Is it worth repairing a washer, or should you replace it?
Usually repair. A washer under eight years old with one failed part is almost always worth fixing, because a pump or a lock costs a fraction of a new machine. Replace when the tub bearing or the outer tub has gone, or when a machine past twelve is failing in more than one place.
Which part failed matters more than how old it is
Age is the first thing people reach for and it is the weaker signal. A seven year old machine with a seized bearing is a worse bet than a twelve year old machine with a failed drain pump, because one of those repairs is an afternoon with the tub out and the other is a part and a filter clean.
The parts that fail most often are also the cheap ones: drain pumps, door locks and lid switches, inlet valves, drive belts, pressure switches, suspension rods and damper pads. A machine failing in one of those places is worth fixing at almost any age it is likely to reach.
The repairs that are usually not worth it
A failed tub bearing is the clearest replace signal on a front loader. On most modern machines the outer tub is sealed, so the bearing is not serviceable on its own and the repair means a new tub assembly, which approaches the cost of a new machine.
A cracked outer tub or a rusted-through cabinet is the same answer for the same reason. A main control board can go either way and depends entirely on the platform, which is why that one gets diagnosed before anyone quotes it.
The fifty percent rule, and where it breaks
The common trade rule of thumb is to replace when a repair would cost more than half the price of a comparable new machine. It is a reasonable starting point and it ignores two things worth weighing.
The first is what you would actually be buying. A repaired machine of the previous generation is often built heavier than the entry-level unit that would replace it. The second is that a new machine resets nothing except that one part. The rest of your old machine may have years left in it.
What a diagnosis settles that a search cannot
Everything above narrows it. None of it tells you which part actually failed, and the same symptom points at a cheap part on one platform and an expensive one on another. A washer that fills and stops can be a lid lock striker or a control board, and those are not close in cost.
That is the whole reason the machine is tested before anything is quoted. If it turns out not to be worth the repair, you will be told so plainly rather than sold a part.
The short version
Under eight years old, one clear fault, and the fault is a pump, valve, lock, belt, switch or suspension part.
Any age, if the machine is a heavier built model and the failed part is a common one that travels on the van.
Eight to twelve years old with a control board fault. Worth diagnosing before deciding, because board pricing varies widely by platform.
Tub bearing, sealed outer tub, cracked tub or a rusted cabinet, on any machine past its middle years.
Past twelve years and failing in more than one place at once.
Questions
How long should a washing machine last?
Is it cheaper to repair or replace a washer?
Do you charge to tell me whether it is worth repairing?
Will you tell me to replace it if that is the right answer?
The facts, plainly
- Service
- Washers and dryers only. Top load and front load, electric and gas. No refrigerators, ovens or dishwashers.
- Area
- House calls within 25 miles of Springfield, MO. The machine is never transported.
- Availability
- By appointment only. One technician, so a booked slot is a confirmed slot.
- Pricing
- Not published. The machine is diagnosed first and you get a price before any work starts.
- Credentials
- Licensed and insured, City of Nixa contractor license.
- Brands
- LG, Samsung, Whirlpool, Maytag, GE, Kenmore, Frigidaire, Speed Queen and other major brands.
- Parts
- Common failure parts travel on the van, which is why most repairs finish in the same visit.
- Phone
- (417) 414-0284
Other things people ask first
Get your laundry day back
Book a time on the calendar, or call and talk it through. Service is by appointment only, so a booked slot is a confirmed slot.