According to Grand View Research, the household appliances market in the U.S. will grow by 6.5% (CAGR) from 2022 to 2030. The reasoning behind this is that they believe that household disposable income will rise in America.
Still, any smart homeowner, whether their household income is rising or not, should consider appliance repair rather than replacement. Constantly buying new appliances doesn’t make economic sense when sometimes all you need is a quick repair job.
In this guide, we’ll look at some factors to think about to help you decide if you should repair or replace your appliance. Now let’s get started.
Contents
Check for a Warranty
The first thing you should do when one of your appliances breaks down is to check to see if it has a warranty. Many of your older appliances may have had a warranty that’s run out, but it’s always worth checking just to make sure.
If you do have an in-date warranty for your appliance, simply call your provider and find out if they will send someone over to fix your appliance. They may even provide you with the means to replace your appliance. Some providers will provide you with money to buy and new appliance and others will replace your appliance with another one of their own.
Know About Average Appliance Lifespans
Most household appliances have an average lifespan. Of course, not all brands are the same, but knowing about the average lifespan of appliances will help you make a better decision about whether to replace your appliance or get it repaired.
The average lifespan for dishwashers is about 10 years. So if it breaks down before it’s 10 years old, then you might want to get in a repair person to deal with it. If it’s older than 10 years, then you should be thinking about replacing it.
Refrigerators normally do well for around 12-15 years and washers for around 10 years. A dryer tends to work well for 10-13 years before you might want to consider replacing it.
Repair vs. Replace Costs
One of the all-important factors to look into when deciding on replacing or repairing an appliance is the cost. It all comes down to how serious the problem is with the appliance and how much a repair service quotes you for its repair.
A good rule of thumb is if your appliance is more than halfway through its average lifespan and the repair price is more than half of what it cost you to buy new, then it’s time to replace the appliance. An ideal scenario for repair is that the cost is no more than 20% to repair the appliance, whatever age it is.
Your Appliance Expectations Count
You can use an appliance way past the average lifespan in many circumstances. For example, you might be able to use a refrigerator for a good 20 years or so if you just want it for keeping your food cold and fresh.
However, you have to think that you’ll be missing out on new features and technology by keeping your old refrigerator way past its average lifespan. The question is whether you want to take advantage of all those new features and a fresher-looking design for your home.
Plus, a lot of new appliances are much more energy efficient. If you get a new appliance, you might end up saving a lot of money in the long run because it’s energy efficient.
Ways to Extend the Lifespan of Your Appliances
If you develop good care and maintenance routines for your appliances, you can get more longevity out of them. For instance, many appliances have vents. Having a monthly routine where you clean out any vents on your appliances may help them to work well for longer.
Furthermore, keeping your appliances as clean as possible may help to extend their lifespan. For instance, you can clean the coils at the back of your refrigerator or in your oven. Also, you should regularly replace filters in any appliances that use them (dryers are an obvious example of such appliances).
It may even be worth calling out a professional to come and assess your appliance to give you guidance on whether you should replace it or not. They’ll be able to give you specific tips on how to look after the appliance in question if keeping it seems like the most logical option.
Appliance Repair Guide
We’ll now run through 6 very common appliance issues and some ways to resolve them. If you don’t have any luck resolving your appliance issues, then we recommend a service like Ridge Appliance Repair to come and help you out.
Yet, not every appliance problem you encounter will require professional repair services. Here are some tips to fix your own appliance issues that you can consider doing before calling up the experts:
Bad-Smelling Washing Machines
If your washing machine is giving off a bad odor, the last thing you’ll want to do is wash your clothes in it as it defeats the purpose. We have one method that might work well for your bad-smelling washer, without having to entertain the thought of “appliance replace” in the back of your mind.
One way of resolving this issue is to mix half a cup of baking soda and two cups of vinegar. Pour this solution into your washing machine and then run it on a hot cycle.
Front-loading washers tend to have the most odor problems. A way to prevent your front-loading washer odor issue is to leave the door open when you are not using it. By doing this, you give your washer a chance to dry out and not develop a fusty smell.
Garbage Disposal Issues
Some people don’t realize that their garbage disposal comes with an in-built overload trip for self-protection. The overload trip will come into function when there’s clogging or overheating. It may also kick in if you leave it running too long.
Instead of calling in a repair service, all you might have to do with your garbage disposal is reset the overload trip. To do this, it’s super important that you ensure your garbage disposal is turned off! Then, beneath your sink, there should be a reset button that you can press.
You might encounter a problem where the switch doesn’t stick in place when you press it. If this happens, wait a while and then try again.
If your garbage disposal still persists in not working then you may have to turn the blades using a hex key to help free up any clogging. Again, when you do this, ensure the disposal is off. Once you think you’ve cleared the blockage, run through the reset button routine to see if anything has changed.
Your Refrigerator Is Inefficient
There comes a time when everyone’s refrigerator starts to lose the efficiency it once had. We’re talking about it not cooling to the extent that it used to.
Sometimes, all you need to do to sort out this problem is to give your refrigerator a thorough cleaning. To do this, first, unplug your refrigerator and move it away from the wall. You should then vacuum the coils at the back and clean them as best you can.
Your Gas Stove Igniter Clicks and Doesn’t Ignite
If your gas stove igniter keeps clicking and doesn’t ignite, the first thing you can do is check to see if the burner cap is in its proper place. If it isn’t, take care in realigning the cap and then test your igniter again.
Another reason why your igniter won’t ignite the stove is that it has become dirty. Just remove the burner cap, clean any debris away, and then put the cap back on to try and fix the problem. You might want to use a pin to clear away any tiny debris that’s stuck in cracks.
Your Power Outlet Has No Power
It’s often the case that power outlets stop working in wetter environments around the home like in your kitchen or in the bathroom. Any power outlets in such spaces should be equipped with a GFCI outlet for protection.
To reset your GFCI outlet, there should be a reset button that you can just press. If the power still does not work, you might have a breaker that’s tripped. Head over to your home breaker box and see if this is the case, and if so, flick the switch back to restore power.
Appliance Repair Issues Explained
You should always consider appliance repair before thinking about replacing an appliance. You might end up saving a lot of money by getting in a repair service to deal with your appliance for a fraction of the cost of replacing it. Also, try to see if you can fix the problem yourself before calling in the experts.
For more tips on various other subjects, check out all of our latest blog posts in this section.