Get Quotes from Top TV Repair Services in Houston, TX
Questions to Ask Before Hiring a TV Repairman in Houston
It is interesting to note that the typical Houstonian watches TV for about three hours every day. However, in the event that your TV develops a fault, it is crucial to hire a TV repair service company to work on your TV. It is smart to avoid a DIY repair and engage a factory-trained TV technician. Doing this ensures the repair is completed per the manufacturer's requirements. A competent TV repairman should be capable of:
- Keeping your warranty valid.
- Using actual components
- Avoiding dangers when servicing electrical equipment.
Your best bet for discovering a knowledgeable and competent TV repairman in Houston who can finish your repair satisfactorily and without any additional costs is to ask your prospective technicians the questions listed below:
- Do You Repair All Types of TVs?
- Do You Deal with All the Brands of TV?
- Can You Advise if I Repair or Replace My TV?
- Are All Your Repair Experts Certified?
- Do You Offer Same-Day Repair Services?
- Do You Hold the Relevant License for TV Repair Technicians?
- What Other Related Services Do You Provide?
- Do You Offer Genuine Spare Parts?
- Are Your Repair Services Covered by a Warranty?
- How to File a Complaint Against a Bad TV Repair Service in the Houston
Do You Repair All Types of TVs?
TVs exist in a variety of sizes, weights, and shapes, and the technology varies per brand. As a result, it's crucial to confirm that the potential TV repairman is knowledgeable about the brand and model of your broken TV, particularly with regard to the following essential characteristics:
- Screen Type: The majority of contemporary TVs typically have flat or curved screens. Unlike flat displays, which generally require you to sit directly in front to achieve the optimal viewing angle, curved screens give you a nice view no matter where you are in the room.
- Technology Type: The most popular TV technology are as follows:
- Direct View/Cathode-Ray Tube (CRT): These TVs are among the earliest forms of commercially accessible TVs. They gained popularity in the 1960s and are characterized by their bulk, reduced screen sizes, and high energy consumption. They can work with any resolution or device, are considerably less expensive than next-generation TVs, and have a higher refresh rate.
- Plasma: These TVs are more affordable than tube TVs and provide sharper and more contrasted images. But over time, these TVs' resulting image quality has a tendency to deteriorate. Another outdated technology is plasma television.
- Digital Light Processing (DLP): These TVs are often lighter, thinner, and more durable than plasma TVs. They are built upon a chip that has millions of tiny mirrors. However, there are no longer many new brands of these TVs readily available.
- Liquid Crystal Display (LCD): These TVs are small, light, and consume little power. However, they often have slower refresh and response rates than tube and plasma TVs, with poor viewing angles.
- LED TVs: These TVs use even less power than LCD TVs and produce clearer, better-quality images. However, they also cost more money. Modernized versions of this TV technology exist as well, including OLED, QLED, and AMOLED TVs, which provide even better images while using less electricity.
- Brand- or Model-specific Extras: Certain brands or models come with specific features like Voice Activation, High Dynamic Range, Ultra-High Definition, and internet connectivity/Smart TVs
With that in mind, it is crucial always to ensure that the TV repairman you hire is qualified to handle the specific brand of TV you possess. A written agreement between you and the TV repair specialist should be formed, and this should be confirmed before they begin any work.
Do You Deal with All the Brands of TV?
Before entering into any agreements with your preferred TV repair company, be sure that their specialists are familiar with your TV model. In Houston, you will find a variety of TV brands, such as:
Brand | Highlights | Drawbacks | Calling Card |
---|---|---|---|
Samsung | Impressive TV quality 4K & 8K options Smart TV options Tizen OS |
Pricey | QLED and QD-OLED |
Sony | Great sound and picture quality HDR and Smart TV options are readily available Eco-friendly Google OS |
Pricey | Cognitive Processor XR Chip and mini-LED |
LG | Sleek designs Affordable models Smart TV options Web OS |
No HDR 10+ support | OLED |
Hisense | Great value at low prices Sizes of up to 100" available |
Processing issues | Variety |
TCL | Roku and Google compatible Up to 8K Affordable options |
Processing and picture quality may not be up to par with pricier models | Value |
Vizio | Affordable 4K resolutions SmartCast |
OS may lag and be buggy | Quantum |
It should be noted that many qualified TV repair professionals in Houston possess the knowledge and expertise required to service a diverse variety of TV brands and operating technologies. However, it is always a good idea to make sure the expert working on your TV has plenty of experience mending TVs with the precise brand, operating system, and screen kind.
