About Appliance Repair Center
San Diego appliance repair company operating since 1996, with a particular specialization in refrigerator repair.
The directory record lists 8 services across 6 appliance types and names 1 brand. It is listed as both licensed and insured, established in 1996, and states a service area covering San Diego, Carmel Mountain Ranch, and Carmel Valley.
The record carries no email address, no website, and no certifications. A blank field means the source it was compiled from did not publish that detail — not that the company lacks it. Ask on the phone about anything that matters to your job.
Everything stated about Appliance Repair Center on this page comes from that record. The repair costs, part prices, and fault descriptions below are national reference figures for the appliances the company lists — useful for sanity-checking a quote, but not prices Appliance Repair Center has published.
Hours
- Mon–Fri
- 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
- Saturday
- 9:00 AM - 2:00 PM
- Sunday
- Closed
Service area
- San Diego
- Carmel Mountain Ranch
- Carmel Valley
Services offered
Listed in Appliance Repair Center's own words.
- Refrigerator Repair
- Freezer Repair
- Dishwasher Repair
- Washer Repair
- Dryer Repair
- Oven Repair
- Furnace Repair
- Circuit Board Repair
Appliances serviced, and what those repairs cost
Appliance Repair Center lists 6 of the twelve appliance types in this directory. Each row links to the full repair reference for that appliance and carries four national figures: the diagnostic visit, the typical all-in repair, what a comparable new unit costs, and how long the appliance is expected to last.
| Appliance | Diagnostic | Typical repair | New unit | Avg. life |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Refrigerator repair | $50–$120 | $200–$400 | $1,200 | 14 yrs |
| Freezer repair | $50–$120 | $150–$400 | $600 | 15 yrs |
| Dishwasher repair | $50–$100 | $150–$300 | $700 | 10 yrs |
| Washer repair | $50–$100 | $150–$350 | $800 | 11 yrs |
| Dryer repair | $50–$100 | $100–$350 | $750 | 12 yrs |
| Oven & Range repair | $50–$120 | $100–$500 | $1,000 | 14 yrs |
These are national bands, not quotes for San Diego, CA. Labor rates track local wages, insurance, and drive time, so the same job costs measurably more in a dense, high-cost metro than in a smaller market, while the part itself costs roughly the same anywhere. Sealed-system refrigerant work, built-in installations, and luxury brands sit at the top of every range because fewer technicians are certified for them and parts are ordered rather than stocked. Get two or three quotes before you commit.
A quote is worth checking against the appliance's remaining value. The rule of thumb built into our value estimator: replace rather than repair once the quote passes about half the price of a comparable new unit and the appliance is past roughly two-thirds of its expected service life. Under both thresholds, repair is almost always the cheaper decision.
Brands serviced, and what each tier means
Appliance Repair Center names 1 brand. Price tier decides more about a repair than the badge does: it sets what a part costs, where it comes from, and whether a general technician can buy it at all.
The best-stocked parts situation in the trade. OEM components are easy to source, aftermarket equivalents exist for most of them, and a technician will often have the common failure on the van rather than ordering it.
Any qualified technician can take the job. Factory-authorised service mainly matters while the machine is still in its warranty period — outside it, an experienced independent is usually faster and cheaper.
Common faults on the appliances they service
Symptom, the cause it most often turns out to be, and whether it is homeowner work or a job that has to go to a technician. Knowing which one you probably have before you call shortens the visit — and sometimes removes the need for one.
- Technician
- Needs a technician — meter diagnosis, a model-matched part, or teardown that is easy to get wrong.
- Homeowner fix
- Safe for a homeowner with basic tools once the appliance is unplugged or the breaker is off.
- Refrigerator
Fridge side is warm but the freezer is still cold
TechnicianThe evaporator fan has stopped, or the damper between the two compartments is stuck shut. One evaporator cools both sides on most modern units, so the freezer holds temperature longest.
Step-by-step: Refrigerator Not Cooling - Freezer
Not holding temperature but still running
Homeowner fixCondenser coils packed with dust, a failed door gasket, or a thermostat that has drifted out of calibration.
Step-by-step: Freezer Not Freezing - Dishwasher
Dishes come out with food residue still on them
Homeowner fixBlocked spray-arm jets, a filter that has never been cleaned, or inlet water below 120°F. Rarely the wash pump.
Step-by-step: Dishwasher Not Cleaning - Washer
Fills and washes but will not drain
Homeowner fixA blocked pump filter, a kinked drain hose, or a seized drain pump. On front-loaders the filter behind the lower access panel is the first place to look and is free to clear.
Step-by-step: Washer Won't Drain - Dryer
Tumbles but produces no heat at all
TechnicianA blown thermal fuse — usually triggered by a restricted vent — or a failed heating element on an electric machine, or an igniter on a gas one.
