Yesterday we took delivery of a new washing machine to replace the old one which kept trying to boil our clothes. We'd had a man round to have a look at it who suggested a new thermostat, but it didn't do the trick and we regretfully decided that we had no option but to buy a new one.I can't remember how old our washing machine was but certainly nowhere near as old as Doris Stogdale's fridge which is still going strong after 58 years.
I hate throwing away stuff until it's no longer useable. So for months now we've kept our washing machine from overheating by setting a timer and turning the dial on to the rinse cycle after 15 minutes. It was annoying but we learned to live with it.
However there's a balance to be struck between continuing to use an appliances that are no longer energy efficient and casually upgrading them. Our old machine was removed by our supplier and will be disposed of in accordance with WEE regulations, and we've replaced it with an A rated model, but I can't help feeling that it's still a waste.
I grew up in India where you could find someone to repair almost anything that was broken. It provided employment and prevented you from having to replace stuff quite as often.
Perhaps that explains my attitude. Or maybe it's my Scots blood.
Anyway I look forward to turning my back on my new machine, safe in the knowledge that it won't shrink my jumpers.
We bought our fridge a year or few before we moved and I can't remember exactly how long, so it is at least 15 years old, so I wonder if it would be prudent to buy a new one before we're left with a lot of food in danger of going off, or whether to wait and see how long it lasts as a new one is bound to last less long. It would seem a waste to throw out a fridge that is still working fine, although perhaps using more electricity than a new one would.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you about keeping things for as long as possible. New things these days just don't seem to be built to last. The only thing that worries me about older domestic appliances that are beginning to show wear and tear is the safety aspect.
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