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When to Service, When to Replace
Agony is being told that a
major household appliance is broken beyond
repair. The job you thought might set you
back $100 or so is going to cost many
hundreds or even thousands.
"Can't you just fix it?" is the plaintive
wail we hear from homeowners in this
situation. Sometimes we can, but often we
can't. Or we can, but it's not in the
homeowner's best interest to do so. As
with radios, TVs, VCRs and shoes, the cost
of a major repair for many home fixtures
and appliances is creeping ever closer to
the cost of replacement.
Here are some things to consider in
deciding whether repair or replacement
might be the better option.
Furnace/Heat Pump/Boiler. These are
the most costly systems to replace, so
naturally you want to get as many years of
use out of this equipment as you possibly
can. The best way to do this is to make
sure you have your system professionally
serviced as least once a year. Many
heating and cooling contractors offer
service agreements that assure routine
inspection and cleaning at least. Prices
usually are a real bargain considering
that a new home heating, ventilating and
cooling (HVAC) system will cost many
thousands.
Myriad repairs can be made on HVAC systems
to keep them running for decades. Yet when
a boiler section cracks, there's little
that can be done except replace the entire
unit. Likewise, central air conditioners
and heat pumps have two major components -
the indoor evaporator coil and the outdoor
condensing unit (compressor) - that when
they fail, cannot readily be fixed.
When one needs to be replaced, it is best
to replace the other with a compatible
unit. Unmatched evaporator coils and
condensers usually will operate together
for a time, but with a steep penalty in
performance, energy usage and premature
system failure. So even though it entails
higher initial cost, replacing both
components at once is the smart thing to
do in the long run. Unfortunately, studies
have shown that about half the time,
people opt for the cheaper but
shortsighted single unit replacement.
While HVAC systems ought to last for
decades, it's not necessarily a bargain to
keep them running that long. Tremendous
strides have been made in energy
efficiency in recent years, leading to
quick cost paybacks from lower energy
bills, The United Homeowners Association (UHA)
is a Washington-based consumer
organization that offers the following
advice:
"If your furnace is over 15 years of age,
it's probably time to boot it out the
door...If your furnace's efficiency comes
in somewhere in between 50-75%, you ought
to begin investigating rebate offers for
buying a high-efficiency new furnace."
This is not a contractor talking. This
advice comes from an organization
dedicated to protecting consumer
interests. UHA can be reached at 1511 K
Street NW, Suite 345, Washington, DC
20005. Membership cost $18 a year.
Water heater. Industry statistics
show that the average
water heater lasts 12 years. With
regular maintenance and routine repairs,
some keep operating two or three times as
long. As with HVAC systems, however, it's
not always to your advantage to hang on to
older units. Modern high-efficiency water
heaters often can pay for themselves in
energy savings within 3-5 years.
Almost all components on a water heater
can be fixed or replaced except for the
tank. Once the tank rusts through, there
is no way to rescue the water heater.
Replacement is the only solution.
Water heaters come with internal
sacrificial anode rods to protect against
rusting. An anode's sole purpose is to
corrode away so the steel of the tank
can't. Replacing the anodes every 3-4
years (more frequently if water is
softened) will add considerably to the
life of a water heater.
Another main cause of failure is
overheating from sediment build-up inside
the tank. Ask your plumber to inspect the
anodes and sediment periodically.
Sometimes this can be done as part of an
annual service agreement.
Some
plumbing firms also offer extended
water heater warranties lasting 10 years
or even a lifetime. If you plan to live in
your home for quite some time, these
warranties may be worth looking into.
Dishwasher. Automatic dishwashers
are another appliance that should last a
decade or more - though here, too, you
often can save money by buying a newer
energy-efficiency unit.
Brand new units can be bought for
$400-$600, while repairs of various
operating mechanisms typically run $150
and up. If your dishwasher is getting near
the 10-year mark, a major repair may be a
signal that other components are also on
their last legs. It won't take many
service calls to pay for a brand new unit.
Disposal. Stoppages and minor
malfunctions are worth repairing. But if
the motor goes out, or the blades break,
you are better off replacing the entire
unit. Especially so if you deal with a
plumbing company that warrants the product
for 5-10 years or even longer.
Toilets. Unless you crack the
porcelain, a toilet can easily last a
lifetime. What will wear out are the
flushing mechanisms comprised of moving
parts. Leakage may occur from the wax ring
seal by the floor, but that can be fixed
short of replacement.
Toilets commonly get replaced for reasons
other than malfunction. Water conservation
is one. Modern toilets operate with 1.6
gallons per flush or less, compared with
3.5 gallons for older standard models. (A
few 5-gal. and 7.5-gal. flush versions
from many decades ago also are still in
operation here and there.) Depending on
water rates, sometimes you can save money
by replacing a toilet.
Styling and quieter flushing are two other
reasons to replace. This is a matter of
homeowner choice more than necessity.
Faucets. Replacing a cartridge,
washer or other internal component can
repair leaking faucets. Tarnishes and
nicks are harder to fix.
Good faucets will give at least 5 and
often 10 or more years of trouble-free
operation. Plumbers can keep them
operating almost indefinitely, but here
too most people would rather pay a few
more bucks for a replacement that offers
better styling and convenience.
Decades ago plumbers repaired more faucets
than they replaced. For most companies the
opposite now holds true.
Proprietary Information, Contractors 2000,
Inc., Copyright 1996
If you are looking for a
plumbing contractor in the San Gabriel Valley, please call us
today at 626-359-1864 or complete our
online service request form.
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