Repair or Replace? A Simple Rule for Every Major Appliance

We get asked this on almost every call, and we answer it the same way whether the answer earns us a repair or not. Here is the framework we use.

The 50% rule

If the repair costs more than 50% of the price of a comparable new appliance, and the appliance is more than halfway through its expected life, replace it. If either condition is not met, repair it. This one rule resolves most cases.

Realistic lifespans

• Refrigerator: 10 to 14 years. Built-in units such as Sub-Zero often 18 to 20.
• Washing machine: 8 to 12 years. Front-loaders on the lower end, simple top-loaders on the higher end.
• Dryer: 12 to 15 years. Dryers are simple and almost always worth repairing.
• Dishwasher: 9 to 12 years. Bosch, KitchenAid and Miele often longer.
• Range or cooktop: 13 to 15 years.
• Wall oven: 15 years or more, and expensive to replace because of cabinet fit.
• Garbage disposal: 8 to 12 years.

Failures that usually mean replace

• Sealed-system leaks or compressor failure on a refrigerator over 8 years old. The repair is expensive and the rest of the unit is aging.
• Tub bearings on a front-load washer over 8 years old. The job requires splitting the tub and often costs as much as a new machine.
• Cracked dishwasher tub or a disposal leaking from the bottom. Neither is repairable.
• Control boards on discontinued models where the part is no longer made.

Failures that are almost always worth repairing

• Refrigerator evaporator fans, defrost parts, start relays, inlet valves, ice makers and gaskets.
• Washer drain pumps, door locks, lid switches, belts and inlet valves.
• Any dryer part.
• Dishwasher pumps, latches, gaskets, inlet valves and heating elements.
• Oven and range igniters, elements, sensors, switches and door parts.

Hidden costs of replacing

A new appliance means delivery, installation, haul-away and sometimes a cabinet or countertop modification. New appliances are also more electronic, which means more to go wrong. A well-built ten-year-old dishwasher with a new pump can outlast a bargain new one.

How we handle it

At the visit, the technician diagnoses the failure, quotes the repair in writing and gives you a straight answer on whether it is worth it. If it is not, you pay the diagnostic and nothing else. If you decide to replace, we can install the new appliance and haul the old one away.

Call (904) 561-4790 or schedule online.