On the death of major home appliances…

Fyrefox

Fyrefox

Token fox furry
Location
Pennsylvania, USA
With several of my major home kitchen appliances having approached the limits of their longevity, I’ve gotten into the “repair or replace” dilemma where you either have to pump money into repairing them with an uncertain future, or consider repair cost-prohibitive and buy a new appliance.

My refrigerator ailed first, its icemaker line leaking and sending water through the kitchen floor into the basement. I found someone willing to work on it, but of course they have a “diagnostic fee” plus parts and labor, I had to wait for the parts to come in, and had quite a few hundreds in the repair before it was completed.

I thought I was done on the ’fridge, but no…within six months, a valve failed, and water again rained through my floorboards into my cellar. Again the repair dude was summoned (foreign, of course, and barely understandable), and it was hundreds more invested into a refrigerator that was 15+ years old.

I learned my lesson on the refrigerator, though. When my dishwasher of 17 years recently failed, I forewent attempting repairs, bit the bullet, and bought a new machine. Less repair cost and aggravation, plus the promise of trouble-free years of service from a new machine.

How about you? Have your major appliances given you any fits? 🤔
 

Our oven door would not shut. It was one of the hinges. I unscrewed it and stuck a long screw driver in the slot and shut it., but it wouldn't shut tightly anymore. We had to use bungy cords and rope to put a "belt" around the whole stove! It worked and it has slowly gotten tight enough it doesn't need the belt. :) Dodged a bullet there. We did have to by a used microwave about a year ago. Sometimes the repair is more that getting aa new one. That is the choice. You never know about new products either. We have had some that right out of the box there was something wrong.
 
Got a new water heater, washing machine, and water softener over the last several years. Unless the appliance is relatively new, I don't bother with repairs. My refrigerator was given to me by my son five or six years ago and was already 2 years old. When that poops out I'll buy a new one. Repairs on old appliances are a money pit.
 
Do you remember the 1960s and the 1970s? Our TV set was repaired at that time for a minor sum of money as with other house appliances. The industry has become greedy and nobody stops it.
 
My mother had the same clothes dryer for 60 years. When it died, we sent a letter to the manufacturer. Never a reply. Most days she hung the clothes outside to dry, no matter the season. They don't make things like they used to.
 
If it was me, I would have shut off the water line to the icemaker device. Use the old fashioned ice cube trays instead. My attitude about household appliances is "buy based on what it will cost, spread out over a ten year period of time ". Read the reviews in the consumer rating websites. Jimb.
 
MY estranged husband was a 'fixer'' of all appliances, there was nothing he couldn't repair.. and so left to my own devices I would have had to replace these items a time or 2 over the years. I remember once something went wrong with the dryer and the repairman wanted £150 to look at it.. my husband bout the part for £5.. and fixed it himself..

As it stands I've had my tumble dryer 25 years plus.. washing machine...15 years .., my power shower etc.. because he was able to repair them easily himself .

Now he's gone.. if any of these things go wrong, I'll have little option but to replace them with new...
 
For me depends on what the problem is. Internet search helps in making a diagnosis for choosing DIY repair or replacement.

For example refrigerator leaking water

Refrigerator Leaking Water? Common Causes and Solutions.
Next once the problem is identified
Looking at the cost for factory replacement part or non factory manufactured part helps in decision making.

Youtube is a big help in showing the how to for a repair.

Having that helps me decide Repair/Replace
 
I recently had to replace a 7 year old Whirlpool fridge after paying for 2 service calls on it...I replaced it with a Frigidaire Brand that I read from an appliance repairman forum....they recommended. Going to try this route instead of trying to save money when buying a new appliance....I also bought a 3 year warranty on it, something I hardly ever do.
 
We live in a disposable world. Nothing lasts like it use to. The manufacturers don't want longevity for appliances....or anything else we have to have. It's all crap and a rip-off but what can you do?

When we ripped out the whole kitchen , we bought all new appliances, since the originals hadn't been replaced since the former owners built the house in 1969. My new appliances certainly won't last 50 years.

When we lived in AZ, our upright freezer's compressor went out after only 2 years. We ended up buying a new freezer because the compressor and labor would have cost almost as much as a new one. Besides, we had a freezer full that we didn't want it to thaw out so we took what the appliance store had in inventory and could get it delivered the same day. Sometimes, you just have to bite the bullet.
 
It can be worth it if you can get the part without too much cost and find a good tutorial video on the repair and do the repair yourself. For example, I replaced a $40 part on our front loading washing machine and it was quite easy to do. But when the transmission went out, no way as it would have been an expensive and quite difficult repair so I trashed it. Older dryers are exceptionally easy to repair once you figure how to open them up - I repaired a bunch of them. If you have to pay for the repair, that will add a few hundred to the cost so often that will not be worth it.
 
Colleen said:
We live in a disposable world. Nothing lasts like it use to. The manufacturers don't want longevity for appliances....or anything else we have to have. It's all crap and a rip-off but what can you do?

When we ripped out the whole kitchen , we bought all new appliances, since the originals hadn't been replaced since the former owners built the house in 1969. My new appliances certainly won't last 50 years.

