Repair or Replace? A Practical Rule for Appliances

A simple framework for deciding whether an appliance repair is worth it, based on age, part cost and safety.

Start with the half-life rule

If the repair costs more than half the price of a comparable new appliance, and the unit is past half its expected service life, replacement usually wins. That rule is rough, but it stops the common mistake of putting a 400 dollar repair into a 15-year-old washer.

Repairs that are almost always worth it

Consumables and access parts: belts, idler pulleys, thermal fuses, door gaskets, igniters, drain pumps and heating elements. These parts are inexpensive relative to the cabinet and drum, and they fail long before the structure does.

Repairs that deserve caution

Sealed-system work on refrigeration, failed transmissions, rusted cabinets and cracked glass cooktops. The part cost is high, the labour is specialist, and the rest of the appliance is usually close behind.

Safety overrides the math

Gas leaks, scorched wiring, repeated breaker trips and burning smells are stop-work conditions. A repair that does not address the cause of overheating is not a repair, especially on dryers and ranges.