In which school of thought do you fall?

Most of the time if something breaks I want it fixed yesterday. If the item that is broke requires quite a bit of work to fix I am willing to wait. Right now our bathroom sink off the master bedroom has a crack that started around the drain hole and is slowly edging its way up the sides. It is unsightly and driving me crazy. The hubby is in no hurry to fix it. He says it doesn't leak and know one but us sees it. Believe me,if it was his recliner that needed repair he would have it on his back like a hermit crab, hauling it out the door to get a new one or have it fixed.
 
Preventive maintenance is a wonderful thing, but it takes initiative and more money than waiting until it breaks.
 

The way I understand "don't fix it if it ain't broke" is not that it refers to preventive maintenance, but to making unnecessary, and possibly harmful, changes to something that is working perfectly fine, believing that something is being improved that way.

One example that occurs to me is Call Waiting on the phone. What was so bad about getting a busy signal in the old days? Now, everybody keeps interrupting each other, and I find it very annoying when somebody says, "Oh, just a minute, I've got another call coming in." How important can that other call be? Unless they're a first responder, or a life-and-death surgeon, probably not very. Anyway, that's my grumble for the day.
 
I'm a "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" type because I could be spending money on preventing something that may never happen and I don't have that kind of money to throw away.
 
Sunny said:
One example that occurs to me is Call Waiting on the phone. What was so bad about getting a busy signal in the old days? Now, everybody keeps interrupting each other, and I find it very annoying when somebody says, "Oh, just a minute, I've got another call coming in." How important can that other call be?
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I hate when the put you on hold, then forget about you.
 
debodun said:
Preventive maintenance, "don't fix it if it ain't broke", or it depends on to what do you refer ?
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I went with the what do you refer and provided some examples.

Preventive maintenance like an oil change or windshield wipers on a car. No cost battery maintenance so a car will start in the dead of winter another PM worth the time.

On a computer if the old style hard drive is making noise "it ain't broke" but not doing what is necessary before it fails is foolish.
 
For me it depends on the downside.

I keep my vehicle in good shape because I don't want it to let me down on the side of the road in the middle of nowhere.

With most other consumer items if they die, they die.
 
I've been a fan of "preventative Maintenance" virtually forever. I've found that maintaining the vehicles, etc., properly, and keeping the appliances clean reaps rewards by Not having to buy something new as soon as the warranty expires. I also believe in "don't fix it if it ain't broke"...but I keep a close eye on all our stuff, and if I hear a strange noise, etc., I check it out at the first opportunity.
 
Don M. said:
I've been a fan of "preventative Maintenance" virtually forever. I've found that maintaining the vehicles, etc., properly, and keeping the appliances clean reaps rewards by Not having to buy something new as soon as the warranty expires. I also believe in "don't fix it if it ain't broke"...but I keep a close eye on all our stuff, and if I hear a strange noise, etc., I check it out at the first opportunity.
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I feel the same, Don.
 
I believe in preventative maintenance too, if it ain't broke I won't fix it, but if it's about to break I might just to avoid the hassle of it suddenly happening. Kind of proactive instead of reactive.
 
I start with an assessment: Can I fix that myself?
What will it cost to hire someone to fix it?
How soon is it likely to die and how big a mess will it be when it dies?
Can we just switch it off?

Ten years ago I replaced water heater it the house we had at that time. The drain was clogged, so I had to wrestle it out completely full. I am 83 now and not nearly as agile as I was then. I do track the age of appliances. I keep the instructions that came with them and write the date on it. Historically I have always done a lot of "fixin".
 
Ruth n Jersey said:
Most of the time if something breaks I want it fixed yesterday. If the item that is broke requires quite a bit of work to fix I am willing to wait. Right now our bathroom sink off the master bedroom has a crack that started around the drain hole and is slowly edging its way up the sides. It is unsightly and driving me crazy. The hubby is in no hurry to fix it. He says it doesn't leak and know one but us sees it. Believe me,if it was his recliner that needed repair he would have it on his back like a hermit crab, hauling it out the door to get a new one or have it fixed.
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Get a new sink. Not very expensive and easy to do and easy on the eyes. Just make sure it's the same size.
 
Manatee said:
I start with an assessment: Can I fix that myself?
What will it cost to hire someone to fix it?
How soon is it likely to die and how big a mess will it be when it dies?
Can we just switch it off?

Ten years ago I replaced water heater it the house we had at that time. The drain was clogged, so I had to wrestle it out completely full. I am 83 now and not nearly as agile as I was then. I do track the age of appliances. I keep the instructions that came with them and write the date on it. Historically I have always done a lot of "fixin".
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Ouch.? A full tank? I would have drilled a hole and drained it.

I found out out it was cheaper to rent a hot water tank and depending on use a smaller one. Why heat hot water when you don't use it?
 
Do you have your teeth cleaned regularly? Preventive maintenance.
Exercise? Preventive maintenance.
Change filters and fluids in your car? Preventive maintenance.

Why be penny wise and pound foolish?
 
NancyNGA said:
If it ain't broke don't fix it. In fact, even if it breaks, don't fix it until you absolutely have to. :)
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No No No.

I was an office manager. I absolutely forbid anyone to fix a typewriter with a paper clip or anything else. It' just escalates the problems. Sooner or later you have to fix it . So why not sooner than later?
 
If its not broke, don't fix it is my mantra. Shoot, whatever it is just might outlast me! My husband is into preventative maintenance because he says he's going to live to be 110. I am not.
 

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