Recently my washer decided it was done following the rules and started to rebel. It would continuously fill with water no matter what step of the process it should be in, which made washing clothes with it impossible. I knew I had to figure out a solution but I wasn’t quite sure the best path forward. I had a lot of questions, such as:
-Should I try to repair the machine or buy a new one?
-How long should a washing machine last anyway?
-If I bought a new machine, what would be the best type to purchase?
-What was the best way to dispose of the old machine?
To help me answer these questions and find my best path forward I started doing some research. The sections that follow are my findings. Your situation will likely be different from mine but you should be able utilize this information to work out the best options for you when you face washer woes.
If it’s laundry day but your washer isn’t acting quite right and you need to do something about it, here are a few options for how you might rise to the occasion.
Remedy options when your washer breaks:
1. DIY Repair
I’ll admit up until recently I thought washing machines were a lot more complicated than they truly are. Once I took off the cover to see the inner workings of my washing machine, I realized that making repairs myself was a lot more doable then I had previously believed. To try to diagnosis the issue with your washer here’s what I would recommend:
Look online for a guidebook for your particular washer model. If you don’t know your washer's model number, this can normally be found somewhere on the appliance itself. You’ll need this number not only to learn more about your specific appliance but also to order replacement parts if needed. Once you’ve read over the information you should be more familiar with the different parts within your machine and their locations.
Run through some diagnostic tests to try to determine what the problem is and what parts might need to be repaired/replaced.
Order and replace parts if needed to see if issues are resolved.
Benefits- Can save you money, can extend the life of your appliance, reduces waste
Downsides- Sometimes the part you need may be almost expensive as a new machine
2. Hire a Repair Person
If DIY is not something you’d consider or you can’t seem to figure out the problem on your own, then you may want to hire an experienced repair person. I found several repair companies in my area through a quick search and reached out to a few to gauge pricing. Each charged a diagnostic fee of about $100 to come out and try to determine what the problem was and what would be needed to remedy it.
I’d calculate the estimated remaining life of your washer to help decide whether hiring out for a repair is your best option. Depending on the issue with your machine the additional repairs could be comparable in cost to that of replacement and you’ll have already sunk $100 into finding that out.
Benefits- Reduces waste, can be less expensive than replacement depending on what repair is needed
Downsides- Have to pay the diagnostic fee without knowing how much more it will cost to repair washer and whether it will be cost effective over replacement, have to schedule with technician which can cause additional delays
3. Buying a used washer
I found several retail locations selling second hand appliances in my area. I also found second hand appliances being sold online on websites such as Facebook Marketplace. The cost was much lower on Facebook marketplace than in the retail locations I visited but the retail locations had the perk of accepting returns.
Retail - Habitat Restore- $600 for front loading washers
Online - Facebook Marketplace - $250
Benefits- Reduces waste, costs less than buying new
Downsides-
General- Doesn’t come with a warranty, hard to ascertain the remaining life of the appliance, typically you have to make your own arrangements for pick up and installation
Retail- From my experience they were still quite expensive in comparison to new models
Online- Have to trust the person selling the appliance to be honest about whether the machine works and doesn’t have any issues as it would be difficult/impossible to return
4. Buying a new washer
If none of the other options are viable, then it’s time to look for a new washing machine. When I was doing this research prices for new washing machines started around $500 for base models.
Benefits- New appliances typically come with a warranty, new appliances may be more resource efficient than the previous model, rebates may be available-here is a link to check based on your area and appliance- In my area Dominion Energy provides $50 for eligible appliances ( here is a link to check whether there are any available rebates in your area https://www.energystar.gov/rebate-finder) , retailers often offers free delivery and installation as well as an option for old appliance removal
Downsides- Costly to replace appliances and increases waste if appliance could have easily been repaired instead of fully replaced
Typical lifespan of a washing machine
As I mentioned earlier, it is good to know the estimated remaining life of your machine when contemplating repair versus replacement and for this you need to know what the typical lifespan of a washing machine is.
If I gave you the numbers that come up most frequently when google searching this question I think that would be wrong as they are considering older models. You see, when I used to hear people say “they don’t make things like they used to”, I always thought they were just exaggerating or nostalgic for days gone by but unfortunately with washing machines it seems they really don’t make them like they used to.
During my process of looking at washing machines, I read a lot of reviews, I mean A LOT of reviews. In fact, it was likely too many reviews because it made it very difficult to pick an appliance as I couldn’t find a single one for sale that didn’t have a horde of 1 star reviews lamenting the numerous issues that consumers were having with their new appliances soon after purchase and the reduced overall lifespan of the machine.
