Behind the Repair: A Day in the Life of a Santa Cruz Appliance Technician

When your fridge stops cooling or your washer won’t spin, it can feel like an emergency. But for appliance repair techs, it’s all in a day’s work. At Santa Cruz Appliance Repair, our team works hard behind the scenes to keep homes running smoothly—rain or shine, city or coast.

Curious what goes into a day on the job? Here’s a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to be an appliance technician in Santa Cruz.

08:00 AM – Gearing Up for the Day

The day begins early. Our technicians load up their service vehicles with tools, parts, and the day's job list. Every truck is prepped with diagnostic equipment, common replacement parts, safety gear, and route plans. We double-check for any special-order parts needed for scheduled appointments.

Coffee? Optional. Organized tools? Mandatory.

9:00 AM – First Call: Dryer Not Heating

We arrive at a local home where the customer reports that their dryer tumbles but doesn’t heat up. A quick inspection reveals a faulty heating element. After confirming with our multimeter and checking airflow, we swap out the part, test the unit, and walk the customer through maintenance tips to avoid lint buildup in the future.

Result? One happy homeowner, and one more fire risk removed.

11:00 AM – Fridge on the Fritz

Next up: a refrigerator that's not cooling. In Santa Cruz’s coastal climate, salt and moisture can take a toll on coils and compressors. We inspect the condenser coils (covered in dust), clear the blockage, and test the compressor and fan. After a thorough cleaning and quick recalibration of the thermostat, the fridge starts cooling again.

We remind the customer to clean the coils every 6 months and leave them with a magnet reminder for their fridge.

1:00 PM – Lunch + Quick Inventory Check

Time for a quick bite and a check-in with the shop. We swing by our location at 250 Potrero St. Suite B to restock parts, check on new appliance deliveries, and coordinate with our office staff for any urgent calls.

Bonus: We get to greet customers browsing our reconditioned and new appliance inventory.

2:00 PM – Dishwasher Disaster

A family in the Seabright neighborhood has a dishwasher that won’t drain. We run a diagnostic and find a jammed drain pump—plus a buildup of food debris. After cleaning the pump, testing the drain cycle, and ensuring the check valve isn’t clogged, it’s back to normal.

We offer tips on using rinse filters and scraping plates to avoid this issue in the future.

4:00 PM – Last Stop: Washer Shaking Like Crazy

Our final call of the day is a top-load washer that shakes violently during spin cycles. Turns out, it was overloaded and placed unevenly. We adjust the leveling feet, rebalance the drum, and educate the customer about load size and even distribution.

Sometimes, a fix is simple—but it takes experience to diagnose it quickly.

5:30 PM – Wrapping Up

Back at the shop, our tech updates job notes, restocks the truck, and reviews next-day service calls. The work doesn’t always stop at 5, but we’re always proud to help keep Santa Cruz running with clean laundry, cold food, and functioning homes.

Why It Matters

Our technicians aren’t just "repair guys"—they’re troubleshooters, educators, and local professionals committed to safety and service. When you choose Santa Cruz Appliance Repair, you're choosing:

• In-home, expert service

• Technicians familiar with coastal appliance issues

• A team that cares about your time, your safety, and your comfort

  
  

Got an appliance acting up? Call us today—we’ll be there, tool bag in hand.