Home Appliance Repairers
49-9031.00
Updated 2025

Repair, adjust, or install all types of electric or gas household appliances, such as refrigerators, washers, dryers, and ovens.

Sample of reported job titles: Appliance Mechanic, Appliance Repair Mechanic, Appliance Repair Technician (Appliance Repair Tech), Appliance Service Technician, Appliance Technician (Appliance Tech), Repair Man, Repair Technician, Service Technician (Service Tech), Vacuum Repairer

Occupation-Specific Information

Tasks

  • Bill customers for repair work, and collect payment.
  • Observe and examine appliances during operation to detect specific malfunctions such as loose parts or leaking fluid.
  • Talk to customers or refer to work orders to establish the nature of appliance malfunctions.
  • Refer to schematic drawings, product manuals, and troubleshooting guides to diagnose and repair problems.
  • Trace electrical circuits, following diagrams, and conduct tests with circuit testers and other equipment to locate shorts and grounds.
  • Replace worn and defective parts such as switches, bearings, transmissions, belts, gears, circuit boards, or defective wiring.
  • Provide repair cost estimates, and recommend whether appliance repair or replacement is a better choice.
  • Disassemble appliances so that problems can be diagnosed and repairs can be made.
  • Respond to emergency calls for problems such as gas leaks.
  • Service and repair domestic electrical or gas appliances, such as clothes washers, refrigerators, stoves, and dryers.
  • Reassemble units after repairs are made, making adjustments and cleaning and lubricating parts as needed.
  • Record maintenance and repair work performed on appliances.
  • Test and examine gas pipelines and equipment to locate leaks and faulty connections, and to determine the pressure and flow of gas.
  • Light and adjust pilot lights on gas stoves, and examine valves and burners for gas leakage and specified flame.
  • Instruct customers regarding operation and care of appliances, and provide information such as emergency service numbers.
  • Contact supervisors or offices to receive repair assignments.
  • Maintain stocks of parts used in on-site installation, maintenance, and repair of appliances.
  • Level refrigerators, adjust doors, and connect water lines to water pipes for ice makers and water dispensers, using hand tools.
  • Observe and test operation of appliances following installation, and make any initial installation adjustments that are necessary.
  • Set appliance thermostats, and check to ensure that they are functioning properly.
  • Install appliances such as refrigerators, washing machines, and stoves.
  • Level washing machines and connect hoses to water pipes, using hand tools.
  • Clean and reinstall parts.
  • Clean, lubricate, and touch up minor defects on newly installed or repaired appliances.
  • Conserve, recover, and recycle refrigerants used in cooling systems.
  • Install gas pipes and water lines to connect appliances to existing gas lines or plumbing.
  • Take measurements to determine if appliances will fit in installation locations, performing minor carpentry work when necessary to ensure proper installation.
  • Measure, cut, and thread pipe, and connect it to feeder lines and equipment or appliances, using rules and hand tools.
  • Assemble new or reconditioned appliances.
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Technology Skills

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Hot Technologies are requirements most frequently included across all employer job postings.

Occupational Requirements

Work Activities

  • Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment — Running, maneuvering, navigating, or driving vehicles or mechanized equipment, such as forklifts, passenger vehicles, aircraft, or watercraft.
  • Getting Information — Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
  • Performing for or Working Directly with the Public — Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
  • Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge — Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
  • Handling and Moving Objects — Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.
  • Making Decisions and Solving Problems — Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
  • Performing General Physical Activities — Performing general physical activities includes doing activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling materials.
  • Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events — Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
  • Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment — Servicing, repairing, adjusting, and testing machines, devices, moving parts, and equipment that operate primarily on the basis of mechanical (not electronic) principles.
  • Communicating with People Outside the Organization — Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.
  • Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials — Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.
  • Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work — Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
  • Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates — Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
  • Processing Information — Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
  • Documenting/Recording Information — Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
  • Analyzing Data or Information — Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.
  • Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings — Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
  • Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships — Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
  • Training and Teaching Others — Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.
  • Repairing and Maintaining Electronic Equipment — Servicing, repairing, calibrating, regulating, fine-tuning, or testing machines, devices, and equipment that operate primarily on the basis of electrical or electronic (not mechanical) principles.
  • Scheduling Work and Activities — Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.
  • Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People — Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.

