Repair or Replace Your Appliance? An Honest Age Guide

What this usually means

The repair-or-replace question has no single answer, but age, cost, and condition together give a straight one. As a rule of thumb, a single-part repair on an appliance under about 10 years old is usually worth doing, especially for fridges, washers, and dryers where the fault is a fan, pump, belt, seal, or valve. Past that age, or when the fault is a compressor, sealed system, transmission, or control board, compare the repair against a new unit's price, energy use, and warranty, not just the repair bill. Multiple failing parts at once, rust, or a leaking tub or housing all push toward replacement. Energy matters too: a 15-year-old fridge or washer can cost noticeably more to run than a modern efficient one, which changes the math over a few years. The honest test is whether the repaired appliance should give several more reliable years, not just a few more months.

What to check safely

We do not push replacement where a repair will do, and we do not push repair where replacement is the honest call. Call with the age, brand, and fault, and we will lay out both options with reasons you can check, before any work starts.

• Note the symptom, when it started, and whether it is getting worse.
• Check filters, hoses, seals, and vents only where you can do so safely, with power or water off where needed.
• Do not open sealed refrigeration pipework or work on live electrics yourself.

Related reading

Refrigerator Repair, Washing Machine Repair; appliance repair in Durham Farms.

When to call

If the problem involves water spreading, a gas smell, burning smells, sparks, or food at risk, call (615) 583-1836 right away. For gas, leave and call the utility first. Otherwise, call and describe what you found using the steps above, and we will advise the next step with no form and no pressure. See all appliance services.