Austin’s Appliance Service

Austin’s Appliance Service 20 years experience with most brands. Servicing Osceola, Mecosta, Wexford, Lake, Missaukee counties.
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07/30/2026

I Have A Question For You Guys

The gas prices continue to stay high. This is hurting my bottom line as they say. Then there’s the ripple effect. I pay more for my dumpster because of fuel prices. I pay more for groceries because of fuel. And the list goes on. It’s getting the point where I don’t make any money and can barely cover expenses. I’ve held out for as long as financially possible, but I don’t think I have a choice. I’m going to have to charge more soon.

So the question is this, as a customer would you rather see a price increase on the service call and labor, or on the part percentage?

As it stands, I charge a $95 service call. Then if a return trip is needed I go to a tiered labor rate. Rates 1/2/3 depending on time required for the repair. Those rates are $40/$70/$100. A typical invoice has a $95 service call, $40 labor, $50 part, tax $3 so total $188 as an example.

Now on the flip side, I could leave the service call and labor the same and charge a larger percentage increase. I would prefer to do this as I have many calls that don’t require parts or are simple repairs. My conscience struggles enough with taking $95 for a quick repair. But this is where people get accused of “price gouging” because the customer found it on Amazon for half the price. Is it the same part? No. Is it a factory supplied part? No. Is it of the same quality? No. Can I compete with Amazon? No. But hey it’s cheaper so the technician must be taking advantage of you. (I have seen cases where people were absolutely ripped off. So this isn’t me saying gouging doesn’t exist.)

The real stinker is this, my ability to increase my rates is determined by the cost of new appliances. An electrician sells his ability. A plumber sells his ability. And so do I. But they are not boxed in by the price of replacement cost. If I write you an estimate for $500 and the cost of new is $800, you are going to put that $500 towards the new appliance in most cases.

So if I have to increase my prices, would you rather see it on the service call and labor or part markup?

07/24/2026

Please Help.

If anyone knows Vicki Lewis on Wells Lake in Leroy, please let her know that I cannot get through to her and I cannot leave a voicemail.

07/18/2026

(Answer Key)

When Your Refrigerator Isn’t Cooling Well You Should?

A. Clean the coils
B. Turn up the thermostat
C. Unplug the unit
D. Ask Dr. Google
E. Call Cousin Dale
F. None of the above.

A. Clean the coils?
No. One of the most common misconceptions is that cleaning the coils will remedy an issue with the refrigerator not cooling. The coils in the back of your refrigerator are more technically called the condenser coils. Why? Because the Freon that flows through your refrigerator takes different forms. When converting from a gas back to a liquid it is “condensed” in the coils. This is where the Freon releases the collected heat from the overall cooling process. Freon absorbs heat and that’s how what’s left behind in the evaporator coil inside the refrigerator is cold. So when you clean the coils you are helping the efficiency of this process. But it will not prevent the refrigerator from cooling correctly.

B. Turn up the thermostat?
No. Your refrigerator is designed to run within the proper temperature range. Whether you set the temperature at 1 or 9, warmest or coldest, you are never allowed to set it “incorrectly”. You are changing the refrigerator from 33-42 and the freezer from -5 to +5. If your refrigerator isn’t cold enough, there’s already a problem. You should never have to change the settings to make the refrigerator cold.

C. Unplug the unit?
No no no no, a hundred times no! A large majority of cooling issues are caused by a failure in the defrost circuit. If you unplug the refrigerator you temporarily defrost the unit. Which removes the evidence for me to find the problem. You might buy yourself a week but you will likely delay the repair as I wait for frost to accumulate again a week or two later.

D. Ask Dr Google?
No. I understand the desire to save money. But Dr. Google causes as many problems as he might fix. You know how you ask Dr Google about your headache and he tells you that you have some rare form of mosquito cancer from the isles of Trinidad and Tobago? He does the same thing with appliances and causes your repair bill to be higher after you buy all the wrong parts, give up in frustration, then call me.