While I have theories on what is causing the decrease in lifespan, I think it is pretty evident that there has been a significant change in how long these appliances are lasting. What this means is though my mom’s previous Maytag washing machine lasted her 20 years, she will be lucky if the new Maytag she purchased lasts 10. It seems the average lifespan of washing machines is now around 7-10 years; half that of older machines.
If after considering all of your options, you find yourself in the market for a new washing machine. It’s helpful to better understand the main differences between the appliances for sale.
Types of Washers
Main Differences
Front Load vs Top Load
Agitator vs Impeller
Regular vs High Efficiency
Front Load vs. Top Load
Agitator vs. Impeller
Regular vs. High Efficiency
Disposal of Old Washer
So you’ve decided getting a new washer is best, what type of washer you’d like to acquire and where you plan to obtain it. Now It’s time to figure out how to dispose of your old washer to make way for a new one.
Donate if in working order
Recycle - often offered through appliance retailer new washer is purchased from
Recycle through county or city- $50 for curbside pickup in my area and free drop off
Pay a company to pick up appliance to donate or recycle it- Variable- based on distance to donation or recycling location
Take to a specific recycling/ scrap yard and sell
Try to sell if you think someone might be willing to make the repair
Post online for free
Wondering what I chose to do after gathering the above information?
I started by trying to repair my machine myself. After running diagnostics I found that the part I needed to replace was built into the control panel and to order a new control panel cost over $500. The washing machine was in my home when I moved in so I wasn’t sure how old it was to determine the estimated remaining life. I decided that a repair wasn’t practical so I started looking into replacements. I wasn’t comfortable purchasing second hand on Facebook Marketplace but I felt buying second hand from a retailer would be alright as they offer returns and I checked out my local Habitat for Humanity Restore. They only had two front loading units in stock and both cost $600. I didn’t feel it made sense to spend that much on a used washing machine when I could get one with a warranty for close to the same amount so I started looking at new machines. As mentioned previously , I read too many reviews and had a really hard time selecting a model as every one had a lot of really negative reviews. Since I had to pick one, I decided to pick one with the features that I most wanted and reported issues that seemed the easiest to deal with. That ended up being an Energy Star High Efficiency Top Loader with an Impeller. In my area a $50 rebate is provided for up to two appliance purchases per address so I will be able to get that money back in addition to the water and energy cost savings. Since I don’t have a truck to get my old washing machine to the scrap yard for recycling, the retailer took it to be recycled for me. I signed up for the free Lowes MVP Pro Rewards Program to get free haul away recycling. So far I haven't had any issues with my new machine and am really happy with my choice for how to resolve my broken washing machine dilemma.
Getting from having a broken washing machine to deciding on the purchase of my new washer and how to dispose of my old one took me quite a long time. I hope that by reading this you will feel better prepared on how to move forward next time your washer gives you trouble. Unfortunately it seems this may be more frequent than one would like if the appliance reviews I read are to be believed. While it’s difficult to control the quality of the manufacturing of our appliances, one thing we can do to help aid in their longevity is properly maintain them. Perhaps a topic for a future blog. Let me know if you would be interested in that in the comments.
Sources:
Flamer, Keith. “5 Things to Know about Top-Load Agitator Washing Machines.” Consumer Reports, www.consumerreports.org/appliances/washing-machines/things-to-know-about-top-load-agitator-washers-a3405882547/. Accessed 31 May 2023.
Is It Better to Repair or Replace Your Washing Machine?, www.searshomeservices.com/blog/is-it-better-to-repair-or-replace-your-washing-machine. Accessed 31 May 2023.
Jonaitis, Jenna. “How Long Do Washing Machines Last? Here’s the Average Lifespan.” Angi, 21 Nov. 2022, www.angi.com/articles/how-long-washing-machine-last.htm.
“Pros and Cons of High-Efficiency Washers - Consumer Reports News.” Pros and Cons of High-Efficiency Washers - Consumer Reports News, www.consumerreports.org/cro/news/2014/09/the-pros-and-cons-of-high-efficiency-washers/index.htm. Accessed 31 May 2023.
“Should You Get a Front-Load or Top-Load Washing Machine?” The New York Times, 25 Oct. 2016, www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/blog/should-you-get-a-front-or-top-load-washing-machine/.
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