Repairing appliances....

[lolalolalola]

Our fridge bit the dust today. We think it’s the compressor, based on google. We are debating if it’s even worth paying the minimum for a repair guy to have a look at it. A new compressor would be $675 plus labor to install. It doesn’t seem worth it for a 9 year old fridge. Or we could pay the repair guys’s minimum only to tell us we need to replace the fridge anyway. On the other hand it may be something that can be repaired for only a few hundred dollars.

How do you decide if it’s worth putting $$ into older appliances?

[winecat]

You might have already done this but did you clean the compressor?

I've repaired a couple of appliances on my own with YouTube videos or ones on the site where I ordered the part. Both times they were super easy repairs.

[lolalolalola]

May 19, 2019 23:13:54 GMT -5 winecat said:

You might have already done this but did you clean the compressor?

I've repaired a couple of appliances on my own with YouTube videos or ones on the site where I ordered the part. Both times they were super easy repairs.

Thanks. DH spent 2 hours today troubleshooting, including cleaning the compressor. Our freezer is currently 57 degrees :-(

[cleo29]

most big appliances are not made to last anymore or be repaired, really. I am going to get a new dishwasher sometime this summer. Our washer and dryer, are older, but still doing great, but i think they were built to last longer and be able to be repaired and maintained for lasting longer.

there should be sales with the holiday weekend approaching.

[aprilsails]

Another troubleshooting question: was the freezer compartment blocked up with ice and since defrosted? Our fridge started acting off and needing weekly defrost cycles in the Fall and it was a $50 temperature sensor that had literally exploded in there so the freezer was either running too cold or running too hot. It was actually a very easy fix for us to do ourselves once we figured out the issue.

[Leeham Rimes]

I know nothing about repairing refrigerators but my parents recently went through this. Today’s refrigerators have a general lifespan of 14-17 years. They spent quite a bit on fixing a 10 year old fridge over the course of a few years, only to have to buy new.

As long as the repair persons minimum isn’t $500, I’d have them out and see what’s going on. Then once you get that estimate, go shopping and see how nice of a fridge that could get you and if it would meet your needs.

[kath16]

usually you can have someone come out and then it'd be rolled into the cost of a repair if it can be repaired. when i called around about our stove, the inspection was like $50-75, so to us it was completely worth it.

[DotAndBuzz]

I would repair it. Even though newer appliances aren’t built to last like older ones, you can still probably get a few more years out of it.

[lolalolalola]

May 20, 2019 5:53:16 GMT -5 aprilsails said:

Another troubleshooting question: was the freezer compartment blocked up with ice and since defrosted? Our fridge started acting off and needing weekly defrost cycles in the Fall and it was a $50 temperature sensor that had literally exploded in there so the freezer was either running too cold or running too hot. It was actually a very easy fix for us to do ourselves once we figured out the issue.

Thanks for the idea- out ice maker is empty and turned off.

On the coldest setting, the freezer was up to 64 degrees this morning :-(

[lolalolalola]

May 20, 2019 6:30:16 GMT -5 Leeham Rimes said:

I know nothing about repairing refrigerators but my parents recently went through this. Today’s refrigerators have a general lifespan of 14-17 years. They spent quite a bit on fixing a 10 year old fridge over the course of a few years, only to have to buy new.

As long as the repair persons minimum isn’t $500, I’d have them out and see what’s going on. Then once you get that estimate, go shopping and see how nice of a fridge that could get you and if it would meet your needs.

Thanks- I am leaning towards having the repair person into look at it, DH is more inclined to buy a new one instead of spending $$ to fix an old appliance, which may need to be replaced in a few years anyway, similar to your parents.

I think the minimum is $100 but I'm not 100% sure. It's rolled into the price if it needs to be repaired. (I've used this guy before). 

I'm also trying very hard not to use this as an excuse to upgrade from my side by side to a french door fridge but I would really like a french door fridge....

[kath16]

May 20, 2019 8:03:05 GMT -5 lolalolalola said:

May 20, 2019 6:30:16 GMT -5 Leeham Rimes said:

I know nothing about repairing refrigerators but my parents recently went through this. Today’s refrigerators have a general lifespan of 14-17 years. They spent quite a bit on fixing a 10 year old fridge over the course of a few years, only to have to buy new.

As long as the repair persons minimum isn’t $500, I’d have them out and see what’s going on. Then once you get that estimate, go shopping and see how nice of a fridge that could get you and if it would meet your needs.

Thanks- I am leaning towards having the repair person into look at it, DH is more inclined to buy a new one instead of spending $$ to fix an old appliance, which may need to be replaced in a few years anyway, similar to your parents.

I think the minimum is $100 but I'm not 100% sure. It's rolled into the price if it needs to be repaired. (I've used this guy before). 

I'm also trying very hard not to use this as an excuse to upgrade from my side by side to a french door fridge but I would really like a french door fridge....

oh hmm.... with the added knowledge that you hate your current fridge, i might also lean toward getting what you want... 

(is that helpful? lol)

[macmars45]

All my appliances are 17 years old. The washer bit the dust last Sunday and the dishwasher quickly followed. H and I are taking advantage of the Memorial Days sales (which already started) and bought new. For us it wasn't worth repairing because they're almost 20 years old.

I hope yours is a quick easy fix lolalolalola. And if it turns out to not be and you decide to buy, the sales go through Monday the 27th.

[lolalolalola]

May 20, 2019 8:43:07 GMT -5 macmars45 said:

All my appliances are 17 years old. The washer bit the dust last Sunday and the dishwasher quickly followed. H and I are taking advantage of the Memorial Days sales (which already started) and bought new. For us it wasn't worth repairing because they're almost 20 years old.

I hope yours is a quick easy fix lolalolalola . And if it turns out to not be and you decide to buy, the sales go through Monday the 27th.

Thanks- It is was 15 years old it would be an easier deicsion. 9 years is old but not 'end of life' old.


I am in Canada so this is our holiday weekend (one week before yours). 

[tamarindy]

Not to hijack but PSA - whatever you do, DO NOT buy a Samsung appliance.

All four of ours were broken within two years. TWO YEARS! Dishwasher went first (right after warranty expired), then fridge ice maker, then range, then just this last week the microwave stopped heating. Stay away!

[definitelyO]

at 9yrs old we would probably get a new one. was yours an LG? our compressor went out at 2.5 years so still under warranty thankfully!

[lolalolalola]

May 20, 2019 9:12:35 GMT -5 tamarindy said:

Not to hijack but PSA - whatever you do, DO NOT buy a Samsung appliance.

All four of ours were broken within two years. TWO YEARS! Dishwasher went first (right after warranty expired), then fridge ice maker, then range, then just this last week the microwave stopped heating. Stay away!

Too funny! We bought a new fridge today, and my only only rule was “no Samsung”. A friend and I had the same Samsung range and both of us had issues. I’ve never heard good things about Samsung.

I’m sorry you had such bad luck :-(