Repair or Replace? An Honest Guide for South Florida Homeowners

We’re a repair company, so you might expect us to tell you to always repair. We don’t — because the fastest way to lose a neighbor’s trust is to fix something that wasn’t worth fixing, and around here word travels faster than a cold front. Here’s the honest framework we use on every call.

The 50% rule

If a repair costs more than half the price of a comparable new appliance, and the unit is past the halfway point of its expected life, replacement is usually the smart-money move. Under that threshold, repair almost always wins — especially on quality and built-in units.

Typical appliance lifespans

• Refrigerators: 10–15 years
• Washers & dryers: 10–13 years
• Dishwashers: 9–12 years
• Ranges & ovens: 13–15 years (gas often longer)
• Microwaves: 7–10 years

When repair is almost always worth it

• The unit is high-end or built-in (Sub-Zero, Wolf, Viking, Bosch) — replacement runs thousands and a repair is a fraction of that.
• It’s a common, well-understood failure: a fridge start relay, a washer drain pump, a dryer heating element, an oven igniter.
• The appliance is under 7–8 years old and otherwise running well.

When it’s time to replace

• A sealed-system / compressor failure on an older, basic refrigerator.
• Multiple things failing at once on an aging unit.
• A repair quote that crosses that 50% line on an appliance near end-of-life.

Don’t forget the Florida factor

Our heat and humidity work appliances harder — refrigerators and AC-adjacent equipment especially. Coastal salt air can also shorten the life of exposed units. We factor your specific conditions into the recommendation.

Not sure which way to go? Try our free Repair-or-Replace Advisor for an instant estimate, or book a diagnosis and we’ll give you a straight answer before you spend a dime on a new unit.