When a home appliance is old, well used, and not working as well as it used to, it’s easy to simply consider throwing it out and replacing it with a newer model. However, many appliances often break down before their time, which contributes even more to the difficulty involved in the decision to repair or replace. If money is tight, you may be faced with only one option of repairing your appliance and hoping for the best. However, if you’re able to afford a new one or if your warranty covers for this, replacing your faulty appliance with a new and more energy efficient model may be the way forward. There are a lot of ‘ifs’ involved, and the dilemma of repair or replace is not always straightforward. If you’re faced with this decision, we’ve put together some simple guidelines to make the process easier.
Is it Really Broken?
When appliances stop working it is easy to become so rattled and worried that we fail to notice that the problem can be fixed with a relatively simple repair job. We also forget the fact that just like us these appliances should be maintained on a regular basis in order for it to work properly. If you don’t have the time or are simply finding it hard to do a maintenance check, you could hire experts such as T.E. Spall & Son (for more info, check https://thecomfortdoctors.com/ who would do the job for you.
If your appliance appears to be broken it’s always good to double-check that it’s plugged in – it may seem obvious, but some people really do fail to notice this – and also check the circuit breakers to ensure that they haven’t tripped. Check any vents and filters as well, as these become clogged with dust and/or lint can also cause an appliance to temporarily stop working – a common issue resulting in calls for air conditioning repair. For some appliances, uneven flooring can stop them from turning on – so check your floors for any unevenness.
Check Your Warranty
If your appliance breaks down, the first thing that you should do is double check whether or not it is still under warranty. Most warranties for major home appliances cover labor and repairs for up to two years from the date of purchase, although some last even longer or you may have signed up for a paid service plan. If your appliance is still covered by the warranty there will probably be no need for you to replace it, as all you need to do is simply call out a service technician.
Follow the 50% Rule
Last year, the average cost of repairing a major home appliance was around $260 – is this worth paying? If your appliance is almost at the end of its useful working lifespan there is a large chance that you may need to pay to replace it at some point in the near future even after the repairs are made. As a general rule, if an appliance is more than halfway through its average lifespan and the cost of repair is more than half of the cost of buying a new appliance, it’s best to replace it rather than have a repair carried out. The average lifespan will depend on the type of appliance, with different appliances having different lifespan lengths ranging from five to fifteen years.
Hidden Costs
If you do decide to replace your old appliance rather than repair it, it’s important to make careful considerations in order to avoid hidden costs. Rush buys in order to quickly replace an appliance can often result in more hidden costs being racked up, for example you may buy a new refrigerator in order to replace an old one only to find that it does not correctly fit into the old spot, meaning that cabinetry and such will need to be modified in order to make sure that the area is the right size. Other replacements such as upgrading your gas range from a simple one to a more complicated one could result in extra costs for upgrading electrical wiring and circuits, so ensure that you do your homework thoroughly before replacing.
Energy Efficiency
Often homeowners think that replacing a faulty appliance although it could be repaired and investing in a more energy efficient model will save them money. This is sometimes the case – for example, modern refrigerators use around 50% less energy than those built 20 years ago. However, if your appliance still has a lot of life left in it, it may be more cost effective to simply pay for a repair job, as you could find yourself spending thousands on energy efficient appliances only to save a few hundred off your energy bill.
Although there are some minor repairs to appliances that you may be able to do yourself, if you can’t fix a problem it’s best to stay safe and call a professional.
