Should Your Appliance Be Repaired or Replaced?

Should Your Appliance Be Repaired or Replaced? Points to Ponder.

One of the most common questions we are asked is whether an appliance should be repaired or replaced. Here are some questions you need to ask yourself to help you make a decision:

• Is the appliance in good mechanical condition, other than the current problem?
• Is the appliance in good cosmetic condition or are there dents and scratches?
• Are there strange odors, evidence of rust, any funny noises or leaks?
• Do you have an emotional attachment to the appliance?
• What is the normal useful life of the appliance and how old is it?

Although there are exceptions, we generally do not recommend that you invest more than half of the replacement cost in repairing an appliance. For that reason it is a good idea to scout out the replacement cost before getting too far into the repair. Here are some things to think about when considering the total cost of replacement…

• The cost (plus tax) of the new appliance.
• Any fees for getting a firm estimate on the repair of the old appliance.
• The cost of disposing the old appliance.
• The cost of installing the new appliance.
• On many built-in products such as refrigerators or dishwashers, there are often custom door panels involved. Will your old panels fit the new unit?
• Can you find a new unit that will fit in the current installation without necessary modifications to the cabinetry?

If you can extend the useful life of your appliance another two years or more it is often actually more economical to repair the old unit than replace it. If you are just not sure, you could invest in the cost of getting a solid estimate of the repair and let us help you make that decision with all of the facts in front of you. The last thing we want you to do is have us repair a unit that should not be repaired. On the other hand, we hate to see you spend twice the money on a new appliance if it is not necessary.