People ask us this on almost every visit, usually phrased as “is it worth fixing?” Here are the numbers we work from, and the rule we apply to our own answer.
What to expect
- Refrigerator, freestanding: 12 to 15 years.
- Built-in and column refrigeration: 20 years and often well beyond, which is why these are almost always worth repairing.
- Freezer, chest or upright: 15 to 20 years. Mechanically simple and long-lived.
- Washer: 10 to 13 years, and heavily dependent on load size and how level the machine stands.
- Dryer: 12 to 15 years, and almost entirely dependent on venting.
- Dishwasher: 9 to 12 years.
- Range or cooktop: 13 to 15 years for gas, a little less for electric.
- Wall oven: 15 to 20 years.
- Over-the-range microwave: 9 to 10 years.
The rule we use
If the repair costs more than half the price of a comparable new appliance and the unit is past two thirds of the life above, replacement is usually the better spend. If either half of that is false, repair wins.
Note what the rule does not say. Age alone does not condemn an appliance. A fourteen-year-old wall oven needing a $180 fuse is worth fixing. A six-year-old budget washer needing a tub and bearing assembly frequently is not.
What actually shortens these numbers
Restricted dryer vents, condenser coils nobody has cleaned in five years, refrigeration running in an unheated garage below its rated ambient temperature, and washers left to shake themselves apart on an uneven floor. All four are avoidable and all four are cheaper to prevent than to repair.
What we will tell you
We will give you the honest answer even when it costs us the job, because the alternative is selling somebody a part on an appliance that is finished. Ask us on the visit and you will get a straight number.
Call (973) 226-1000 if you want that conversation before booking anything.
