Home Appliances – How Do I Know When to Repair OR Replace My Home Appliance?

To Repair OR Not to Repair Your Major Home Appliance… That is the Question!

Not quite the old Shakespearian question, but close enough in today’s modern time of expensive appliances. What do you do when your fridge is running, but NOT as cool as a cucumber? Or your oven’s heating capacity is pretty similar to the baking power in your daughter’s Easy-Bake-Oven. Ever heard of wet ice… it’s funky name for water, meaning your icemaker is broken. If the dishes look worse than when they went in the dishwasher, you’ve got a problem and it doesn’t take an expert to figure it out. Obviously there’s a lot of stress involved with online research for you specific appliance, advice from friends and family, manufactures giving you the runaround, and conflicting product reviews. Whether you like it or not, it’s a major household decision when it comes to Repairing OR Replacing your Kitchen or Laundry Appliance. Here are a few pointers to consider when it becomes crunch time to make your final, gut wrenching decision.

1) How Old is Your Kitchen or Laundry Appliance?

If it’s beyond the kitchen or laundry Appliance’s Life Expectancy, then it is probably time to put the home appliance out to pasture. Only exceptions are when it comes down to antique or top-of-the-line expensive appliances that have greater worth than just your standard residential appliance.

National Averages for Your Household Appliance’s Life Expectancy:

Refrigerators: 14 years
Freezers: 16 years
Gas Stoves or Ovens: 19 years
Electric Stoves or Ovens: 16 years
Range Hoods or Vent Hoods: 14 years
Microwaves (not countertop models): 8 years
Dishwashers: 12 years
Washing Machines: 12 years
Gas Clothes Dryers: 13 years
Electric Clothes Dryers: 14 years
Garbage Disposals and Trash Compactors: 13 years
2) Cost to Repair Broken Appliance VS the Purchase Price of a Brand New Appliance

Sorry, sentimental value does not factor into this cost. If the Cost to Repair is greater than Half the Value (50%) of the Price to Buy a Brand New Appliance, it’s probably a wiser choice to invest in a new home appliance. Also, the cost to run a newer appliance is also Much Lower and Eco-Friendly, than your older laundry or kitchen appliance in most cases. In some circumstances, the Energy Savings per year can actually pay for the full cost of the newer appliance. These Energy Saving Appliances are labeled with a big yellow “Energy Guide” tag that can be found on some new appliance in local stores or online. The government even offers a tax credit on some refrigerators, dryers, washers and more with this tag. Once again high-end, expensive, commercial or antique appliances are an exception to the rule.

National Averages on the Cost of a NEW Residential Appliance

Refrigerator: $800-$2700
Stove/Oven: $400-$1300
Non-Countertop Microwave: $300-$600
Dishwasher: $400-$1300
Washer: $600-$1100
Dryer: $500-$1200
3) Check the Manufacturer’s Warranty, Before You Call an Appliance Repair Company

You should always check with the manufacturer or reference the appliance’s user manual first. You can see if the appliance is under warranty or if there were any recalls that you may have missed. Most manufacturers even keep replacement parts for at least 10 Years Beyond the date the laundry or kitchen appliance was made. This will give you a relative idea of how available the parts are to repair your appliance in the future.

So I hope this helped with your “Repair VS Replace My Home Appliance” decision. Just remember to ask yourself these 3 Simple Questions above and I’m sure that you’ll come to an easy, stressless, affordable conclusion. Also, keep in mind that an honorable and trusted appliance repair company might be able to provide more indepth information to your specific household needs. Thanks for reading and take care!

In any event, A-Appliance Xperts Chicago can always provide you with our expert opinion with Over 33 Years of Experience in the Applian

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