Smith Appliance
16 yrs in businessAnderson, SC
Refrigerator Repair · Washer Repair · Dryer Repair +3 more
South Carolina · 34th of 50 states
3 listed microwave repair businesses across 2 cities in South Carolina, ranked by customer rating — 20% of everything this directory holds for the state, and 34th of the 50 states with any. Compare licensing and review counts, then call directly. Free, and no commission.
Over-the-range replacements need two people and duct work, so a local pro who does the removal and refit in one visit saves the most time.
Sorted by rating, then review count. Every phone number is a direct line to the business.
Anderson, SC
Refrigerator Repair · Washer Repair · Dryer Repair +3 more
Charleston, SC
Refrigerator Repair · Washer Repair · Dryer Repair +5 more
Charleston, SC
Refrigerator Repair · Washer Repair · Dryer Repair +4 more
That is 34th of the 50 states with any, against 14 in Texas. Microwave work is a narrower speciality than the everyday kitchen and laundry calls, so coverage is thin in most states. 12 other appliance businesses are listed in South Carolina, and general technicians will often take this work once they know the model. Have the model number ready when you call.
Counted from the 3 profiles above, not from a survey. Everything a business states about itself is reported as a claim.
South Carolina holds 3 listed microwave repair businesses, out of 209 nationwide. That ranks 34th of the 50 states with any, level with New Mexico and behind Texas on 14. They are 3 of the 15 businesses listed in South Carolina — 20% of the state directory.
Their ratings average 4.8, against 4.6 across all 209 listed nationwide, and 3 of the 3 sit at 4.5 or better. None holds a straight 5.0, and none sits below 4.0. Between them they carry 311 reviews, the largest single tally being 198 on Charleston Appliance Repair LLC in Charleston. Rating and review volume are what the businesses' own public profiles report — treat a high average on six reviews differently from the same average on six hundred.
By review volume the group is led by Charleston Appliance Repair LLC in Charleston (198 reviews, 4.7), Smith Appliance in Anderson (68 reviews, 4.9) and Elemental Appliance Repair in Charleston (45 reviews, 4.8). By rating it is Smith Appliance at 4.9 on 68 reviews, Elemental Appliance Repair at 4.8 on 45 reviews and Charleston Appliance Repair LLC at 4.7 on 198 reviews. Those are two different questions and they rarely give the same answer — volume tells you a company has been doing this at scale, a high average on a handful of reviews tells you much less.
All 3 state that they are licensed, and all state that they carry insurance. On top of that, 1 shows a Better Business Bureau accreditation, 1 states a factory-authorised or factory-trained credential and 1 publishes a parts-and-labor warranty term in the profiles. None advertises round-the-clock emergency cover, so call early in the day and ask directly. All of that is self-stated in the listing, not verified here: ask for the license number and a current certificate of insurance, and for anything that opens a sealed refrigerant system ask to see federal EPA Section 608 certification, which is required in all fifty states.
2 of the 3 publish a founding year: the longest-established has been trading since 2010, and the median across those that say is 16 years. Charleston holds the most at 2 — 67% of the group — followed by Greenville on 1, across 2 South Carolina cities with an index page. Between them they name 13 distinct towns, suburbs and neighborhoods in their stated service areas, so coverage reaches well past the cities listed here — give your address when you call rather than assuming.
| Measure | South Carolina |
|---|---|
| Listed prosof 209 nationwide for microwave repair | 3 |
| Rank among statesTexas leads on 14 | 34th of 50 |
| Share of the South Carolina directory3 of 15 listed businesses | 20% |
| Average rating4.6 nationwide · 3 rated 4.5+ | 4.8 |
| Reviews on filemost on one profile: 198 | 311 |
| State licensing claimed3 also state insurance | 3 of 3 |
| Accreditation statedself-stated in the listing, verify before booking | 1 BBB · 1 factory |
| 24/7 emergencyask when you call | 0 of 3 |
| Longest trading sincemedian 16 years across 2 that publish one | 2010 |
| Cities with an index pageCharleston leads on 2 | 2 |
| Towns named in service areasclaimed coverage, not a guarantee — confirm your address | 13 |
Not counted above
These are real South Carolina companies whose records carry contact details but no list of what they repair. None of them states microwave repair, so none is counted in the 3 above, and none is listed here as servicing one. Asking takes one phone call, which beats starting the search again.
