Appliance repair tips from the experts

June 5th, 2012

Appliance Questions Appliance Talk

It can be a tricky decision, to repair or to replace an appliance? New appliances may be more affordable to run, be better for the environment and have time saving features convenient for modern living. On the other hand, repairing an appliance may pinch the wallet less painfully.

Now, an appliance parts company in the US has revealed its ideas on when it’s best to chuck an old appliance out, or when it’s not. For a repair company, it’s ideas may seem somewhat contradictory, but we’ll take ’em!

The predominant premise for the tips is this: the older the appliance the more energy it will take to operate.

It reckons that any washing machine pre-1994 is costing the household an extra $120 per year to run and that for this reason alone it is worth investing in a new washer. Front loaders will save on water because instead of rubbing clothes against an agitator to get them clean, a horizontal or tumble-axis basket lifts and drops clothing into the water to create a similar agitation action.

Brand spanking new Whirlpool SportsWasher

The age of a fridge is important too, and any fridge 10 years or older is worth replacing. Apparently, newer models use about half the energy of 10-year-old or older fridges. Also, bottom or top-freezer fridges are more efficient than side-by-side models, a popular choice in Australia today.

“Don’t bother hanging onto that old fridge since it will cost ab extra $100 a year to run. Send it off to be recycled,” the company says.

Most newer model dishwashers use less water and are more energy efficient since they have dirty water sensors that can control the length of the wash cycle. So again, anything older than 10 years should get the boot.

Same goes for air conditioners, but be sure to tip them at a hazardous waste facility, it warns.

The final factor in repairing or replacing is the cost. If the repair costs 50 percent or more than price of a new appliance, it should be replaced rather than repaired.