Detailed Work Activities

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Work Context

  • Telephone Conversations — 97% responded “Every day.”
  • Contact With Others — 87% responded “Constant contact with others.”
  • Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams — 89% responded “Every day.”
  • Deal With External Customers or the Public in General — 77% responded “Extremely important.”
  • Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls — 78% responded “Continually or almost continually.”
  • Freedom to Make Decisions — 70% responded “A lot of freedom.”
  • Frequency of Decision Making — 77% responded “Every day.”
  • Importance of Being Exact or Accurate — 47% responded “Very important.”
  • In an Enclosed Vehicle or Operate Enclosed Equipment — 78% responded “Every day.”
  • Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals — 49% responded “A lot of freedom.”
  • Exposed to Cramped Work Space, Awkward Positions — 53% responded “Once a week or more but not every day.”
  • Indoors, Environmentally Controlled — 59% responded “Every day.”
  • Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results — 50% responded “Very important results.”
  • Exposed to Contaminants — 45% responded “Every day.”
  • Exposed to Minor Burns, Cuts, Bites, or Stings — 35% responded “Every day.”
  • Exposed to Very Hot or Cold Temperatures — 38% responded “Once a week or more but not every day.”
  • Time Pressure — 37% responded “Every day.”
  • Indoors, Not Environmentally Controlled — 36% responded “Once a week or more but not every day.”
  • Physical Proximity — 52% responded “Moderately close (at arm's length).”
  • Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team — 30% responded “Very important.”
  • Dealing With Unpleasant, Angry, or Discourteous People — 49% responded “Once a month or more but not every week.”
  • E-Mail — 35% responded “Every day.”
  • Outdoors, Exposed to All Weather Conditions — 49% responded “Once a month or more but not every week.”
  • Spend Time Kneeling, Crouching, Stooping, or Crawling — 30% responded “More than half the time.”
  • Duration of Typical Work Week — 49% responded “40 hours.”
  • Spend Time Bending or Twisting Your Body — 36% responded “Less than half the time.”
  • Coordinate or Lead Others in Accomplishing Work Activities — 27% responded “Important.”
  • Spend Time Standing — 52% responded “About half the time.”
  • Level of Competition — 48% responded “Moderately competitive.”
  • Exposed to Extremely Bright or Inadequate Lighting Conditions — 35% responded “Once a week or more but not every day.”
  • Exposed to Hazardous Conditions — 32% responded “Never.”
  • Spend Time Making Repetitive Motions — 33% responded “Less than half the time.”
  • Conflict Situations — 33% responded “Once a month or more but not every week.”
  • Importance of Repeating Same Tasks — 40% responded “Important.”

Experience Requirements

Job Zone

Title
Job Zone Two: Some Preparation Needed
Education
These occupations usually require a high school diploma.
Related Experience
Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is usually needed. For example, a teller would benefit from experience working directly with the public.
Job Training
Employees in these occupations need anywhere from a few months to one year of working with experienced employees. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.
Job Zone Examples
These occupations often involve using your knowledge and skills to help others. Examples include orderlies, counter and rental clerks, customer service representatives, security guards, upholsterers, tellers, and dental laboratory technicians.
SVP Range
(4.0 to < 6.0)

Training & Credentials

State training
Local training
Certifications
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State licenses

Apprenticeship Opportunities

Example apprenticeship titles for this occupation:

  • Air Conditioning Installer Window
  • Customer Service Representative
  • Electric Tool Repairer
  • Electrical Appliance Repairer
  • Electrical Appliance Services
  • Gas Appliance Servicer

Specific title(s) listed above are vetted by industry and approved by the U.S. Department of Labor for use in a Registered Apprenticeship Program.

Start your career and build your skillset. Visit Apprenticeship.gov to learn about opportunities related to this occupation.

Worker Requirements

Skills

  • Repairing — Repairing machines or systems using the needed tools.
  • Critical Thinking — Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
  • Equipment Maintenance — Performing routine maintenance on equipment and determining when and what kind of maintenance is needed.
  • Troubleshooting — Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.
  • Operations Monitoring — Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
  • Quality Control Analysis — Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
  • Speaking — Talking to others to convey information effectively.
  • Active Listening — Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
  • Complex Problem Solving — Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
  • Reading Comprehension — Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
  • Equipment Selection — Determining the kind of tools and equipment needed to do a job.
  • Installation — Installing equipment, machines, wiring, or programs to meet specifications.
  • Judgment and Decision Making — Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
  • Service Orientation — Actively looking for ways to help people.
  • Time Management — Managing one's own time and the time of others.