When we lived in AZ, our upright freezer's compressor went out after only 2 years. We ended up buying a new freezer because the compressor and labor would have cost almost as much as a new one. Besides, we had a freezer full that we didn't want it to thaw out so we took what the appliance store had in inventory and could get it delivered the same day. Sometimes, you just have to bite the bullet.
Click to expand...
Yes, now we have to bite the bullet. But this is sad. In the 1970s and 1980s we did get repairs for low prices.
 
hollydolly said:
Now he's gone.. if any of these things go wrong, I'll have little option but to replace them with new...
Click to expand...
While still here I involve my wife in understanding the process I use to determine repair or replace. I don't expect her to repair anything. I have two sons living close by that I've taught repair to. Between the 3 a decision I'm sure to repair or replace will work out.
 
Colleen said:
When we lived in AZ, our upright freezer's compressor went out after only 2 years. We ended up buying a new freezer because the compressor and labor would have cost almost as much as a new one. Besides, we had a freezer full that we didn't want it to thaw out so we took what the appliance store had in inventory and could get it delivered the same day. Sometimes, you just have to bite the bullet.
Click to expand...

That is my plan for my refrigerator. When I bought the condo a little over a year ago all the kitchen appliances were brand new. But twice now I've had to increase the setting in order for the refrigerator to maintain the temperature, so I think it is slowly failing. I saw on the internet that it has a class action lawsuit because their compressors fail after a year or so, and I saw a YouTube video where someone took one of the failed compressors apart and determined the problem was a small rubber piece that leaked air. So a whole lot people have to deal with bad refrigerators over one defective little item.

I've decided I am not going to mess around with repairs when it fails, I will just get whatever I can (as long as it isn't the same brand!) as fast as possible. I guess I ought to do some research ahead of time to try to know which are the least problematic refrigerators.
 
When the heating feature of my dishwasher went out, I fixed it.
When my dryer wouldn't turn on I fixed it.
When my microwave display went all wonky, I fixed it.

Don't think I would have paid someone to repair those appliances.
If I can't fix something, I just replace it. The frig for example.

I'm not a "can fix anything guy" ... but do have a smidgen of that knack.
The dryer owned by the lady across the street kicked my bum to the curb ... pointing and laughing :ROFLMAO:
The neighbor lady had an official appliance repairman take a look.
He said would cost more to fix than it was worth and suggested she replace it.
 
HoneyNut said:
That is my plan for my refrigerator. When I bought the condo a little over a year ago all the kitchen appliances were brand new. But twice now I've had to increase the setting in order for the refrigerator to maintain the temperature, so I think it is slowly failing. I saw on the internet that it has a class action lawsuit because their compressors fail after a year or so, and I saw a YouTube video where someone took one of the failed compressors apart and determined the problem was a small rubber piece that leaked air. So a whole lot people have to deal with bad refrigerators over one defective little item.

I've decided I am not going to mess around with repairs when it fails, I will just get whatever I can (as long as it isn't the same brand!) as fast as possible. I guess I ought to do some research ahead of time to try to know which are the least problematic refrigerators.
Click to expand...
When we bought our new appliances (at a real appliance store, not a big box store), they didn't sell Samsung appliances, especially refrigerators, dishwashers and stoves. They said they wouldn't guarantee repairs to that brand because they're not reliable. We have always bought GE and had good results with them. Our freezer's compressor went out because living in AZ (even though it was in the house) it worked harder to keep temps cold. Who knows. It may have been a defective compressor.
 
If it's something simple, I can usually fix it myself. Calling a repairman usually results in paying almost as much as buying a new one. Anymore, a person is lucky if a major appliance lasts 9 or 10 years. We've been here for about 20 years, and have replaced all of our original appliances over the past 6 or 8 years. We have an old Montgomery Wards chest freezer in the basement that we bought in 1972, and it still works.....they don't make them like that anymore.
 
Don M. said:
If it's something simple, I can usually fix it myself. Calling a repairman usually results in paying almost as much as buying a new one. Anymore, a person is lucky if a major appliance lasts 9 or 10 years. We've been here for about 20 years, and have replaced all of our original appliances over the past 6 or 8 years. We have an old Montgomery Wards chest freezer in the basement that we bought in 1972, and it still works.....they don't make them like that anymore.
Click to expand...
"they don't make them like that anymore.".......that's for sure. Same goes for mattresses! I can't tell you how many different mattresses hubby and I had over the years.....and they were all uncomfortable and expensive. My parents had the same mattresses for 20 years or more.
Click to expand...
 
I’m a fairly handy person and can usually fix most things that break. On occasion though, there is something that is either not worth my time or is beyond my ability.

In those instances, I sometimes have luck with the local “free stuff” group on FB. I got an oven that was much better than my old one - and it was free. I just had to fetch it.

When my fridge went out however, I did have to bite the bullet and get a new one.
 
HoneyNut said:
I've decided I am not going to mess around with repairs when it fails, I will just get whatever I can (as long as it isn't the same brand!)
Click to expand...
Which brand is it? Samsung? This is always showing up on complaint groups.

The cost of an extended warranty is crazy and it’s limited in what it covers. I dread the thought of replacing anything.

DH searched You-tube for a repair for our front loader washer. There were some little tiny drain holes in the front that were plugged.
 

Back
Top