How To Choose Which Appliances To Replace

As the winter snow melts and summer flowers begin to bloom, many homeowners start making a long list of spring cleaning to-dos. With tasks like cleaning the gutters, washing windows, organizing storage, replacing screens, trimming trees, and preparing the garden, it’s easy to overlook another key part of home maintenance: replacing appliances.

Did you know that replacing appliances that have reached their life expectancy may save you money in the long run? Appliances that are no longer at their prime can drive up energy bills and cost more than they are worth to repair.

If you have some extra savings and you’re looking to upgrade some of the appliances in your home, there’s no need to do it all at once. If your appliances are all currently functioning, work on upgrading them over time. You can decide which appliances to replace first based on their age and the potential for savings. 

Keep reading for a guide on which appliances to replace first.

How to Choose Which Appliances to Replace

The most important thing to consider when determining which appliances to replace is the age of your current appliances and their average life expectancy. If any of your household appliances are past their expiration date, it may be time to upgrade.

Tip: If your appliances were included in the purchase of your home and you weren’t given the year of manufacture, look for a printed label on the body of the appliance. The date may be printed or coded into the serial number.

The second thing to keep in mind as you decide which appliances to replace is energy efficiency. If upgrading an appliance will save you money each month on utility bills, it may make financial sense to upgrade that appliance as soon as possible.

Along with age and energy efficiency, there is one more thing to consider if you are looking to replace some of your household appliances this year: which appliances you can’t live without. Perhaps you can’t imagine going a day with a broken dishwasher or the thought of your refrigerator dying fills you with stress. Take into account the most important appliances in your life and be sure to upgrade as they approach their life expectancy or show signs of distress. 

The following guide shares the average age of major appliances and the potential for energy savings with an upgrade.

Refrigerators - Average life expectancy: 11-19 years. 

Refrigerators are one of the first appliances most homeowners choose to upgrade because of changes in design. Refrigerators have gone from being a single-door design to a two-door freezer on top/refrigerator on the bottom, to the now coveted side-by-side freezer/refrigerator design. Because they are quickly considered out-of-date, it’s easy to understand why many homeowners choose to upgrade this appliance. However, refrigerators only use about 4% of a home’s total energy, so it’s not essential to replace this appliance first.

Washer & Dryer - Average life expectancy: 10-13 years.

Did you know that washing and drying your clothes makes up about 13% of your home’s total energy usage? Because of this, it might be in your best interest to replace these appliances as they approach their life expectancy of 10-13 years with energy efficient models. 

Dishwasher - Average life expectancy: 7-12 years.

The lifespan of a dishwasher can vary. Constantly running your dishwasher will wear out the mechanical parts. On the other hand, not running your dishwasher enough may cause the plastic and rubber to dry out. If your dishwasher is rusting, leaking, or not properly cleaning your dishes, it may be reaching the end of its life. While dishwashers only consume about 2% of your total energy usage, you might consider upgrading to a new model that uses less water.

Oven Ranges - Average life expectancy: 11-15 years.

The amount of energy your oven range uses depends on whether you have a gas or electric model. To determine when it’s time to replace your oven range, keep in mind that gas models tend to last closer to 15 years, while electric models live closer to 11. Unless you find that your oven range doesn’t suit your lifestyle and you are in need of an upgrade, this may not be the first appliance you should replace.

Water Heater - Average life expectancy: 10-25 years.

The life expectancy of a water heater varies greatly depending on the model. Tankless water heaters can last over 20 years, while traditional water heaters live an average of 10 years. Unlike other major appliances, water heaters should be replaced before they die. Not only will this save you money on your utilities, but it will also prevent the risk for a major leak that could damage your home. If your water heater is reaching its life expectancy, making loud noises, or you are unable to maintain steady water temperature, you should replace this appliance first.

Use the tips shared above and your home will run like a well-oiled machine. Above all, be diligent about tracking the age of your appliances and keep up with basic maintenance. This will ultimately save money on energy and prevent unexpected replacements/repairs.