When to Hire a Commercial Laundry Technician

A professional laundry technician is a key partner in operating a successful business — and keeping it running smoothly. Your staff's mechanical aptitude and practical training can be useful for troubleshooting commercial laundry equipment, but when the issue is more than a simple fix, it may be time to call in a professional.

Hire a commercial laundry service technician for new equipment installation, to address recurring issues or emergency breakdowns, and for professional training. Follow along as we outline scenarios for service calls and provide helpful tips for selecting a reputable partner for routine maintenance, common repairs, and unexpected problems.

Is it Time to Call in the Experts?

Here's a quick list of the scenarios that warrant calling a professional laundry service technician:

Machine safety issues or concerns
Equipment malfunctions or breakdowns
Recurring issues that can't be fixed with troubleshooting
Installing new commercial washers, dryers, or ancillary equipment
Upgrading or expanding a laundry facility
Operational training for staff

Signs You Need a Commercial Laundry Technician

It could take an inexperienced laundry manager extensive time troubleshooting or a few attempts to get a repair right. Meanwhile, the downtime and workarounds cost your business money. Out-of-order machines can impact a laundromat’s customer satisfaction, complicate operations for commercial linen processing, and create a backlog for on-premise laundries. Look for these signs that it’s time to call a professional for coin-operated laundry machine repair or problems with batch washers, dryers, or other equipment:

Machine Concerns Lead to Safety Issues

Any issue that poses a safety risk should be handled by a professional repair technician, rather than your staff. Common signs that a washer or dryer is unsafe to operate include smoke, alarming noises, water leaks, or power loss. These may indicate a potentially significant repair. Letting these issues go unchecked can risk staff and customer safety, and ongoing mechanical or electrical problems can also damage your machines. Hiring a licensed, certified repair technician can help prevent a concerning situation from becoming an emergency.

Serious Equipment Malfunctions or Breakdowns

Laundry staff can clear standard error codes and perform basic maintenance tasks as outlined in the manual without the help of a technician. But when a significant malfunction occurs, you’ll want to call a professional. Certified technicians know the proper steps to expedite repairs or diagnose serious issues with minimal downtime.

When a machine under warranty breaks, contact an authorized service provider. Using unapproved parts or hiring an unqualified technician can void certain coverage. A manufacturer-trained technician familiar with specific guidelines can protect your investment.

Recurring Issues That Eat Into Profits

When the same errors seem to reappear, even after you’ve followed the manual’s troubleshooting tips, a repair technician will need to perform a more thorough analysis. Equipment at laundromats and on-premise laundries should be professionally serviced at least annually, and more frequently if it is subject to high-volume use. Technicians understand the inner workings of commercial machines by Dexter, Milnor, and other popular brands, and they can identify and correct underlying causes so repairs last. They can also perform routine maintenance to break the cycle of a recurring issue and stop it from repeating on other machines.

Schedule Service When Expanding, Installing, and Training

Purchasing new vended laundry machines and reconfiguring your layout requires precise planning and installation. Employees may also need specialized training to optimize cycle selection and troubleshoot basic issues. That’s where commercial laundry equipment installers can help. Whether you’re expanding an OPL or retooling a laundromat, scheduling technicians to oversee the transition can ensure safe handling and eliminate guesswork when setting up, operating, or maintaining the machines.

Installing New Equipment

High-capacity washers and dryers involve many moving parts, and installing these machines requires mechanical, technical, and electrical aptitude. Incorrectly connecting water lines or power supplies can cause significant damage and setbacks. Commercial laundry equipment installers are trained to set machines up right and to troubleshoot if things don’t go according to plan. The best technicians offer creative solutions and years of experience to overcome commercial laundry installation challenges that can delay opening day.

Upgrading or Expanding Your Laundromat

A service provider can help you identify when it’s time to upgrade or expand your laundromat, and can also assist with selecting the best coin-operated laundry machines for your layout. They also know how to facilitate a seamless transition for minimal interruption. Not only will you get to reap the benefits of new washers and dryers (improved efficiency, water and energy savings, and innovative, user-friendly features), but you’ll have a partner on board from day one to keep your equipment customer-ready.

