Before your house is full of visiting relatives for the holidays, you’ll want to make sure all your appliances are in top-notch shape to bake your turkey and keep your leftover pumpkin pie cold.

“As with your car, the longevity of your major appliances is dependent on general maintenance and upkeep,” said Jim Worden, manufacturer liaison for Alabama Power Appliance Sales & Service. “Today’s appliances require more consumer awareness for optimal performance, as well as longevity.”

The decision to repair or replace a major appliance boils down to two factors:

• Does the appliance have the desired features to meet your household needs?
• Does the repair estimate exceed 50 percent of the appliance’s current retail value? If so, it may be best to replace it.

Here are some guidelines from Alabama Power Appliance Sales & Service that might help you decide whether it’s best to call for repairs or hit the holiday appliance sales.

Laundry room

• Making a decision to replace a washing machine purchased before the year 2005 can reduce water consumption. Older model appliances use more water and electricity than those manufactured after 2005.
• If your washer or dryer is making loud roaring or grinding noises, this is uncommon and may need to be checked.
• If your washer has signs of corrosion, this generally means the appliance may not be cost-effective to repair. It’s probably time to replace.   

Kitchen

• If your dishwasher contains a minor water leak, this can involve a simple repair. However, if the dishwasher is leaking badly, this could involve a failure of the pump and motor assembly and it may be time to consider replacement.
• If the dishwasher is making a loud roaring or grinding noise, this could involve a pump and motor assembly failure. If so, that could become a costly repair. Depending on the dishwasher’s age, the better option may be to replace it.
• Depending on the type of electric stove, it may be best to repair most failures involving the surface heating elements, or the oven’s bake or broil elements.
• The rusting of the oven liner, holes in the liner, a cracked or shattered surface top, or two or more inoperable surface cooking elements likely mean it is time to replace your stove.
• If your refrigerator has no cooling in the fresh food or freezer compartments, this can require a minor or major repair. Generally speaking, if you open the freezer compartment and observe frost on the rear wall, this may only involve a defrost component failure. That could be a simple repair. However, if you hear the compressor and fans running and there is no frost on the rear wall, this could be a sign of a major component failure such as a compressor, evaporator or condenser coil leak. If so, the parts and labor required for repair could add up to more than the appliance’s replacement value.
• If your refrigerator is sweating on the exterior, this could require a minor door adjustment or repair. Check to see if the door is closing to allow a proper seal. The culprit may be a food item that is preventing the refrigerator door or drawer from fully closing.
• If the refrigerator is leaking water, first check the defrost drain pan under the refrigerator to ensure it has not come out of position, which only requires realignment. For water and/or ice-maker models, check the water supply line that leads to the refrigerator from your household plumbing to ensure it is secure and not contributing to the leak. 

Worden recommends referencing the troubleshooting section of your manufacturer’s product use and care manual prior to calling for service to prevent unnecessary fees for a professional service inspection, as well as to save being inconvenienced awaiting a technician.

 Have an appliance need? Alabama Power Appliance Sales & Service agents can help. Call 800-613-9333 for assistance in your area or complete this contact form.