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Technology is always advancing, so it goes without saying that we expect the things we buy to last longer. One area where there have been ups and downs in terms of lifespans is appliance development.
In our homes, we often have anywhere between three and eight major appliances on average. Everything from your microwave to your tumble dryer has a lifespan, and while different manufacturers bring with them different levels of quality, there are definitely averages we can look to as homeowners as a guide.
What are the key factors?
Many people will have wrestled with at least one of their appliances somewhere along the line, repairing them in a DIY fashion or calling out a professional appliance repairs expert. There are numerous factors involved in how long you can expect your appliance to last, including:
- Usage – This is a critical factor, especially in a busy household. The more people that use an appliance in an average day, the sooner you can expect it to give up the ghost. This is why getting the right appliance for your needs is so important in the first instance.
- Moving components – How static and simplistic an appliance is can be an indicator of how long it might last. It’s often motors or the electrics which die or need replacing first, so anything which works hard on a constant basis might not last quite as long as the simple appliance.
- Care – Have you taken good care of your appliance? Most people seem to forget that inside our appliances there is bound to be at least one delicate aspect, so if you’ve dropped or tipped the appliance during a move, or if you’ve dropped other items onto it, you shouldn’t be surprised if it doesn’t last as long.
- Cost – Think about how much you’ve paid for your appliance, did you go for a budget option? It’s not unreasonable to correlate a higher cost with a better quality of build, and therefore a greater lifespan than the cheaper models.
Am I entitled to a new appliance?
While the average lifespan of an appliance is shown in the graphic, you might find that your appliance does not last quite as long as this. This leaves many people asking whether they are entitled to a new appliance.
The short answer to this question is that, if your appliance is no longer under warranty, no. It’s impossible for these machines to last forever, so once your warranty runs out you can probably expect to have to get repairs for your appliance when it breaks down.
Where you might have a case is if the same component in your model fails over and over again, even with repairs from the manufacturer or an approved partner. However, these situations are very rare and it’s always hard to say whether you will have the sympathy of the manufacturer enough to get a full replacement.
Not all appliances are the same, even machines from the same manufacturer can have wildly different lifespans. For every appliance which doesn’t make the average lifespan, there will undoubtedly be one which surpasses it.
The Six Year Rule
Contrary to popular belief, the six year rule is not a guarantee on appliances; it is simply a part of consumer legislation which means that a product which is defective from new can give the consumer a claim for up to six years from the date of purchase.
It’s important to note that this means you must be able to prove the product was defective from the first day you bought it – either through some sort of log or report. This rule does not apply if you have no evidence of the fault being there from the time of purchase or close to the date of delivery.
If you’re seeking repairs for your appliance from a reliable, trusted and efficient repair company, look no further than Domex Ltd. With over 30 years of industry experience, we provide dedicated repairs for washing machines, cookers, dishwashers and more – get in touch today to book in for an engineer visit.