Training Staff

Each employee in a laundromat should have a thorough knowledge of proper operation and basic maintenance to provide sufficient customer service and keep your machines in top shape. The same goes for on-premise laundry operators and property managers with multi-housing laundry rooms. All of these businesses should invest in technician-led training services. These are offered by a knowledgeable professional who can advise on best practices, cover steps to identify potential issues, and teach staff how to confidently operate machines.

The Value of Professional Maintenance and Repair

A maintenance contract and occasional professional repairs represent an investment in your equipment's long-term performance. If you're on the fence about hiring a technician, consider the lasting benefits of proper maintenance and timely repairs:

Maintaining machines by the book can help you meet warranty requirements, saving you from expensive costs later.
Fixing minor issues early helps prevent major breakdowns later.
High-performing machines oeprate more efficiently, saving on water and energy.
Servicing equipment regularly extends machine life.
Outsourcing repairs saves staff time and resources.
Using specialized knowledge can accurately diagnose problems and preemptively identify issues.
Selecting OEM replacement parts, which most professional service experts prefer, results in better performance than most aftermarket components.
Keeping machines in service increases customer satisfaction and leads to a strong reputation and repeat business.

Hiring the Right Laundry Service Technician: What To Look For

If you don’t understand what a laundry equipment technician does, you may not realize how helpful a repair contract can be. Commercial laundry service technicians are trained to work on all major washer and dryer brands and travel where needed to install, maintain, and repair equipment. Whether you run a laundromat, a hotel’s on-premise facility, or a linen processing plant, the technician will arrive in a van equipped with the tools and parts necessary to diagnose, inspect, and repair nearly any machine.

Qualities To Look for in a Laundry Service Partner

To find a qualified servicing partner, you should read reviews, check social media, and talk closely with experts on their team to understand what they have to offer your business.

Here are the traits of a reputable commercial laundry service provider:

Knowledgeable: The best service technicians have been trained on general mechanical and technical skills, as well as specific machines and industry brands, such as Dexter, Milnor, and Chicago Dryer.
Arrives Prepared: A repair person should arrive ready, fully stocked with common parts and tools to diagnose or address most minor repairs and many major equipment issues.
Quick to Respond: Your laundry partner should monitor for emergency calls and reguar service needs in real time, reducing delays for routine maintenance and repair services, and respond when weekend and emergency after-hours breakdowns occur.
Reliable & Transparent: A commercial laundry partnership means your chosen equipment repair technician will show up when and where they say they will. They will be transparent about issues, costs, and repair plans, and communicate progress while servicing your machines.

What To Do Before Calling for Repair Services

Clearly mark the machine as out of order to prevent it from being used before it is serviced. Check for obvious issues, ensure the machine is level, confirm hoses are properly connected, and look for tripped breakers. Clean the area to allow the technician easy access to the machine. Gather details about the breakdown, including any noises, error codes, or other observations to facilitate diagnostics.

Questions To Ask Before Hiring a Repair Technician

If outsourcing is new for you, you’ll want to learn about each candidate’s credentials and training to set your expectations and decide if the service is a good fit for your business. An experienced coin-operated laundry machine repair person or commercial washer and dryer expert should be happy to discuss their qualifications with you.

Here are some general questions that can help you get to know more about a service partner before you hire them:

Are they licenses and insured?
Can they provide references or reviews from past customers?
What is their experience with commercial laundry equipment?
Do they service all major brands?
What's their typical response time?
Can they provide maintenance contracts or emergency services?
Is scheduling service easy, and can it be requested online?
Are they available for emergencies or urgent needs?

While you may be able to troubleshoot some machines issues in-house, it often makes the most sense to partner with a professional for occasional repairs and routine maintenance services. The first step is learning about your options. Contact Western State Design to find out how we can help you improve your commercial and vended laundry operations.