Repair or replace? Compare the costs you can actually verify
A fixed age cut-off cannot tell you whether a repair is worthwhile. Build the decision around cover, a written diagnosis and the full installed alternative.
Start with safety and cover, not an age rule
If the appliance has a dangerous symptom, stop using it and arrange appropriate help first. For a safe-to-assess situation, gather the purchase record, model, warranty terms and any service-plan documents before paying for another plan or authorizing work.
The North Carolina Department of Justice distinguishes a warranty included with the product from a separately sold service contract. Coverage may overlap, exclude a particular fault or include a deductible. Read the actual terms and contact the named provider through its official channel.
Ask for a comparable repair quote
Request an itemized written estimate that explains diagnostic charges, parts, labor, additional visits, taxes and any warranty on the repair. Ask what happens if the work does not resolve the reported symptom. Do not compare a bare parts price with an installed replacement price.
Price the replacement you can actually install
Include delivery, removal, fit, connections and any required qualified installation. Check dimensions and the site requirements without moving the old appliance yourself. A lower advertised price does not capture every cost or the disruption of replacement.
Keep energy arithmetic in its lane
Annual kWh from comparable EnergyGuide labels can help estimate an operating-cost difference. Your tariff and use can differ from label assumptions. The energy-cost calculator makes the arithmetic visible, but it does not measure condition, diagnose a fault or predict a payback period from wattage alone.
There is no universal “replace after ten years” verdict
A useful decision balances a credible repair assessment, recurring faults, available support, warranty cover, the installed alternative and household constraints. If important costs are unknown, mark them unknown rather than filling the gap with an invented lifespan or guaranteed saving.
Take the service-call worksheet to a qualified provider and keep both the estimate and your questions.
Sources and limits
This is an editorial summary of the guidance below, not a report of hands-on testing. Your exact model’s manual takes precedence for care procedures.