Richard Zilka is a bit of a master sleuth when it comes to finding out why your appliances don't work.
Sometimes the culprits are obvious, like frayed wires and broken switches. But sometimes getting to the root of the problem involves keen detective work and digging deep.
Zilka is an appliance repair technician in Miami. He fixes everything from washers to dryers, refrigerators to air conditioning units, water pumps and commercial restaurant equipment.
Recently, he solved a problem that had stumped three technicians before him.
"It was a problem someone was having with a new stove. Three techs were out there before me and the same part was replaced twice and still it didn't work," he says.
The solution, as Zilka found, proved to have nothing to do with bad parts. He discovered the factory had glued the wrong diagram on the machine. It had been wired incorrectly.
Zilka says the troubleshooting, or problem solving, is by far his favorite part of the job. Often, he knows what's wrong just by talking to the customer on the phone. When he makes one of his many house calls, he brings what he needs and is ready to start on the repair.
For Zilka and many other technicians, house calls are a big part of the job. Zilka says house calls are really the only way to handle big appliance repairs, like refrigerators, washers, dryers and dishwashers.
"If a machine goes into the shop, the machine can get damaged and the house can get damaged. Moving might damage them, so it's better to fix them right there," says Zilka.
He says fixing them on the spot also allows him to make sure the problem involves the actual appliance and not the house.
"Some problems stem from the plumbing or electrical [systems] in the house and these things can't be checked from the shop," says Zilka.
In addition to these practical reasons, making house calls has other advantages.
"I get to meet new people all day instead of working at a desk and seeing the same old people all the time. Also, I don't have a boss looking over my shoulder all the time."
New products pose a constant challenge for Zilka. He admits he had his troubles early on and says microwave ovens were especially difficult.
"In the beginning, microwaves gave me the most trouble, but they're no problem now," says Zilka.
Zilka has to keep his skills current, not only to service appliances but to teach others to do it, too. That's because he also teaches appliance repair for the Miami school board.
Troubleshooting is a big part of appliance repair. As an instructor, Zilka has come up with a unique way of presenting problems for his students to solve.
Zilka maintains an Internet site called the Home Appliance Repair Assistance Center. He fields questions from all over the world and gives some to his students to figure out.
"I save lots of the questions for my students and ask them how they'd figure them out." Zilka is usually able to come up with answers within 24 hours.
This troubleshooting experience is great for the students because it gives them a real taste of what it's like to work in appliance repair.
In fact, it's a situation that benefits everyone. Zilka has a great teaching tool. His students get great experience. And people all around the world get help with their appliance problems.
Still, the most challenging problems always wind up in Zilka's capable hands. He likes it that way. It's the challenge that intrigues him, and the sense of accomplishment when he solves a problem keeps the job rewarding.
"I love the challenge of finding a problem -- especially something tough like a factory defect that no one else can figure out," says Zilka.
He isn't alone in his love for the challenge of appliance repair. Terry Gurney has been playing appliance detective since she was just a kid working in her father's shop.
"Dad had a bunch of old appliances in the shed. I used to take them apart to see what they were like." Gurney admits taking them apart was much easier than putting back together.
"Lots of times I'd wind up with parts left over, so I'd take it apart again and start over," says Gurney.
Gurney says the more she did, the more interesting it got. Soon she was helping her father with smaller jobs.
Now, Gurney no longer just tinkers with appliances -- she repairs them for a living, having taken over her father's business a few years ago. Aside from the challenge of fixing appliances, she has to be able to run a small business. She has to keep track of the books, supplies and staff.
"It makes for some pretty long days sometimes. I'll get finished with my last job at 6 and then spend the evening making out invoices and reordering supplies," says Gurney.
Still, despite the hard work, Gurney says she loves the fact that her job provides her with a sense of accomplishment every day.
"People come to me with problems and I have the answers," says Gurney.