E. Call cousin Dale?
No. Again, I understand the desire to save money. And cousin Dale claims to be really handy. The car on blocks in his backyard for the past 5 years says otherwise but you bite the bullet and Dale comes running eager to prove his repair prowess. Then you call me. I come out to find a “basket case”. Where all the pieces, panels, brackets, and screws are in some form of basket or bucket. While he was in there, he shorted out an element or broke an ignitor and like Dr Google, he caused you to waste your money. So now we have both the original problem to remedy and the parts to replace that Dale broke or lost.

F. None of the above?
The correct answer.

07/17/2026

When Your Refrigerator Isn’t Cooling Well You Should?

A. Clean the coils
B. Turn up the thermostat
C. Unplug the unit
D. Ask Dr. Google
E. Call Cousin Dale
F. None of the above.

Status Update
07/14/2026

Status Update

The best tips are not green. The best ones contain sugar and produce a feeling of overindulgence.
07/08/2026

The best tips are not green. The best ones contain sugar and produce a feeling of overindulgence.

07/07/2026

Quick Business Update

Because of the volume of calls I received yesterday, I will be returning calls this afternoon. I didn’t forget about you. I have a ton of work ahead of me today and I have to get out the door. I have 20 voicemails to return and will do so after I get back today.

06/29/2026

I just saw a 1994 Ford F-150 that looks identical to the one my dad drove as a child. It had a historical plate on it. I feel both personally attacked and now need to lay down and take a nap.

06/25/2026

Just a Little Rant

Is there anything worse in our modern day than the “subscription” economy? Do you want to watch movies? Monthly fee. Do you want to use Microsoft Word? Monthly fee. Do you want a fun little app on your phone for identifying plants? Monthly fee. I hate monthly payments.

But do you want to know what’s worse? Trying to escape from the monthly fee. A conversation this morning from attempting to cancel my old WiFi provider. (Slightly dramatize for comedic effect. But only slightly.)

Me “Hi I would like to cancel my service.”

Them “Hello my name is a fake American sounding name and English isn’t my first language. I’m here help to you.

Me “Hi fake American sounding name, I would like to cancel my service”.

Them “May I ask why you are leaving us? We’ve only ever been loyal to you.”

Me “I just want to cancel my service. It’s not you. It’s me.”

Them “Can we PLEASE KNOW why you are breaking up with us? Is it another woman?”

Me “Yes I’ve found a new service provider. I just want to cancel my service.”

Them “PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE DON’T LEAVE US! For $20 a month you can keep us as a back up with 100gb of data.

Me “No I don’t want a backup provider. I just want to cancel my service.”

Them “WHAT DID WE DO? IS THERE ANYWAY YOU WON’T LEAVE US?

Me “No thank you. I just want to cancel my service. Please stop holding me hostage and trying to upsell me.

Them “Fine! Your service has been cancelled! But when she doesn’t love you like we love you, we will be waiting with open arms and free activation on any device.”

Me “Why did this feel like a high school break up?”

Good Morning As of recently, I’m not the writer I have been in the past. I’ve got myself so busy with other endeavo...
06/18/2026

Good Morning

As of recently, I’m not the writer I have been in the past. I’ve got myself so busy with other endeavors, I’ve neglected the Facebook world.

But just a quick update. The fishing trip went well. A bad day fishing is better than any day working. Customers continue to call me from Texas. Now I’m dealing with disgruntled ones wanting to cuss me out after I repeatedly tell them I’m not in Texas and GE gave you my number in error. Thanks for that GE. You will find that my voicemail reflects my consternation. I now have to lead with “I’m not in Texas”.

Sorry I haven’t been as active in here. I imagine a whole 3 of you have been pining away for your appliance tips. Hopefully I will get back to them soon. Also for your viewing pleasure. A fish picture.

And before you ask, it’s a lake in Michigan. That’s as close as you’re getting.

Address

Le Roy, MI
49655

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 5pm
Tuesday 8am - 5pm
Wednesday 8am - 5pm
Thursday 8am - 5pm
Friday 8am - 5pm

Telephone

+12313881728

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