Repairing Your Appliances

Posted on: 9 April 2015

The refrigerator is one of the most important appliances in the home. It keeps food cool, and allows for a handy place to store said food. However, as with any appliance, a refrigerator will not work forever. It will eventually need to be repaired or replaced. The decision between repairing and replacing a refrigerator can be made in various ways. One of the most important factors is the age of the machine both in general, and by type.

Know the General Lifespan of a Refrigerator

In general, refrigerators have a lifespan of 10 - 20 years. This will vary with each specific unit, as mechanical deficiencies may play a factor. In general terms, if a refrigerator is more than fifteen years old and it starts to have mechanical issues, it is probably best to replace it. If your refrigerator is less than eight years old, it probably has a lot of life left in it. You may consider repairing it to be the best option. In that period between eight to fifteen years, there are other factors that you might wish to consider, such as its repair history and overall energy efficiency.

While the general lifespan is a good rule of thumb to work with, it may not be specific enough for your actual needs. There is also another way to view the lifespan of a refrigerator. That method is to view its useful lifespan, instead of its general lifespan.

The Useful Life of Your Refrigerator Varies with Its Type

The useful life of a refrigerator can be viewed as a means of determining when repairs are always a good idea based on the refrigerator type. This can be considered a more specific age-related vetting process for the repair or replacement of a fridge. The four primary types of refrigerator are built-in, side-by-side, top freezer, and bottom freezer. 

Built-in Refrigerators- These units are built into the building and cannot be moved easily. It is almost always better to repair these instead of replacing them; they are expensive to replace. You can use the general rule of thumb for refrigerator lifespans for these units without worry.

Side-By-Side- Normally, these refrigerators have a five-year useful lifespan when it comes to repair efficiency. For the first five years, you should always think of repairing them first before replacing them. However, after five years it will be important to assess the repair history and energy efficiency, but replacement may be best.

Top Freezers- There is a seven-year repair window for these models. For the first three years, it is best to always consider repairs. At the three-to-six year point, it can go either way. You should review the repair history and energy efficiency of your fridge. At seven years it is almost always best to replace a fridge of this type.

Bottom Freezers- These freezers have a similar useful lifespan to the top freezer models. The main difference is that a bottom freezer has a seven-year repair window without any further specifications. If it is less than seven years old, it is usually best to repair it. If it is more than seven years old, consider replacement. This is especially true if repairs are costly.

Armed with information of the general lifespan of refrigerators and the useful lifespan of special types of refrigerator, you will be able to make a more informed decision. Consider the useful lifespan first. Take that information and compare your fridge to the general lifespan of refrigerators. If it is only a few years old, repair is usually best. If it is beyond both the useful lifespan and the general lifespan window, replacement is usually the better choice. Contact Appliance Tech Repair LLC by Frank Lecato for more information.