Repair or Replace: How to Sustainably Update Your Home’s Appliances

Appliances are an essential part of contemporary life. The conveniences they offer help us to maintain a manageable standard of living amidst our other responsibilities like work and childcare. Nevertheless, our appliances are certainly not invulnerable to damage or wear and tear.

Every so often, you’ll be faced with dealing with an appliance that no longer functions effectively. When you’re striving for an eco-friendly household, there are additional considerations here. Simply disposing of and replacing an appliance isn’t always a sustainable approach. This said, there are times when a repair might not be the most practical or green route.

So, should you repair or replace a home appliance? Let’s run through some aspects you should consider.

Consider Its Lifespan

When an item breaks down or its performance has started to deteriorate, one of your first considerations should be toward its expected lifespan. This can give you a good gauge to help make a decision as to whether repair or replacement is the most appropriate route forward.  

Different appliances tend to have varying expected spans. For instance, refrigerators tend to last on average around 10 years. Though, this can also depend on a range of factors, including how well you take care of it and the type of refrigerator it is. If your refrigerator is less than 10 years old it may be worthwhile getting a repair rather than replacing it. This allows you to extend its life in a way that can mitigate excessive waste.

Many of the larger appliances tend to have a similar life expectancy. Washing machines are generally a decade, though ovens can be up to 15 years. However, smaller appliances such as toasters and microwaves are not much over the 6-year mark. Do a little digging and see whether your appliance has reached its full course before making a decision.

Review Its Efficiency

Your next consideration should be toward the performance of the appliance at its peak. There have been significant strides in making appliances more efficient over the last decade or so. If you have an older appliance, you may find repairing it will simply extend its excessive energy or water consumption.

One of the simplest ways to establish whether your old appliance is energy efficient is by checking its Energy Star status. This is a government-backed initiative to help consumers understand whether the products they’ve bought conform to high standards of energy efficiency. Indeed, Energy Star products labeled “Save More” tend to be the most energy efficient. Alternatively, a Consortium for Energy Efficiency (CEE) rating of tier 2, 3, or 4 can indicate a high level of efficiency.

If your research shows your appliance is an inefficient model, it could be worth investing in a more environmentally-friendly item. It may cost a little more than repairing your appliance, but you may reduce your resource expenditure in the long term. This, in turn, can also help mitigate the initial outlay costs for your new appliance. 

Explore the Repair Process

On the surface, investing in a repair can seem like a more cost-effective approach. You might even feel it would lead to less waste from you and fewer production resources. However, it’s important to understand what goes into the repair of your appliance. You may find the process puts more pressure on the environment than you’re comfortable with.

Wherever possible, speak to the engineer or repair company about what has to be done to your appliance. If a significant amount of electricity has to be used in finding parts, installation, and testing, this may result in additional carbon emissions. It could also be the case that the age of your appliance requires older spare parts produced from environmentally unsustainable materials. Even something as simple as the number of labor hours required in the repair can be useful data. It gives you an indication of resources the repairer’s lighting and heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) could consume. 

You might be able to locate an engineer that utilizes green energy sources and sustainable parts suppliers. In either case, this should play a role in whether you feel a repair or replacement is the most appropriate option.

Dispose of Old Items Responsibly

After you’ve performed your research, you may decide that a replacement is the most sensible option. You might have also done some additional research to locate a new device with peak energy efficiency in its use and throughout its production process. However, your responsibilities to the environment don’t end here. You still have a significant amount of waste to dispose of. 

It’s important to follow some best practices for appliance disposal that don’t put additional pressure on the ecosystem. Check first whether the store you bought your replacement from arranges pick-ups and disposal. Make certain they follow responsible processes to minimize chemical leaks during transport and arrange to recycle as many parts as possible. In some cases, the manufacturer may be able to arrange to collect for refurbishment or recycling. 

If neither of these options is possible, passing the appliance to a scrap metal dealer is a marginally preferable option to a landfill. At least in these instances, you can be relatively certain many of the materials will be recycled in some fashion, rather than left to slowly decay.

Conclusion

An aging appliance can be a source of frustration, not least because it isn’t always clear whether you should repair or replace it. There are various aspects to consider here. Take the time to review its expected lifespan and perform some research into whether it’s an efficient product. Look at whether a repair process is likely to use more unnecessary resources than replacing it with an efficient model. If you have to replace, ensure you dispose of your old appliance in an environmentally-conscious manner. It can take a little extra time and planning, but your additional efforts can help you make the most responsible and cost-effective choice.