Is It Better to Fix a Dryer or Buy a New One?

Posted On October 17, 2019

Owning appliances will always come with the inherent risk that the appliance will breakdown at one point or another. There’s no way around that and it’s just part of owning any appliances. The problem comes up when the appliance breaks down. Now you have to figure out if it has to be fixed, or you have to buy a new one. You might have an old appliance you’ve been waiting to replace and breakdown is just the excuse that you need. It could be that it’s brand new and now you’re left with a giant metal sitting in the laundry room. If you’re considering appliance repair in San Fernando then you may have a lot of questions. You’re going to be looking for the best options available to you.

If your dryer has broken down then there are two primary options in front of you and each of them has its own advantages and disadvantages to consider. Those options are simple. You can either replace the dryer or you can have it fixed. There are a few avenues to do either of these things but we’ll stick with either buying a new or repairing the old. You can always repair it yourself or find one that’s being donated or purchase one used but that opens the conversation up to a point that I won’t be able to stay on topic and be concise. For our purposes, your option is to either purchase a new dryer or repair the broken one. Which option is better?

There are still a few variables at play that will factor into the choice that you have to make now. It’s always important before making a choice, especially a choice that costs hundreds or even thousands of dollars in some cases. The first step towards getting that information is to get an estimate on repair. Most of the time repair will be cheaper than replacement but there is always the chance that the rule won’t apply to you. Always get estimates and have as much information as possible before making a choice.

Life Span :

The next thing to consider is the overall lifespan of the dryer. This is a consideration for any appliance that you might be repairing. You have to ask yourself if repairing the dryer is just going to put a bandaid on the matter. If you’re just going to end up calling the repairman back out a month later because your dryer is nearing the end of its life it might be best to just bit the bullet.

The average lifespan of a dryer is 10-13 years, although those numbers can change depending on your specific use case. Heavier use can shorten the lifespan and lighter use might end up extending it. As the dryer approaches the end of its life it will start to break down more often. This is a factor in deciding whether or not a repair is the better choice than the replacement especially if you’re getting appliance repair, San Fernando, where it’s more expensive to buy a replacement than in other parts of the country.

Cost :

The other consideration is the cost of the repair and the cost of a new machine. The cost of a repair is often going to be significantly cheaper than the cost of buying a new machine. While the average cost of a repair is around $170 the cost a new dryer often starts at around $400. The cost of a repair might be much cheaper or more expensive than you thought. This is because estimates rely on the technician correctly diagnosing the problem before they have actually opened it up.

Part prices can vary wildly from a $5 part to $300 depending on the part in question. Meaning that if one of the more expensive parts or multiple parts requires a replacement then it could potentially get more expensive than the cost of replacing the whole dryer with a starting model. If you have one of the more expensive versions then it might probably be best to repair because it’s going to be very expensive to replace, even if repairs are expensive.

Also, consider your options before bringing a repair technician to your house to look at the appliance. Most places and technicians have a flat service fee. This fee is applied if a technician arrives at your home and is often not negotiable. If you worry about this cost you might be able to ask for a repair estimate based on the symptoms. Some places will be happy to oblige. Others might be less inclined to give you an estimate without actually having a tech looking at the appliance.

A note aside from the primary topic to remember is that gas dryers are often more expensive and harder to install/repair than their electric counterparts. That’s not to say that one is better than the other but it might affect your costs for purchasing a new dryer or replacing the one that you currently have.

Conclusion :

At the end of the day, you’ll have to make the choice between repair or replacement. The absolute worst outcome you can have is a technician attempting to fix the various problems that your dryer might have only to find that the dryer is beyond saving. There are plenty of compelling reasons to go either way on repair or replacement.

Some of those are easy to dissect and find the answer that best suits you. If you have an expensive model it’s almost always going to be better to repair rather than replace. If you’re on the other end of the spectrum and your dryer is 15 years old and on its last leg anyway it would probably be better to forgo the cost of repair and just get a replacement dryer. The main reason to do this is not only to have a newer appliance but it will save you from having to call another company for appliance repair, San Fernando.