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When large appliances, like the refrigerator, don’t operate properly or break down, homeowners
often face a difficult decision: do I repair or replace it?
“A good rule of thumb on whether to repair or replace your refrigerator is to consider
how old your refrigerator is. If it’s more than ten years old and it’s broken down
you might want to consider a new one especially if the cost for repairing it is half the cost
of a new refrigerator.”
Adam Clinton upgraded the home’s eight year old refrigerator during a kitchen remodel.
“With the remodel we had space limitations so with the space limitations we really had
to go with a counter depth fridge, but we wanted to maximize the entire amount of space
that we could have. Having two little children it’s important that we have that.”
First you want to consider what you want in your refrigerator because you could end up
paying for lots of bells and whistles that you may never use. An average refrigerator
may cost about $400 but you can spend up into the thousands for a refrigerator. Also remember
you want to be sure that it matches your current appliances because that is going to help with
your resale value.”
“Stainless steel is probably the number one seller. They have several stainless finishes
now. Some of them show less fingerprints and stuff. True stainless steel is not an easy
material to keep clean, especially if you have small children, but it’s probably our
number one seller.”
Your refrigerator is the most used appliance in the kitchen.
If it’s older and inefficient, chances are it’s using a lot of energy.
“There are a lot more things that can go wrong with a new one because of the electronics,
but you some a ton of energy with them. Along with that you are getting better temperatures
in different sections of your unit so your crisper is keeping a more precise temperature.
Your refrigerator is overall is keeping more precise temperatures than the older ones.
You don’t have the big fluctuation so your food stays better longer.”
It pays to comparison shop when buying a fridge. Don’t be afraid to negotiate on the price,
or haggle on additional fees such as delivery, installation or an extended warranty.