Would you replace an eleven year old fridge??

[mtn1584]

Just curious,
If you had a GE Profile side by side with ice and water through the door, that had given you few problems, would you err on the side of caution and replace it because it is coming up on eleven years old? What is the life span of a SXS refrigerator? I don't want it to crap out unexpectedly and then scramble for the $ to buy a new one.
MIKE

 

[mich]

Here...

Duke Energy keeps running ads, over & over, and over again, about these older models using so much more energy then newer ones..

"Refrigerators and freezers purchased before 1993 can consume two to three times more energy than newer models. Replacing your current unit with an ENERGY STAR® qualified model could save you more than $100 a year on energy costs."

Not exactly sure how true that statement, is, however, it's something to think about.

I myself, honestly, would not replace something that still works. I'd hold onto it, until it finally dies.

 

[sudsmaster]

There is not a big difference in energy consumption between fridges labled "Energy Star" made 11 years ago and those made today. The real energy hogs were those made in the '70s and '80s. For example, around 2000 I replaced a GE SxS fridge that was rated by the mfg to use 1700 KWH/year. The replacement was a KA SxS that was rated to use 600 KWH/year. Did I see a big reduction in my electric bill? You betcha!

But a similarly sized and featured fridge today might be rated at 500 KWH. Yes, an improvment, but probably not enough (certainly not 300% more efficient) worth replacing a perfectly working fridge over.

The only thing I miss about the old GE was that the ice maker made actual cubes (well, short cylinders). Instead of the funky crescents that most modern ice makers seem to do. But that was a minor annoyance when compared to the $$$ saved on each month's electric bill.

 

[wayupnorth]

energystar.gov has the info you need to determine if it is worthwhile to replace. You can put your model number in the calculator and it tells you what you need to know.

 

[DADoES]

 
1.  Energy savings figures are based on best-base scenarios, which aren't always the case in practice.

2.  If one spent $2,000 for a new SxS, even if $100/year power cost is saved it'd take 20 years to recoup the investment.

3.  People nowadays complain that appliances don't as long as they did in the past.  That's true, if they're not given the chance to do so. 

 

[mrb627]

I would consider a replacement...

if you only have one refrigerator ( no backup )
and you have a reason to believe it is on its way out.

I personally would rather replace it when I can shop around and chose a good fit. Otherwise, you may be shopping under a crisis and not be able to make the best decision.

But that is just me...

Malcolm

 

[mtn1584]

I am just worried about the compressor crapping out and being caught by surprise.

 

[norgeway]

I would replace it

With a 1950s model if it were me..LOL!

 

[whirlcool]

We replaced a 10 year old Whirlpool SxS refrigerator two years ago. It was a lemon from the start. Almost every year something went wrong with it. On the morning of New Years day it crapped out for good. We had a major shopping trip the week before.
Everything in the loaded freezer defrosted. Yes, we got caught by surprise but we really should have known by past performances that it was going to do it to us again.

What's peace of mind worth?

 

[kb0nes]

compressor crapping out

Yes a sealed system failure can happen, but unless you have some odd indication like a strange noise or something, its just not too likely.

You are far more likely to get bit by a fan or defrost system failure. Both of which are easily repairable.

I wouldn't replace a serviceable unit on the hunch it may fail. Although I may put a can on top the unit I toss random twenty dollar bills into for when it does eventually die

 

[twintubdexter]

"protection" was a whole different thing back then

You can help the compressor live a longer life by keeping the condenser clean. I suppose it depends on what's stored in the fridge as to how tramatic a refrigeration failure would actually be. Years ago when I worked at Western Appliance in San Jose manufacturers like Frigidaire offered spolied food protection with new products. The customer had to fill out a claim form and most of them were pretty hysterical to read...50 lbs of lobster tails, 75 lbs of filet minion, 5 lbs of ground beef was very common.

"where's the beef?"

 

[danemodsandy]

I Would:

Put together the resources (cash or room on a credit card) to purchase another unit, and then I would do - nothing.

I would wait until the present box goes wonky, and then I would replace it with the resources I'd put together.

Until that time, having cash on hand generates interest, and not using available credit saves interest.

You should definitely be prepared, but there's no reason I can see to run right out and buy a new unit on the off chance the present one is going to take a dumparooney.

