How Often To Replace Home Appliances

5 Home Appliances To Replace Often

Let’s face it, modern appliances are not built to last; it’s not good for business and the technology is evolving like never before. Sometimes it’s worth hanging on and getting an aging item repaired; other times it’s most definitely not. Here are a few tips about knowing when to cut your losses, and when to invest in a new product.

1. Washing machines

It’s hard to say exactly when you should trade in your washing machine; however, several years seems to be the rule of thumb, although it can go on for a decade or more. Rather than push it to the end, risking more expensive repairs and higher energy bills, not to mention damaged fabrics, it’s worth looking for a new model in good time. When your older machine really starts to labor during its cycle, even trembling and gyrating, that’s a sign. Another sign is when the drum doesn’t sufficiently fill up with water. In this case, there could be some sort of delay with your cycle selection or a connectivity problem with your hose. Repairs for top-loading washers will cost you more than for a front-loading washer, so that’s another incentive to think carefully before forking out cash for repairs.

2. Kettles

It wouldn’t be the first thing to strike you but yes, electric kettles & stove kettles do not go on forever and ought to be replaced when they’ve fulfilled their function. The element can suffer from rust over time, and this actually affects the quality of the water. The spout can become slightly deformed after a number of years which could potentially be dangerous, ie. if scalding water were to land on someone’s skin because the stream wasn’t straight. Minerals can cause a limescale coating to be formed within the innards of the kettle; this is worse if you live in an area that has quite hard water. In fact, you’ll have to change your kettle every few years if you do live in such an area.

3. Dishwashers

Dishwashers tend to rumble on for ten years or more, with older models not being nearly as eco-friendly, therefore costing you more money with all things considered. Signs that you need a new one may be found among the following symptoms:

• Rust is starting to emerge from its frame
• Water lingers inside the drum after it’s finished
• The door doesn’t clunk shut
• Your dishes are only lukewarm after being washed
• Leakages might be occurring
• Certain dishes look dirty or a bit stained
• It’s not as quiet as it once was; getting noisier by the week

If any or some of these things are happening to yours, it would be worth trading it in. Many companies will offer to take your old one away, free of charge.

4. Tumble dryers

Tumble dryers tend to last for around the ten to thirteen-year ballpark, although you’ll want to start thinking about a replacement towards the lower rather than upper end of that range. One thing to consider is reviewing your warranty; certain companies can be quite generous in the number of years in which they’ll either replace your machine for free or replace any malfunctioning parts for free. It’s always worth scrutinizing the small print, however, because some will replace parts for free but will charge for labor. There is also such a thing a Fifty-percent rule; this effectively means that if your dryer is over fifty percent into its lifespan and will cost you fifty percent (or more) to fix, then it’s probably worth replacing.

5. Modern refrigerators

Modern refrigerators can last anywhere from ten to twenty years, so the nearer you get to that upper limit then the more likely it is that expensive repairs are going to make the cost of a new model increasingly attractive. You might start to notice beads of ‘sweat’ appearing on the rubber sealing around the door; this indicates that it is not cooling properly, causing mold and/or mildew to appear around the ceiling. The motor of an aging refrigerator can start to overheat; its coils are supposed to insulate such heat but over time can become less effective at doing so. On the other hand, an erratic motor can even make internal temperatures plummet, so ice forming on bags of frozen food is a warning sign. A noisy machine can also be a problem; fridges aren’t supposed to be noiseless, but the noisier they get the more you’re heading for malfunction-ville and need to start considering an upgrade from your current model.

Overall, giving your appliances a good run for their money is worth your while, but being a little bit proactive and trading up is going to save you energy, time and money over the years to come. The technology is continually being fine-tuned and developed, so you’re more likely to be enjoying a more efficient, less troublesome machine if you act sooner rather than later.

Sources:

1. How Long Should an Appliance Last? – consumer.
2. When to Replace Household Appliances: Nitty-gritty – Stanford Magazine