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When it comes to home improvement , you can save a lot of money by knowing when to repair something and when it should be replaced altogether. When one of my appliances goes on the fritz, I have to be the one who judges whether or not it is worth sinking more money into a failing appliance. Here is a look at how I determine whether to repair or replace my appliances when they decide to malfunction.

Difficulty of the Repair

When deciding whether I should repair or replace an appliance, I analyze the difficulty of the repair. If the repair is something that is not overly complicated then I will take the natural route of having the appliance repaired. If the issue is more complex and may be time consuming, I may decide to skip the repair process altogether and just order a new appliance.

DIY?

If the repair is something I can do myself, I will more often than not repair the appliance. If the repair is something that is going to be complicated, costly or require the extensive services of a handyman, I will start shopping around for a new appliance.

Cost

The biggest factor in whether I repair or replace an appliance is cost. The way I see it, why should I spend a small fortune repairing an appliance when I could spend a little bit more for a brand new one? Also, if I do repair the appliance, how can I be sure it won’t malfunction again? I can’t. Sometimes, when an appliance starts to malfunction it is better to just replace it before it dies altogether.

Age of the Appliance

When it comes to making the decision on the fate of my appliance, age is definitely a factor. If I have had this appliance for 10 years or more, it is safe to say that I will just replace it. However, if it is a newer appliance that is malfunctioning, I am going to do whatever I can to save it. I will first check to see if it is still covered under warranty; if not, I will diagnose the situation and handle it accordingly.

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