repair workers range from $44,260 to $35,000, depending on their fields of work, such as manufacturing. In contrast, those who work in real estate and rental repair can typically earn between $35,000 and $50,000 a year.

As indicated by reports, there is a significant growth in HVAC technicians between 2020 and 2030.

Currently, the number of appliance repair technicians is growing at the same rate as all occupations combined, according to a survey conducted by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Therefore, it does not experience significant growth.

As remodeling and maintenance work become more common, employment may increase, but it may not be as large as expected.

According to the survey conducted by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the size of this industry is projected to grow by 8% from 2016 to 2026, which is a growth rate of 8.5 percent.

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Frequently Asked Questions
  1. What is the training period to become appliance repair technician?

    As an appliance repair technician, your training period will vary depending on your position. In most cases, appliance repair technicians receive workplace training, allowing them to complete their training more quickly. If you opt to pursue post-secondary education, it can take one to two years to complete an entire course of study.


  2. How many hours per week do appliance repair technicians work?

    An appliance repair technician usually works 40 hours a week, but repairing air conditioners in the summer often requires overtime. Professionals often work mornings, nights, and weekends and often respond to emergencies no matter what time it is during the year.


  3. What skills are required for appliance technicians?

    The appliance technician must possess various electrical, mechanical, people, and communication skills.

    The critical requirements for this position are excellent problem-solving skills, creativity, and the ability to troubleshoot problems effectively.

    It will not be enough to have technical skills and mechanical knowledge. You will also have to be a good salesperson, be able to use your logical reasoning skills, and be able to listen well.


  4. What Does an Appliance Technician Do?

    Generally, appliance repair technicians install, maintain, and repair large and small appliances.

    Mechanics and electricians install, repair, and maintain machines, mechanical equipment, and electrical equipment.

    The work they do usually involves:

    • Assembling and reassembling equipment.
    • Reading blueprints and diagrams.
    • Cleaning and repairing.
    • Estimating the scope of work and what materials will be needed.

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Author Bio
Jeel Patel
Jeel Patel
Founder

Jeel Patel is the founder of InvoiceOwl, a top-rated estimating and invoicing software that simplifies the invoicing and estimating processes for contractor businesses. Jeel holds a degree in Business Administration and Management from the University of Toronto, which has provided him with a strong foundation in business principles and practices. With understanding of the challenges faced by contractors, he conducted extensive research and developed a tool to streamline the invoicing and estimating processes for contractors. Read More

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