Refrigerators are usually very dependable and reliable appliances, running quietly for years and keeping your perishable food fresh. We all take our fridges for granted and don’t give them much thought until they stop working. Once they stop working, the scramble to find someone to help with the repair begins. You likely have a number of concerns running through your mind, but most importantly you’re wondering about the cost for refrigerator repair. Take these few things into consideration as you weigh your options:
- Purchase New? Refrigerators are one of the most expensive appliances to replace in your home. Depending on the brand you purchase, a new refrigerator will cost you anywhere from $800-$2,000. Unless your fridge is very old (say, more than 10 years), repairing the one you have is your best (or at least, most economical) option in most cases. Repair is much cheaper than replacement, and it can drastically extend the life of your fridge.
- Your Finances: Consider how much extra money you have in your bank account. A new unit will run you $800 at the least (and that’s for a low end option). Spending $150 – $300 on a repair will be less of a financial burden than purchasing a new unit. Unless you own a high-end model, a typical repair won’t exceed $500 (with very few exceptions).
- Age: Even for refrigerators, age ain’t nothing but a number. We’ve seen refrigerators 15 to 20 years old working like a charm. With that said, consider how much money you spent on your refrigerator to help decide whether or not you’ve got your money’s worth. If the unit is relatively new, a simple repair could keep it running for years to come.
- Your Food: When your refrigerator isn’t cooling, you have an emergency to resolve within mere hours. All of your perishable foods and frozen goods will be lost overnight if you can’t get them below 40°F. Think about it for a minute. How much money do you think it will cost to replace all the fresh food, frozen food, and condiments you have stored in your refrigerator? $100? $200? I would bet, especially if you had just recently went to the grocery store, it would probably cost more than $300 to replace the entire contents of your fridge. If you wait on repair, you may lose all your food.
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