Details for these businesses come from OpenStreetMap under the Open Database License © OpenStreetMap contributors. We hold no rating, licence or insurance details for themeither — confirm before hiring.
Counts are microwave repair businesses based in that city. Charleston holds 67% of the state's total.
Every place the 3 listed businesses name in their own service areas. Claimed coverage, not a guarantee — confirm your address on the call.
Charleston · North Charleston · Summerville · Anderson · Clemson · Daniel Island · Easley · Goose Creek · Greenville · James Island · Mount Pleasant · Mt. Pleasant · Spartanburg
The 5 most common microwave faults, and whether each is homeowner work or a job for a licensed technician.
Runs, lights up, turntable spins, but food stays cold
TechnicianThe magnetron, high-voltage diode, or capacitor has failed. The control side works because it is on a separate low-voltage circuit.
Step-by-step: Microwave Runs But Doesn't Heat→Completely dead, no display, no fan
TechnicianA blown line fuse — and that fuse is usually blown by a failing door interlock switch, so replacing the fuse alone rarely holds.
Loud buzzing or humming while heating
TechnicianA failing magnetron or a high-voltage transformer starting to break down. Stop using it and have it tested.
Sparking or arcing inside the cavity
TechnicianA burnt or missing waveguide cover, chipped cavity paint exposing bare metal, or metal in the food. Stop immediately — arcing damages the magnetron fast.
Step-by-step: Microwave Sparking Inside→Turntable does not rotate
TechnicianThe turntable drive motor or a stripped coupler. The one genuinely low-cost microwave fault.
Step-by-step: Microwave Turntable Not Turning→10 published microwave guides. A diagnostic fee is $40–$80 before any work starts, so half an hour with a flashlight is worth spending.
Ask the technician to walk you through these while they are on site — every one of them prevents a fault in the list above.
Wipe the cavity and check the waveguide cover for burn marks
WeeklyPrevents: Arcing, which destroys magnetrons quickly and permanently.
Wash or replace the grease filters (over-the-range)
Every 3 monthsPrevents: Loss of extraction and a vent motor running against a blocked path.
Replace the charcoal filter on recirculating models
Every 6–12 monthsPrevents: Cooking odours pushed back into the room.
Counts are South Carolina businesses servicing that appliance, out of the 15 listed statewide. A dash opens the nationwide page instead.
Every state with a listed microwave specialist, most first. South Carolina sits 34th of 50 on 3.
National ranges for parts and labor together, before the $40–$80 diagnostic. Labor tracks local wages and drive time, so metro South Carolina sits toward the top of each range and rural calls toward the bottom, while the part costs about the same anywhere. Nothing here is a quote.
| Repair | Parts + labor |
|---|---|
| Turntable motor or couplerThe cheapest genuine microwave repair. | $80–$160 |
| Door interlock switch setReplaced as a set; a single switch rarely fails alone. | $100–$200 |
| Line fuse plus the interlock that blew itFuse-only repairs usually fail again within weeks. | $100–$200 |
| Vent fan motor (over-the-range)Check the filters first — they mimic a dead fan. | $150–$300 |
| High-voltage diode or capacitorDischarging the capacitor safely is the whole reason this is not DIY. | $150–$280 |
| Magnetron replacementWorth it on a built-in; almost never on a countertop unit. | $150–$350 |
7–10 years. Over-the-range units land at the lower end because they run hot above a cooktop and their filters are neglected. When replacing beats repairing covers the 4 cases where the maths turns, in full.
Blue Book
A quote above $125 on a microwave past 6 years old is usually better spent on a replacement.
Estimate my microwave’s valuePrice the part firstCompare 3 listed businesses on rating, licensing and brands serviced — 3 state a license and 3 sit at 4.5 or better — then call the number on the listing. No forms, no lead fees.