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An appliance breaks down and you’re faced with a decision right away: repair it or replace it? It sounds simple, but most homeowners don’t have a reliable way to decide. So they either pay to fix something that should have been replaced, or replace something that had years left in it.
Here’s a practical, trade-informed way to make the right call.
The 50% rule
The most widely used guideline in appliance repair is simple: if the repair costs more than 50% of a new appliance, replacing is usually the better financial decision. That’s especially true if the appliance is more than halfway through its expected life.
For example, say a washer typically lasts 10–12 years and yours is eight. A $400 repair when a new one costs $700 is a poor investment. You’re spending 57% of the replacement cost on a machine that’s already near the end of its life.
Expected lifespans
| Appliance | Typical lifespan |
|---|---|
| Refrigerator | 13–17 years |
| Washing machine | 10–13 years |
| Dryer | 10–13 years |
| Dishwasher | 9–12 years |
| Range / oven | 13–15 years |
| Microwave (built-in) | 9–10 years |
| Freezer | 12–20 years |
When to repair
Repair makes sense when the appliance is fairly new, the fix is straightforward and the cost is well under the replacement threshold. Common repairs worth doing:
- A washer door seal or pump
- A dryer heating element or belt
- A dishwasher door latch or spray arm
- A fridge ice maker or water valve
- A stove burner element or igniter
When to replace
Replace when the appliance is old, the repair is expensive, or the failure is in a core component: the compressor, the motor or the control board. Those repairs can cost as much as a new unit, and nothing covers the rest of the old parts.
A repaired appliance doesn’t reset its age. If the motor goes on a 12-year-old washer, the drum bearings and the pump are 12 years old too.
The diagnosis comes first
The most important step is an accurate diagnosis before you decide anything. Plenty of homeowners replace an appliance that could have been fixed for $150, or spend $300 on a repair that doesn’t solve the real problem.
CORE Appliance Repair does diagnostic visits across Greater Moncton. We’ll tell you exactly what’s wrong, what the repair costs and whether it makes financial sense, with no obligation to book the repair if you decide to replace instead.