Step-by-step: Dryer Not Heating - Oven & Range
Oven will not reach temperature or will not heat at all
TechnicianA failed bake element on an electric oven, or a weak igniter that no longer draws enough current to open the gas safety valve.
Step-by-step: Oven Not Heating At All - Refrigerator
Nothing is cold and the compressor clicks every few minutes
TechnicianA failed start relay or overload protector. The relay plugs into the side of the compressor and rattles when it has failed — the classic five-second test.
Step-by-step: Refrigerator Not Cooling - Freezer
Heavy frost build-up on the walls
TechnicianOn a frost-free model, a failed defrost heater or thermostat. On a manual-defrost chest freezer, a door seal letting humid air in.
Step-by-step: Freezer Frost Buildup - Dishwasher
Standing water in the bottom at the end of a cycle
Homeowner fixA clogged filter or sump, a kinked drain hose, a blocked air gap at the sink, or a failed drain pump — in that order of likelihood.
Step-by-step: Dishwasher Not Draining - Washer
Drains but will not spin
TechnicianA failed lid switch or door lock on a top-loader, or a stretched drive belt and worn motor coupler on a direct-drive machine.
Step-by-step: Washer Won't Spin
Try it yourself first
Free step-by-step guides for the same appliances Appliance Repair Center services, each one stating the DIY cost against the pro cost — because the honest answer to "should I fix this myself" is usually visible in that gap.
Refrigerator
Refrigerator Not Cooling — Narrow It Down Before You Buy Parts
A refrigerator that has stopped cooling is not one fault but a family of them, and the fastest way to narrow it is to look at the freezer before the fridge. If both compartments are warm, the problem is in the machinery that makes cold — power, the condenser, the compressor circuit. If the freezer is still making ice but the fresh food section has gone warm, the cold is being made and not delivered, which points at airflow rather than refrigeration. Everything below is ordered so the free checks come first and the expensive conclusions last.
- DIY
- $0–$150
- Pro
- $150–$900
- Time
- 45–90 minutes
Freezer
Freezer Frost Buildup — Diagnose the Defrost System
Where the frost is tells you what is wrong. A thin, even dusting on the evaporator coil is normal — every frost-free freezer builds a little and melts it off several times a day. A thick slab of ice packed into the coil fins means the defrost system has stopped working. Frost concentrated around the door or on the food itself means humid room air is getting in. And a manual-defrost chest freezer with even frost on the walls is simply due for its annual defrost and has nothing wrong with it at all.
- DIY
- $15–$150
- Pro
- $150–$450
- Time
- 45–90 minutes plus a 24-hour defrost
Dishwasher
Dishwasher Not Cleaning — Find Out What It Is Short Of
A dishwasher cleans with four things: hot water, enough of it, spray pressure, and detergent that gets released at the right moment. When dishes come out gritty, one of those four is missing, and the job is to work out which. Be precise about the symptom first, because it points at different faults — food particles left stuck on is a spray or filter problem, a chalky white haze is a water hardness and rinse aid problem, and food redeposited as a fine grey film across everything is a filter or drain problem. This guide covers the first of those.
- DIY
- $0–$70
- Pro
- $120–$400
- Time
- 30–60 minutes
Washer
Washer Won't Drain — Work the Blockage Path in Order
A washer that will not drain has a blockage somewhere along a short, entirely traceable path: tub, sump, tub-to-pump hose, pump, drain hose, standpipe, house drain. The mistake almost everyone makes is buying a pump first. Work the path in physical order from the drum outward, and in most cases you will find a sock or a handful of lint long before you reach anything electrical. Start by getting the standing water out, because you cannot inspect anything until the tub is empty.
- DIY
- $0–$130
- Pro
- $150–$400
- Time
- 45–90 minutes
Dryer
Dryer Not Heating — Electric and Gas, Diagnosed in Order
A dryer that tumbles happily but leaves clothes cold and wet has lost its heat source, and the diagnosis splits immediately on fuel type. On an electric dryer, the two things worth checking before you open the cabinet are the cycle setting and whether the machine is still receiving both of its 240-volt legs — between them they account for a great many no-heat calls and neither costs anything. On a gas dryer, the ignition sequence is visible through the burner opening, and watching one cycle tells you which of three parts has failed. Work through the shared checks first, then take the branch that matches your machine.
- DIY
- $5–$70
- Pro
- $150–$400
- Time
- 45–120 minutes
Oven & Range
Oven Not Heating Evenly — Map the Problem Before You Fix It
Uneven baking and a miscalibrated oven are two different faults that get reported with the same words, so the first job is to tell them apart. An oven that is simply running cool or hot everywhere at once needs calibrating and nothing else. An oven that browns one corner of a tray and leaves the opposite corner pale has an airflow, element or door problem, and no amount of offset adjustment will help. Twenty minutes with a slice of bread will tell you which one you have, and that determines everything that follows.