P.S.: If you buy a new $2000 fridge that saves $100 a year in energy costs, that sounds attractive, right? Except that if you only get ten years out of it, only half of what you spent is paid back. Also, one thing the Energy Star program seriously fails to take into account is the energy needed to produce a new appliance, and of course, there's also shipping - these days, that's often halfway around the globe from China, Inc. The Energy Star program never says anything about products that use little energy now, but clap out far sooner than consumer durables used to, requiring a lot of - you guessed it - energy to replace.

You would probably be doing the planet a favor overall to nurse your old unit along a while longer.

 

[travis]

I would run it until it dies.  Energy star is ONLY concerned about the cost to operate.  They're trapped in a vacuum where they never consider the energy to produce and ship, the cost to purchase or the disposal of the dead energy efficient appliance.

 

I almost bought into the efficiency game with my central A/C this year. It's a  twenty year old unit.  I got a few bids of $8000-10000 and figured I was happier with the cash in my pocket.  It did fail on Sunday.  It turned out that the hard starting was a burned contact.  It's up and running again for $40!

 

[mtn1584]

What is the expected life span of an eleven year old SXS fridge. I have had a two year old fridge have the compressor die. this was a fridge I got for my mother, a Maytag branded, chinese made Haier...she looked beautiful, but crapped out after only two years. (The fridge, not my mother LOL) Eleven years on a GE Profile is a decent run I think. I don't like waiting to the last minute to replace anything, I have never been like that. I suppose I get tired of crap quickly as well. Anyway, does anyone know what the CR says is the lifespan of a SXS fridge?
Mike

 

[ronhic]

Wait until she curls up her coils

Currently, you've a fridge that has given you virtually no problems. Historically, appliances do one of three things:

- have issues during warranty
- have issues during and after warranty
- have minimal issues

Falling into the 3rd category, I wouldn't replace it.

In fact, given it has been so reliable, I'd be tempted to have it fixed even if it did break. Fridges are not complex things. Its usually the thermostat, compressor or refrigerant that goes on them - all of which can be replaced for relatively little money.

 

[washer111]

Wouldn't Bother

We've got a 14.5 year old F&P matched set. Yeah, they use about 1500kW/h total per year by government testing in 1999, but given the cost of new units in this country (looking at over $800 for models that aren't "Poverty Packs"). We've had good service, they still defrost and work fine. 

I've fixed some issues that have developed with the shelving, but that is otherwise "it."

 

The best part is we already have a smaller refrigerator/freezer hanging around that are used that could be pressed into daily use if our main units die. This means we haven't been too concerned about finding replacements, since the smaller units will work great until its time to go shopping. 

 

Our "Energy Label" (Stars) program is heavily flawed in that they tell you to "look for more stars." Yeah, well thats an issue, since "the stars" can mean anything between different types of fridge: E.g. a 3-star SxS might use 1000kW/h, but a regular top-freezer model might use 800kW/h with that labelling. 

Whilst I've figured going to a bottom-freezer model will use as much as our refrigerator now (540kW/h for the fridge, 940kW/h for the freezer), so we'd save somewhere around 1000 x .22 which seems to equal $220 each year - so our investment would take a good 8 years to pay off. If the machine breaks or anything like that, we've failed.

 

One might actually be better off buying "Poverty Packs," as our two additional units are cheap Made in China things that have gone 4 years now trouble free. 

 

[sudsmaster]

It also would depend on your electricity rates.

For example, at my current level of usage, due to tiered rates that increase as consumption goes up, any additional electrical load would cost $.35/KWH. So a fridge that uses 1,000 more KWH than an energy star would cost me an extra $29/month in electrical costs, or $350/yr. A few years of that and the more efficient fridge has paid for itself.

 

[goatfarmer]

no

 

[sambootoo]

In a similar situation. My Kenmore top freezer frig sounds like a boulder crashing into the house every time it cycles off. I've been told this is an internal (compressor) motor mount spring, could die tomorrow or could last a few more years. Still using it, hasn't died YET, but I'm "casually" shopping around for a replacement. Should it give up the ghost tonight I've got a few models in mind for a replacement. Should one of these models go on sale at a really good discount, I would go ahead and buy it.