Can You Advise if I Repair or Replace My TV?
An important question to ask yourself when you discover that your TV is faulty is if it should be repaired or replaced. The answer to this will depend on certain factors, like its lifespan. With normal use, many contemporary TV brands typically last between 30,000 and 100,000 hours or 10 to 15 years. Even while it is typically more affordable to repair a broken TV than to replace it, there are some instances where a complete replacement may be the better choice. Situational examples include:
- The TV has sustained physical damage.
- The TV panel is the cause of the issue.
- There is a hardware issue with the TV.
- You have fixed the same problem several times before.
- Your television is older than ten years.
The fact that respectable and trustworthy TV repair professionals in Houston are more likely to tell you upfront whether your TV problem can be addressed or whether you need to replace the TV is one reason why you should always seek them out. However, you may also determine whether the issue with your TV is worth addressing and prevent yourself from being duped by dishonest TV repairmen who are more interested in billing you for diagnostic and service fees by doing the following:
- Troubleshooting: Look for information on model-specific issues and potential solutions in the TV's user manual. If this doesn't solve your issue, search online for your TV's make and model number as well as a description of the issue.
- Cost research: It is also essential to estimate the cost of repairing the TV defect and compare it to the cost of buying a new TV. You might consider requesting price estimates from up to three expert TV repair firms in Houston, as many give free pricing estimates.
Are All Your Repair Experts Certified?
In order to assess your preferred TV technicians' appropriateness for the job at hand, it is essential to find out if they have the necessary technical training and hold any relevant professional certificates. In the Houston Metropolitan Area, qualified TV repair specialists often receive formal education and certifications from worldwide organizations and nearby trade schools like:
- The Electronics Technicians Association International
- The International Society of Certified Electronic Technicians
- The University of Houston Downtown
Keep in mind that you should never assume that someone has the qualifications they claim to have. You should also make sure that your desired TV repair company has a direct line of communication with the producer of your TV brand and can get their technical support when required.
Do You Offer Same-Day Repair Services?
American households watch TV for 6 hours, 47 minutes each day on average. Finding out how quickly your broken TV will be fixed is essential, given that the majority of Americans can't live without their TVs. The extent of the problem with your TV will determine whether or not your TV can be fixed and returned in a day. Typical TV faults include:
- Blanching or leakage of color
- Blurry images
- Disproportionate pictures
- Distorted images
- Grayed-out display
- Images flicker on the screen
- Internet connection has been lost.
- It shuts off automatically
- No audio or visual
- The remote is no longer functional
- There are multiple lines on the screen.
- Unsynchronized audio or video
Even though many of these issues are relatively minor and can be resolved in under a day, it's always a good idea to clarify this with your TV repairman. Determine whether the repairs can be made in your house or if the broken TV needs to be carried to the TV repairman's shop. Some regular TV repairs that must be completed at the TV repairman's shop for efficient service delivery generally take longer than one day and include:
- Replacements for broken screens
- Replacements for dead motherboards
- Replacements for fried circuit boards
- Replacements for TV panels
Never hire a professional who is hesitant to provide you with a firm timeframe for the repair or an estimate of the costs you might incur if the repairs take longer than a day.
Do You Hold the Relevant License for TV Repair Technicians?
While TV repair technicians are not required to obtain any license to operate in Houston, it is vital to make sure that the TV repair technician you are looking to hire is registered to do business in the city.
It is crucial that the TV repair service be registered with the city's County Clerk Office or incorporated by the Texas Secretary of State, regardless of whether it is a sole proprietorship, partnership, or other business structure. An official company name displays the company's validity and your ability to trust them to provide high-quality services.
It is important to verify that your TV repair service has the core qualifications required for any type of business. Before registering, the company must have done the following:
- Collected and completed the DBA form for each locality in which they intend to conduct business.
- Checked with the local office to request a certified copy of their DBA once the paperwork has been processed and the uniqueness of their business name has been confirmed
What Other Related Services Do You Provide?
Professional TV repair specialists in Houston also provide interested clients with a number of additional appliance and electronics-related services, including:
Be aware that the make and model of the appliance typically play a significant role in the actual cost of these services. However, before hiring a TV repair professional, be sure to ask whether they also provide any extra services you might require. Also, be sure to negotiate the prices for these services.
Do You Offer Genuine Spare Parts?