- DIY
- $0–$80
- Pro
- $150–$400
- Time
- 45–90 minutes plus preheat time
What the parts cost
The components that most often fail on these appliances, with typical retail prices for the part alone. Labor is not included, and these are not this company's prices — they are what a homeowner pays a parts retailer, so you can see how much of a quote is part and how much is labor.
| Part | Appliance | Typical price | Fitting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Filter | Refrigerator | $25–$60 | Easy |
| Start Relay and Overload | Freezer | $12–$45 | Easy |
| Spray Arm | Dishwasher | $15–$40 | Easy |
| Drain Pump | Washer | $30–$80 | Moderate |
| Thermal Fuse | Dryer | $5–$20 | Easy |
| Bake Element | Oven & Range | $15–$40 | Easy |
| Door Gasket | Refrigerator | $30–$80 | Easy |
| Door Gasket | Freezer | $40–$140 | Easy |
| Inlet Valve | Dishwasher | $15–$40 | Moderate |
| Lid Switch | Washer | $15–$40 | Easy |
| Heating Element | Dryer | $20–$60 | Moderate |
| Oven Temperature Sensor | Oven & Range | $15–$30 | Easy |
A part that costs $30 inside a $250 quote is normal — the rest is the trip, the diagnosis, and the labor. A part that costs $300 is the point at which the repair-or-replace question is worth asking properly. Ask for the part figure and the labor figure separately on any written estimate.
What the company highlights
Claims from the company's own listing, reproduced as published. We have not verified them — treat anything that matters to your job as a question to ask on the phone.
- Serving San Diego since 1996 (nearly 30 years)
- 4.5-star rating on Angi
Questions to ask Appliance Repair Center before you book
The record lists Appliance Repair Center as licensed and insured, and names no certifications. That is what the source published, not something we verified — so the checks below still apply.
Ask for the license number, then verify it yourself
There is no single national appliance repair license. Requirements are set state by state, and in some places by the city or county, so the only reliable check is the paperwork. Ask which license or registration the company works under, get the number, and confirm it is active with the authority that issued it before you book.
Get proof of liability insurance, not a verbal assurance
A technician works on your water lines, your gas line, and your electrical circuits. Ask for a current certificate of general liability insurance in the company's name and check that the policy is in force on the day of the visit. A company that carries it will send the certificate without hesitating.
Require EPA certification for any sealed-system work
Section 608 of the federal Clean Air Act requires EPA certification for anyone who opens a sealed refrigerant system. That covers refrigerators, freezers, ice makers, and wine coolers. If a quote involves recovering, recharging, or brazing refrigerant lines, ask to see the certification before the work starts.
Separate the diagnostic fee from the estimate
Most shops charge a service-call or diagnostic fee to send a technician out, and many credit it toward the repair if you go ahead. Ask what the fee is and whether it is credited, then ask for a written estimate that itemizes parts, labor, and any trip charge before you authorize the job.
Put the warranty term on the estimate
Parts and labor are usually guaranteed for different lengths of time and the terms vary by company, so ask for both in writing rather than assuming. Ask specifically who pays for the return visit if the same fault comes back within the term.
Pay on completion, and keep the itemized invoice
A deposit against a special-order part is normal; a large up-front payment for the whole job is not. Pay the balance once the appliance has been tested in front of you, and keep the itemized invoice — you will need the part number and the labor term for any warranty claim later.
Have this ready when you call
For refrigerator work specifically, these are the answers that decide which parts get loaded on the van — and whether the first visit is the only visit.
- Model and serial number — the tag is inside the fresh-food compartment, usually on the left wall or behind a crisper.
- Whether the freezer still freezes. This one answer separates an airflow fault from a sealed-system fault.
- Any error code shown on the dispenser or control panel.
- How long it has been happening, and whether it started after a power cut.
- Whether you can hear the compressor hum with the door closed.
How Appliance Repair Center compares in San Diego
Measured against the 5 appliance repair companies listed in San Diego. Every figure below is read from the same records — a dash means the company did not state that detail, not that the answer is zero.
| Measure | This company | San Diego average |
|---|---|---|
| Customer rating | 4.5 | 4.5 |
| Reviews | 76 | 85 |
| Year established | 1996 | 2006 |
| Brands serviced | 1 | 5.6 |
| Appliance types | 6 | 6.4 |
By customer rating, Appliance Repair Center ranks 3 of 4 among the San Diegocompanies that carry a rating. A high average on a handful of reviews is not the same signal as a slightly lower one on hundreds, so read the rating and the review count together — both are in the table above.
4 of the 5 San Diego companies state a license, and none list a 24/7 emergency line. Across the whole directory, 676 of 873 listed companies state a license and the average rating is 4.6 out of 5 — the national numbers to hold this city’s average against.
Location
Appliance Repair Center lists this address. Many appliance repair companies work out of a van and a yard rather than a shop counter, so call before visiting.
Helpful resources
Appliance reference
Appliance blue book