A good refrigerator can last for years, but at some point all refrigerators begin to break down or become burdensome. The decision of whether or not to replace your old refrigerator rests on multiple factors, including the amount of disrepair, the environmental impact and your own personal needs.
Type of Refrigerator
Some types of refrigerators are more difficult and costly to repair than others. For instance, built-in refrigerators are usually less expensive to repair, but side-by-side refrigerators may be good candidates for replacement if they are well over five years old. Faulty bottom freezers should be repaired within seven years and considered for replacement after that. Faulty top freezers should usually be replaced if over seven years old.
Age
A typical refrigerator has a 10-20 year lifespan. The longer you have had your refrigerator, the greater the potential repair cost. If the refrigerator is less than eight years old, consider repair. If the refrigerator is more than 15 years old, consider replacement. If the fridge is between eight and 15 years old, you must take the other factors into consideration.
Energy Efficiency
Your refrigerator can cost you money in more ways than just repairs. You could be sucking up unnecessary power and facing high electric bills. A 10-year-old fridge uses twice the energy of a green-fridge. If you have an old refrigerator, you might want to invest in a green-refrigerator just to cut back on electricity usage and costs. This can, not only benefit your wallet, but the environment as well. The type of fridge also makes a difference in terms of energy usage. For example, manual defrost units consume less energy than automatic defrost units, if properly maintained, and units with top-mounted freezers typically use less energy than units with bottom freezers or side freezers.
The amount of damage to your current unit must also be considered. If you have several faulty parts or if the unit is simply old, it’s time to replace. If you still have an extended service plan or warranty in effect, always try to make a claim before getting rid of the fridge, but if you have had the unit for close to a decade or more, you most likely have no active warranties. If you still can’t decide, contact an appliance repair expert for an estimate. You can then determine whether the cost of repair would justify keeping your current unit or investing in a new one.
Centromac Refrigeration is an air-conditioning and refrigeration company offering installation, maintenance and repairs to all units. We have a fully equipped workshop that can handle complete repairs on equipment. Clients from as far away as Cape Town forward shell and tube heat exchangers to our premises for repair. On site repairs have also been done as far away as Cape Town.
Here at Centromac Refrigeration, we own all required equipment to facilitate professional advice on condition of, or repairs to refrigeration and air conditioning plants. This includes ultrasonic thickness testers, vibration meters, hi-vacuum pumps, vacuum gauges, refrigerant recovery units, “ice pots”for drying systems and removing air from low-pressure systems as well as the “normal” tools required.