Knowledge

  • Customer and Personal Service — Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
  • Mechanical — Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
  • English Language — Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, and rules of composition and grammar.
  • Administration and Management — Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
  • Administrative — Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.
  • Computers and Electronics — Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
  • Sales and Marketing — Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
  • Engineering and Technology — Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.

Education

How much education does a new hire need to perform a job in this occupation? Respondents said:

  • 69%
     
    High school diploma or equivalent required
  • 20%
     
    Post-secondary certificate required
  • 8%
     
    Less than high school diploma required

Worker Characteristics

Abilities

  • Arm-Hand Steadiness — The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.
  • Finger Dexterity — The ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.
  • Manual Dexterity — The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.
  • Near Vision — The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
  • Oral Expression — The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
  • Problem Sensitivity — The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.
  • Oral Comprehension — The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
  • Extent Flexibility — The ability to bend, stretch, twist, or reach with your body, arms, and/or legs.
  • Information Ordering — The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
  • Visualization — The ability to imagine how something will look after it is moved around or when its parts are moved or rearranged.
  • Deductive Reasoning — The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
  • Written Comprehension — The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
  • Control Precision — The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.
  • Flexibility of Closure — The ability to identify or detect a known pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) that is hidden in other distracting material.
  • Fluency of Ideas — The ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity).
  • Inductive Reasoning — The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
  • Multilimb Coordination — The ability to coordinate two or more limbs (for example, two arms, two legs, or one leg and one arm) while sitting, standing, or lying down. It does not involve performing the activities while the whole body is in motion.
  • Selective Attention — The ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.
  • Speech Recognition — The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
  • Static Strength — The ability to exert maximum muscle force to lift, push, pull, or carry objects.
  • Trunk Strength — The ability to use your abdominal and lower back muscles to support part of the body repeatedly or continuously over time without "giving out" or fatiguing.
  • Visual Color Discrimination — The ability to match or detect differences between colors, including shades of color and brightness.
  • Written Expression — The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.

Interests

Interest code: RC
Want to discover your interests? Take the O*NET Interest Profiler at My Next Move.
  • Realistic — Work involves designing, building, or repairing of equipment, materials, or structures, engaging in physical activity, or working outdoors. Realistic occupations are often associated with engineering, mechanics and electronics, construction, woodworking, transportation, machine operation, agriculture, animal services, physical or manual labor, athletics, or protective services.
  • Conventional — Work involves following procedures and regulations to organize information or data, typically in a business setting. Conventional occupations are often associated with office work, accounting, mathematics/statistics, information technology, finance, or human resources.

Work Values

  • Independence — Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
  • Support — Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.
  • Working Conditions — Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions.

Work Styles

  • Integrity — Job requires being honest and ethical.
  • Attention to Detail — Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
  • Dependability — Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
  • Cooperation — Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
  • Analytical Thinking — Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.
  • Independence — Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.
  • Self-Control — Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
  • Persistence — Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.
  • Concern for Others — Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.
  • Initiative — Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
  • Stress Tolerance — Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high-stress situations.
  • Adaptability/Flexibility — Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
  • Achievement/Effort — Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.
  • Leadership — Job requires a willingness to lead, take charge, and offer opinions and direction.
  • Innovation — Job requires creativity and alternative thinking to develop new ideas for and answers to work-related problems.

Workforce Characteristics

Wages & Employment Trends

Median wages (2023)
$22.68 hourly, $47,170 annual
State wages
Local wages
Employment (2023)
37,500 employees
Projected growth (2023-2033)
Slower than average (1% to 2%)
Projected job openings (2023-2033)
3,100
State trends
Top industries (2023)

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics 2023 wage data and 2023-2033 employment projections . “Projected growth” represents the estimated change in total employment over the projections period (2023-2033). “Projected job openings” represent openings due to growth and replacement.

Job Openings on the Web

State job openings
Local job openings

More Information

Professional Associations

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