It is essential to ensure that your desired TV repairman has access to good Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) TV parts. Although these parts are often more expensive than generic parts, the following advantages outweigh these additional costs:
- They are designed for your TV and will last longer
- They comply with your warranty and keep it valid
- They allow for easy identification, ordering, and restocking
- They increase safety
- They give you access to the manufacturer's expertise.
These, in turn, help to ensure that your repaired TV will work effectively, which ultimately saves you money over time. Be aware that your TV repairman might not always be able to find genuine OEM parts for your TV, especially when these parts' official production has been halted. In this case, you may have to use generic parts. The delivery of the necessary parts for the job can take up to three to four business days, depending on their availability and whether they can be obtained locally.
Are Your Repair Services Covered by a Warranty?
You can be confident that your TV repair was performed skillfully, competently, and with high-quality authentic parts thanks to the warranties provided by TV repair services. This is especially so because such warranties have the force of law. Professional TV repair specialists in Houston are quick to provide their clients with warranties, so if your potential technician seems hesitant to do so, take that as a warning sign.
The duration of these warranties, which typically range from three months to a year, depends mainly on the technician who issues them and the specific make and model of the TV in question. However, many of these guarantees often do not cover damages that happen in the following situations:
- Cosmetic damages
- Damages resulting from shipments
- Installation errors
- Misuse, poor upkeep, vandalism, or natural catastrophes
- Retention of images and burn-in issues
- Spikes in power lines
- Usual wear and tear
Be aware that many manufacturers frequently give consumers who need to solve problems with their warrantied TVs a list of approved TV repairmen. However, depending on the extent of the problem, it might be necessary to ship the TV back to the maker for these fixes or possibly to have it entirely replaced.
Additionally, certain electronic retailers and stores, including Walmart and Best Buy, provide extended protection plans or store warranties that offer extra security beyond the manufacturer's warranty, such as coverage for accidental damages. Similar to manufacturer's warranties, the retailer or outlet issuing the extended protection plan determines its scope and coverage. The following are some advantages and disadvantages of buying an extended TV protection plan:
Pros of Extended Protection Plans | Cons of Extended Protection Plans |
---|---|
Provides additional coverage for TVs | Can be quite expensive |
Can be used after the original manufacturer's warranty expires | Cost is not usually justified for low-end TVs |
Offers extra peace of mind | Repairs covered usually cost less than the actual plan |
As a result, you should constantly ask for a written copy of any warranty provided to you, make sure you read its terms carefully to comprehend its requirements, especially the warranty period, and avoid doing anything that could void it.
How to File a Complaint Against a Bad TV Repair Service in the Houston
The Texas Attorney General's Office, which is tasked with protecting Texas consumers by receiving complaints, pursuing civil lawsuits in the public interest, and instructing Texans on how to recognize and avoid such frauds, is where you can file complaints about subpar TV repair technicians in Houston.
In Houston, con artists and dishonest TV repairmen frequently employ the following methods and ruses to fleece unwary customers:
- Using generic or illegal parts despite being paid for genuine parts
- Falsifying their qualifications
- Intentionally breaking other TV components in order to increase the price
- Requesting advance payment in full
- Stating that the TV needs to be replaced because it is completely damaged
- Unexpectedly finding more severe damage and demanding more money to correct it
By doing the following, you may stay away from these con artists and confirm the credibility of the TV repairman you want to hire:
- Ask the TV repair professionals you prefer to use for a preliminary inspection and cost estimate. Before choosing a technician, you should also evaluate prices from at least three different providers.
- Never pay the total price for your necessary TV repair services up front; take it as a warning if any technician requests you to do so.
- Verify that a warranty will be provided to you.
- Watch the professional closely while the repair is being done.
- Make sure you receive a receipt for any parts you purchase.
- Check Internet reviews for your preferred TV repair services at sites like Yelp, Google Reviews, and the Better Business Bureau.
- Check the status of the technician's credentials they claim to hold.
Call the Texas Attorney General's Consumer Protection office at (800) 621-0508 to report dishonest or fraudulent TV technicians in the area. This can be done online as well.
Table of Contents
- Do You Repair All Types of TVs?
- Do You Deal with All the Brands of TV?
- Can You Advise if I Repair or Replace My TV?
- Are All Your Repair Experts Certified?
- Do You Offer Same-Day Repair Services?
- Do You Hold the Relevant License for TV Repair Technicians?
- What Other Related Services Do You Provide?
- Do You Offer Genuine Spare Parts?
- Are Your Repair Services Covered by a Warranty?
- How to File a Complaint Against a Bad TV Repair Service in the Houston