When it comes to home appliances all of us would want to have brand new and shiny ones that are working 100% and which are under a guarantee. The reality is a bit different and we are going to talk about it in a bit.
Home appliances have grown so much over the years and now we have a lot more quality ones and a lot more durable ones. They are not heavy and bulky, they are easy to repair and maintain and they work better than their predecessors. Modern technology has brought us great advancements in any segment of our love. The same goes for tech that surrounds us in our daily lives. Many of us do not think about it but home appliances like refrigerators have become so advanced that now you can have one that will keep track of your groceries inside and interact with you when and what you need to buy.
These also break down, a lot less than old ones used to, and they are easily serviceable which is another great addition. Parts are readily available for almost all makes and models and the best thing about it is that some of the parts and faults you can easily DIY. For those of you that are afraid of tinkering with these things, some professionals will come to you and deal with whatever fault you have. If you want to need someone to come and check out your refrigerator, try fridgerepairs.net.au because these guys are the best.
Now we are on the topic of fridge repairs – yes or no?! well, the question is a bit complex and the answer must be as well. Maybe not complex but conditioned by some factors.
Age
Whenever we are talking about the age of our appliances we tend to forget when we bought them and how long we used them. When you think about it most of your appliances now are working for 3-5+ years and you haven’t been keeping track. They are working and that is the only important thing. When it comes to refrigerators and their working age, they are built to work for extended periods. Most people will have the same fridge for 10+ years easily without any issues. Some have regularly maintained theirs and added freon when needed and still use their fridge 15+ years later. These are the workhorses of all appliances but they can fail as well. Nowadays we have a general rule of thumb that says if your refrigerator dies and it is more than 8 years old it is better to replace it. More advanced units will bring you more good things, will save on electrical bills and can come with other ease of life improvements in this part.
The cost of repair
Whenever we are talking about something breaking down and being repaired vs. replaced there is a rule of thumb that states if that something that broke down, in our case we are talking about refrigerators, the cost to repair is greater than half of a price of a new unit – the math is clear there – buy a new one. Whenever there is a small fault and a small price to replace it including the cost of labour, the smart thing is to save the money and repair it whenever it is possible. The moment the price of the repair of your old unit crosses halfway the price of the new one, it is clear that you are better of with the brand-new unit that will have a warranty.
Warranty
Since we mentioned the warranty, we have to talk about this as well. For many reasons, even the “new” appliances break down. Whether because of electric surges, faults in handling or damages in transport, bran new units may suddenly stop working. The great thing about this is that these types of appliances come with a warranty ranging from one to even 10 years, depending on the appliance and the manufacturer’s certainty in their work. The warranty of the refrigerators is going from one to three years and you can pay more to extend that period as well. Now if for some reason your unit stops working normally while in the warranty period you will have it repaired by the manufacturer free of charge. If the damage is significant and if it will cause you issues down the line, you should ask for a brand-new unit, just to make sure that you will not see the same issues as the warranty period passes.
Efficiency
When it comes to efficiency this goes hand in hand with the age part of these units. Believe it or not, the refrigerator is the only appliance in your kitchen that is working 24/7 and that is the most used one. This is why you need to have the best one to make your life easier. We know that 5 or 8-year-old fridges are still in working conditions and that they are doing the job, but you also have to think about new tech, advancements and overall efficiency. Why would you use an appliance that is 5 years old, and wastes more energy than the one produced last year that does the same job twice better? It has more storage, it looks up to date, it offers other amenities and it looks great. Efficiency is also an important factor to consider when you start thinking about repairing or buying a new fridge. If the cost of the repair is below the half-price point of a new unit, but if it is significantly old and really out of date, you still may want to consider buying a new unit.
As you can see there are so many factors that influence your decision on this question. It isn’t as complex as you may think, but it is tricky. If you are struggling with money and if the budget is tight, then you may want to repair it but save as much as possible to get a new one. If the money is not an issue and if you are having an older model of the refrigerator, then you may want to consider going new, upping your efficiency, getting a brand new warranty and making your kitchen a more beautiful and efficient place.