Sometimes I feel like an old woman trapped in a young person’s body, particularly when I start cussing about how appliances aren’t made the way they used to be and how nothing lasts any more. For cryonics’ sake, my mother has a sewing machine older than I am, yet my brand new equivalent was acting up within the first year.
If an item is on the fritz, the old rule of thumb in repair circles has been that if the fix-up costs are less than 50 per cent of the cost of new machine, do it. But these days, as soon as a laptop or cellphone starts acting up, we start shopping for a new one, no questions asked. Really, we’re just trolling for an excuse to take home a younger, sexier model. That’s right, we’re e-hos.
We need to put our wallets back in our pants and consider the big picture, the ecological trauma for the planet of mining those rare and not-so-rare metals to construct those machines we love ‘n’ leave. If your warrantee’s expired, call the manufacturer about out-of-warrantee service costs (many can just walk you through fixes over the phone) or get a couple of quotes from competing Geek Squad/Rent-A-Geek-type services for computers and from places like AMI Repair Service for everything from TVs to turntables.
If the screen cracks on your phone or iPod, you can repair it yourself for a 10th of the cost. Just order a new screen and google “screen replacement videos.” And DIY repairs don’t have to end there. If you’re at all inclined, head to a site like ifixit.com for free repair manuals or electronicrepairguide.com for booklets to order on fixing everything from ancient VCRs to LCD screens.
Whether to attempt CPR gets more complicated when we’re talking major appliances. Any appliance that’s been around since the first skinny jean craze should get the immediate heave-ho (to a recycler, of course). They’re power dinos that gobble way too much fuel. But beyond that, how do you know it’s time for it to go?
Well, I’ll keep it simple : keep fixing any appliance for which there is no Energy Star alternative. That means clothes dryers, stoves and, well, that’s pretty much it. Technology hasn’t changed enough to make new ones significantly more efficient than older models, so if it breaks down, call the repair guy/gal. Or just start line-drying full-time in the case of your dryer. For DIY repair parts, check out partselect.ca.
It’s a whole ‘nother matter for pretty much every other major appliance. Anything from another millennium should technically go, say most enviros, especially if it doesn’t have a blue-and-white Energy Sticker on it. God, until a few years ago, 92 per cent of dishwashers came with the Star of approval, so yours is clearly behind the times. Replacing a dishwasher manufactured before 1994 with an Energy Star-qualified dishwasher can save you more than $30 a year in utility costs.
Old top-loading washing machines should also be recycled rather than repaired. They use twice as much water as any front-loader, and if your machine’s over a decade old, a new Energy Star model will save you about $135 a year on utility bills.
Your pre-2001 fridge is wasting anywhere from $120 to $150 a year in electricity compared to a new high-efficiency model. And if your air conditioner has kept you from sweating more than 10 summers now, start saying your goodbyes, and again, shop for Energy Star. Or better yet, a fan.
Keep in mind that not all Energy Star appliances are equal. Be sure to read the totally unrelated EnerGuide sticker, which tells you how many kilowatt hours of energy an appliance uses per year on average, and then look for the lowest number.
No matter what you’re considering replacing, be sure you hunt down all your recycling options before you make a move. Luckily, in this town any electronics (placed in an open box) or appliances you put to the curb on garbage day will actually get recycled. Elsewhere, check out recycleyourelectronics.ca. All of the above are provincially guaranteed not to end in an e-waste horror scene in the developing world, but I can’t say that of any random recycler you meet in a dark alley.
Got a question?
Send your green queries to ecoholic@nowtoronto.com
