How to Decide When an Appliance Is Worth Fixing
Many homeowners aren’t sure whether an appliance should be repaired or replaced. This guide explains the factors professional technicians consider when helping customers make that decision.
When Repair Makes Sense
Let’s start with the first—and arguably most important—factor.
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Before reaching for a calculator, consider how you felt about the appliance before it failed and ask yourself one simple question: Do you like this appliance? If the answer is no, even a successful repair is unlikely to change that.
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For example, imagine you have a dishwasher that has generally performed well and met your expectations over time. If it now needs a repair—such as a wash pump replacement—the cost may approach or exceed 50% of the price of a new unit. Many homeowners choose replacement in this situation, only to find that the total out-of-pocket cost far exceeds the repair and the new appliance fails to meet expectations.
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On the other hand, if you were dissatisfied with the appliance from the beginning, replacement often makes sense regardless of repair cost.
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Once you’ve answered this initial question, it’s time to let a professional evaluate the remaining factors that truly determine whether repair or replacement is the better option.
Factors Professionals Look At:
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Age of the appliance
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Type of failure (mechanical vs electronic)
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Brand reliability and parts availability
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Energy efficiency changes over time
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Improved product features
Common Misconceptions:
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"A repair always means throwing good money after bad"
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"New appliances are always more reliable"
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"If it's old, it's not worth fixing"
When Replacement Makes Sense
Revisiting the question above: if you don’t like your current appliance, repair often doesn’t make sense. Beyond personal satisfaction, there are situations where an appliance is effectively condemned by the nature of the failure itself.
For example, a refrigerant leak in most residential refrigerators is typically not a practical repair. While there are rare exceptions, this type of failure is almost always a case of throwing good money after bad.
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Replacement may also make sense if you were already considering upgrading to newer features or planning to replace multiple appliances as part of a broader update. In those situations, investing in a major repair often delays an inevitable decision rather than solving the underlying issue.
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Age is another important factor. While we don’t rely solely on “expected lifespan” charts, real-world experience shows that certain components simply fail due to age. At some point, appliances time out—not because of poor maintenance, but because materials and systems wear down over time.
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We often see this contrast firsthand. A customer may be repairing a newer refrigerator in their primary kitchen while temporarily using a 30-plus-year-old refrigerator in a basement or garage that continues to run reliably. While older units may be far less energy efficient, their mechanical simplicity can sometimes outlast modern designs.
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Conversely, modern top-load washing machines may experience major failures within the first few years of ownership. Despite common expectations that a washer should last well over a decade, we regularly diagnose significant issues on relatively new machines. If the appliance failed early and never met expectations to begin with, replacement may already be the better option.
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For replacement options based on our expert recommendations, visit our online showroom here.
Repair vs Replacement: A Practical Summary
Repair may make sense when:
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You like the appliance and it has performed well overall
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The failure is isolated and repairable
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The cost of repair is reasonable compared to replacement
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You want to extend the life of a reliable appliance
Replacement may make sense when:
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You were dissatisfied with the appliance before it failed
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The failure involves major sealed-system or non-repairable components
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The appliance has experienced repeated or early major failures
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You were already planning an upgrade or replacing multiple appliances
Every situation is different. A professional evaluation helps identify the true cause of failure and provides the information needed to make a confident, informed decision—whether that means repairing an appliance or moving on from it.
We’re here to help—no matter which direction you go.