No business, or anyone really, wants to have to lay out what could be potentially thousands of dollars for a new piece of equipment when the old one breaks down. You can save hundreds, possibly even thousands of dollars repairing your equipment, but how do you know whether you should invest in a repair or a replacement? Typically, your smartest move is to compare the cost of a repair with the cost of a replacement while determining how much life the unit would have left if you repaired it.
No matter which direction you choose to go in, Ambient Edge can help. We’re here 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, so even if you discover a problem with your equipment before you open or after you close, our technicians can come by and check it out.
The Age of the Equipment
The first thing you should always consider when trying to decide whether to repair or replace equipment is the age of the equipment. If you’ve only had it for five years or so, then it is probably an okay bet to repair it. However, if the equipment is over 10 years old, then any qualified contractor would tell you that the time has probably come to throw the towel in and just buy new.
Age isn’t always the best determinant however, especially considering how manufacturers are making equipment more reliable and energy-efficient these days. Plus, some machines, like ice machines, for example, tend to have much shorter lifespans than other equipment. And then you have the one-off machine that outlives its expected lifespan. The best way to know for sure whether your machine has reached the end of its life is to have a technician check it out.
Don’t Forget the Hidden Costs
When estimating the cost of a replacement, it is important that you consider other costs in addition to the cost of just the machine by itself. For instance, how much will it cost you to remove the old machine? And how much will it cost you to install the new one? When you add these costs up, you may decide to delay your decision to upgrade to a better machine until you’ve truly run the one you have now into the ground.commercial cookery equipment
Safety
The safety of the equipment is another of, if not the most important, factor when determining whether to repair or replace. If the equipment is no longer safe for you to operate it, or if whatever is wrong with it could potentially start a fire, then you must replace it, no matter how close it may be to the estimated end of its lifespan.
Take, for example, an oven. If one of your gas flues fails to operate properly, you may have a fire hazard on your hands. Or, in the case of exposed wires or missing or broken switches or lights, you could burn or otherwise injure yourself or one of your employees. In these situations, you absolutely must replace the unit or risk disastrous consequences.
Parts
The parts to a piece of equipment can sometimes make your decision for you. For instance, sometimes the parts for a machine are harder to get, which makes them more expensive. In other cases, the manufacturer no longer makes the part at all, and so a replacement becomes necessary. In these instances, you just have to bite the bullet and replace the equipment because a repair is either incredibly expensive or simply impossible. commercial cookery equipment
Don’t Replace When You Can Repair
Many businesses make the mistake of thinking they have to replace, rather than repair, worn surfaces in their kitchens, like tables or booths. However, our professionals at Ambient Edge can repair the rips and cracks in your leather or vinyl surface, leaving them looking brand new all over again. What’s great about this, in addition to saving money, is that you also don’t need to disrupt your business, waiting for parts and pieces to come in, and then waiting even more time for them to be installed.
Dealing with Broken Commercial Kitchen Equipment? We Can Help!
Sure, replacing or even just repairing commercial kitchen equipment can be a cost you can’t afford right now. But you are risking much more if you are putting your safety and the safety of others at risk. It’s better to deal with the problem now than wait until it becomes much more severe later on.
