Repair or Replace: Signs that Help in Making the Call on Your Appliances

At some point, you have likely encountered an issue with one or more of your appliances. This situation may have led to the need to decide between repairing and replacing the unit. While you may wonder if you made the right decision in the past, evaluating certain criteria can help you to avoid snafus in the future.

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Safety Hazard

When deciding whether to repair or replace an appliance, you must determine if the appliance poses a safety hazard. For example, imagine an appliance that could pose a fire hazard. You are told by a professional that a repair is possible but that the same issue could happen again. If safety is involved, you need to make the choice that best protects your home, your family and yourself.

Appliance Features

Conducting research on other models available is definitely necessary before you decide to replace an appliance. In other words, this investigation may reveal that the newest models do not have the features that you love the most on your current model. When you feel as though certain features are vital to the product, opting for repairs can allow you to enjoy these elements for longer.

Cost Concerns

At first glance, you might automatically think that repairing the appliance is the more cost-effective solution. However, what you really need to do is weigh the costs of multiple repairs against the costs of a new appliances. In the event that your appliance is going to need regular repairs, you may very well spend more money in the long term by opting for repairing instead of replacing.

Age of Appliance
Considering the age of the current appliance is imperative. After all, if you just purchased a new refrigerator or washing machine, you don’t want to have to replace it right away. A newer appliance may have the ability to better withstand the repairs and to continue on to function properly whereas an older appliance may simply break again in the near future.

Warranties
You should also check your warranty on the appliance before you make any decisions. New appliances, in particular, may still be covered by warranty. If costs are a factor in your decision, as they are for many people, you will want to see what you can have covered before deciding what to do with the appliance. Store all of your warranties in one place so that you can access them quickly when needed.

Professional Guidance
As you are examining appliance repair leads, you’ll likely come across some professional opinions. Seeking expert guidance is crucial when you are choosing between repairing and replacing appliances. The professionals can potentially give you a life expectancy on the appliances if you choose to repair them or let you know what items to consider for replacement.

Use and Function
Also take into account how frequently you use the appliance in question. For example, you may tend to wash dishes by hand and use the dishwasher only on rare occasion. If you are not going to get much use out of the appliance, you may then want to consider repair instead of spending the money on a new unit. On the other hand, if you are constantly doing loads of laundry, getting a new washer and dryer can save you money and hassle in the long run.

Future Plans
You should also think about how long you are planning to stay in the home. If you are going to move in the next year or so, opting for a brand new appliance might be a waste of money. In fact, depending upon what the appliance is, you may decide to go without it for a period of time and to then buy a new one when you move.

Resale Value
Of course, as you are considering your future plans, you also must ask yourself if you are going to put the house up on the market soon. A house with newer appliances might fetch more potential buyers and a higher price than one with appliances that are in need of repair. Think about the fact that you probably want to buy a house with functioning appliances. Doing so can make you realize that other people are considering the same factors.

Urgency
If you need the appliance to start working right away, you may then have no other option than to replace it. Replacing an appliance means that you must select the one that you want and then have it delivered and installed in your home. Ask yourself how much time you have to spare and if you can use appliances at someone else’s home while you wait.

Deciding whether to repair or replace appliances is sometimes a challenging choice to make. Taking these factors into account and looking at the entire situation, however, can certainly help you out.