We don’t even realize just how much we rely on our household appliances on a day-to-day basis until one day, we find one of them out of order. An appliance malfunctioning can be a serious setback to your daily routine. You may find yourself without a washing machine for weeks and need to wear every last piece of clothing you can possibly dig up from your closet, and let’s not even think about what happens when your fridge conveniently decides to break down the weekend you are out of town. So, needless to say, in case an appliance malfunctions, you need to figure out what the best course of action to solve the situation is, and you need to do that fast. Let’s see what you need to take into account to determine whether repairing or replacing the appliance is the way to go.
First, look for the warranty
The first thing to do when an appliance break is to check the warranty. Don’t disregard this step even if your appliance is several years old. While most warranties last one to three years, each manufacturer has its own terms, and your appliance may still be under warranty without you knowing it. If your appliance is indeed, still under warranty, you will need to seek out a factory-authorized repair shop to get the job done. While this may seem like a drag, the good news is, you’ll get to save money and steer clear of having to purchase a new appliance. As for extended warranties, it may be a good idea to give them some thought in the future.
Consider the age of the appliance
If there is no valid warranty to speak of, it is time to evaluate whether it’s worth paying your own money for the repair. For this, you certainly want to consider the age of the appliance. There is a certain average life expectancy to every appliance out there, and if yours is nearing the end of its, it may not pay off to repair it just so it breaks again. For instance, washing machines and dishwashers may not last much longer than 10 years, but if your refrigerator is only about 6 years old, it may very well have more than another six to serve you. Your gas or electric range should be fine for as long as 13-15 years, but you do need to mind maintenance to get the most out of it. Consult the numbers and make an informed decision.
How serious is the issue?
The next thing to factor into your decision is just how serious the issue with your appliance is. Some problems are actually nothing serious and you can even DIY their repair. For instance, if your washer has been extremely slow to fill, all you might need to do is clean the inlet of debris. Smaller refrigerator malfunctions, such as the ice maker breaking down, can also be fixed at home with no problem. Remember only to do these if your warranty is past its expiry date, though, or else you might lose your eligibility. However, other problems may be too complicated and expensive to experiment with by yourself. For instance, if your washing machine’s agitator has stopped spinning, the repair may be fairly easy and cost-efficient, but you need a repairman for it. If your refrigerator’s compressor breaks, on the other hand, you may as well say goodbye to the appliance. Needless to say, signs such as smoke may also signal danger so in that case, it may not be worth risking a repair at all.
Think about the long term
The next question you may want to answer is whether it’s better worth it repairing or replacing an appliance in the long term. Do you use the appliance often? If it’s not something you use every day, getting a new one may take a long time to actually pay off. In addition, e-waste, including old appliances, is a serious environmental concern, and we shouldn’t throw away appliances unless we absolutely must. At the same time, giving some thought to your current appliances’ energy consumption may not be a bad idea. Today, manufacturers have the means to devote more attention to energy efficiency and the protection of our planet. That means that keeping your old appliance may actually cost you more in the long term, should you add up the bills it will bring along. Energy Star appliances may save you hundreds of dollars every year, so keep that in mind.
Money matters
Household appliances are undeniably expensive and one does not want to spend on a new one unless one absolutely needs to. So, you might want to take the question of money into account when making your decision as well. When you learn what is wrong with your appliance, you can look up appliance spare parts yourself and see the price to determine whether the repair will pay off. Naturally, repairing it will always be cheaper than getting rid of the appliance altogether, but you also need to consider how many times you will potentially need to repeat this repair in the future. Has your appliance broken down several times in the past already? Is it a cheap or a high-quality model? If your appliance’s past record is clean, your repairman might suggest keeping it for the time being.
Follow the 50% rule
If you cannot estimate whether a repair is too expensive, you can simply rely on the handy 50% rule used in these scenarios. According to this rule, if your appliance is older than 50% of its expected lifespan, and the repair costs more than 50% of its price, then looking for a new appliance may be a wiser idea. So, what you’ll need to do is contact a repair shop and get an estimate of the cost of the repair. You may need to pay a small fee for them to diagnose the problem. Once you have the numbers, you can do the math. It shouldn’t be too complicated. If you have some knowledge about appliance repair, you can also simply skip the previous step and look up the missing parts directly.
What’s next?
Whether you have decided to replace or repair, one thing is true, which is that gentle use and regular maintenance will make the lifespan of your appliance that much longer. So, keep your appliances in top shape: clean them regularly and don’t slack on maintenance. Besides being easy on the appliance itself, these steps are sometimes even a safety concern. For instance, lint accumulated in dryers can lead to fires, so removing lint regularly is paramount. Small things like cleaning off your stove and scrubbing your oven door will also boost your old appliance’s appeal and make it look newer and less in need of a swap. Don’t forget to vacuum your refrigerator’s coils to keep it running smoothly. Finally, be sure that you don’t overexert your appliances, which can seriously shorten their life expectancy. For instance, don’t overload your washing machine, and always follow the instructions of the manual.
Our appliances make our lives easier—that is, until they break down. A broken appliance is not only annoying, but it can even be dangerous, so stop using it when you are met with a malfunction and consider the next step instead. Whether you should get it fixed or call your local waste disposal office depends on your situation. Hopefully, the aforementioned tips will make it easier for you to make the right call.