Is it worth repairing an old freezer?

Repair a simple fault, replace after a sealed-system failure

It is worth repairing an old freezer when the fault is simple (a gasket, a fan, a switch, frost you can clear) and the freezer is otherwise sound. Replace it when the sealed system has failed, when a repair quote is a large share of a new freezer, or when you already suspect it is on its last legs. The decision rests on three questions: what failed, how it runs, and what the written quote says.

1. What failed

Start with the cheap suspects. Heavy frost on a manual-defrost model, a worn door seal, a blocked gap behind the unit and a loose plug are all fixable for little. Read how to defrost a freezer fast before you call anyone. ENERGY STAR's rule is "Make sure the seals around the door are airtight."^[1]

The expensive end is the sealed system: compressor, evaporator or refrigerant circuit. EPA says technicians who maintain, service, repair, or dispose of equipment that could release ozone depleting refrigerants into the atmosphere must be certified.^[2] That work, plus the part, is where an old freezer usually stops being worth fixing.

2. How old and how it has lived

There is no single magic age. Where the freezer has lived matters: "Extreme temperatures are hard on the compressor and can reduce the life of your freezer."^[1] A freezer that spent years in a hot garage or an unheated shed has had a harder life than one in a basement, so be more willing to replace it.

Running cost is the other half. ENERGY STAR says: "Freezers that have earned the ENERGY STAR are at least 10 percent more energy efficient than the minimum federal standard."^[1] It also says an ENERGY STAR certified chest freezer uses about 215 kWh of electricity, while an ENERGY STAR certified upright freezer uses about 395 kWh,^[1] so a chest model is usually the cheaper one to run. Compare your old freezer's yellow label, if it still has one, against those figures.

3. What the quote says

Ask for the quote in writing. The Virginia Board for Contractors advises: "Get at least three written bids."^[3] Ask each business for the diagnostic fee, part, labor and warranty listed separately and whether it covers refrigerant recovery. Our page on what freezer repair costs lists the questions.

Then price a replacement honestly: the freezer, delivery and haul-away. If the repair is a large share of that on an older freezer, replace it. If it is a small share on one with years left, repair it.

If you replace it

Protect the food first: ready.gov notes that "A full freezer will keep the temperature for about 48 hours."^[6] Move the contents into the new unit or coolers once it is cold.

ENERGY STAR's advice is "If you buy a new freezer, be sure to recycle your old one."^[1] Do not leave it out with the door on. Virginia law makes it unlawful to discard, abandon or leave a refrigerator with an airtight interior of more than two cubic feet without first removing the door or doors or hinges, with exceptions such as a unit being used for its intended purpose.^[4] EPA suggests checking with your electric utility for a rebate or turn-in program, and with your municipality, which may require the refrigerant to be recovered before it will pick the appliance up.^[5]

Stop and call a pro if

• The freezer is warm and the compressor runs hot, hums or clicks. That is a sealed-system or electrical question.
• You smell burning or the cord is damaged. Unplug it and do not run it.
• Water is spreading under the unit. Move the food and get it looked at.
• You need to tilt or carry the old unit alone. It is heavy; use a retailer's haul-away.

Getting help in Virginia

See more appliance repair answers, the parallel guide on repairing or replacing a refrigerator and the appliance repair directory.

When you are ready, describe the freezer problem once and local appliance repair businesses quote it, so you can compare the repair against a new freezer.