Fix or Replace? Repair-or-Replace Calculator

How the calculator decides

The calculator adds up points from six warning signs. Under 1 point, it says repair it. From 1 up to 3 points, it calls the decision a judgment call and tells you which way it leans. At 3 points or more, it says replace it. It shows every sign that fired, with its source, so you can check the reasoning yourself.

Three hard stops override the points. Water leaking from the tank itself means replace: A. O. Smith says a tank that is confirmed to leak should be replaced [7]. A repair that costs as much as a new unit, or more, means replace. A free repair always means repair.

Two limits keep the answer honest. Without the price of a comparable new unit, or with only what you paid years ago, the calculator never says “Replace it” on points alone: what you paid is usually less than today's price, so the comparison is rough. The same limit applies when you don't know the age. Then the age checks are left out, and only the half-price check and the hard stops run.

The result also suggests a repair ceiling: the highest quote that keeps both cost checks quiet at this age, rounded down to the nearest $25. It is a rule of thumb for the conversation with your technician, not a quote.

Typical life of each appliance

We take one figure from each source: the number it prints, or the middle of its range. When one figure is more than 1.5 times the other, the sources disagree and we use the lower one. Otherwise the typical life is the average, rounded to a whole year. The range runs from the lowest to the highest figure either source gives. Both sources call their figures guidelines, not guarantees: the NAHB study says life depends on the quality of installation, maintenance, weather and climate, and how hard the unit is used, and InterNACHI bases its chart on regular recommended maintenance and normal wear and tear [1][2].

Thermostats are not in the calculator: both sources list them at 35 years and note that most are replaced earlier because of newer technology [1][2]. Toilets, faucets and pipes are left out too, because their repairs are usually part swaps rather than a choice between fixing and replacing the whole unit; InterNACHI lists faucets at 15 to 20 years [2].

When repair still makes sense

• It is still under warranty. Call the manufacturer or your installer before you pay for a repair or a new unit.
• A major part was replaced recently. The calculator only knows the age of the unit, not of its newest parts, so weigh a recent big repair yourself.
• You like the unit, and parts are easy to get. A repair that keeps a unit you trust running can be worth a little more than the numbers say.
• Rebates and credits change the math. They can lower the price of a new, efficient unit. The DOE says tax credits, incentives and rebates may be available in your area [5].

Energy and refrigerant

ENERGY STAR suggests considering a replacement when a heat pump or air conditioner is more than 10 years old, or a furnace or boiler is more than 15 years old. It says correctly installed high-efficiency heat pumps and air conditioners can save up to 20% on heating and cooling costs, rates an ENERGY STAR furnace 15% more efficient than a conventional one, and an ENERGY STAR boiler 5% more efficient than a new standard model [3]. The DOE consumer guide also points to new equipment for a heating or cooling system over 15 years old [5]. For refrigerators, ENERGY STAR says units over 15 years old could be costing you more, about $95 per year, to run, and that an old refrigerator uses about 20% more energy than an ENERGY STAR model on average [4].

No new R-22 (HCFC-22) has been made or imported in the United States since January 1, 2020; recovered, reclaimed and older stock remains for existing systems. EPA does not require homeowners to replace equipment that uses R-22, and it warns that “R-22a” is highly flammable and not an acceptable alternative [6]. That is why the R-22 sign counts only when a repair adds refrigerant or opens the sealed system.