COST VALUE OF REPAIR VS BUYING A NEW TV
Whenever an electronic appliance, such as a TV set, gets damaged people are often faced with the challenge of making a choice between getting it repaired or replacing it outright. As a result of the relative drop in the purchasing cost of TV set in recent times, the temptation to replace is always greater and would seem to make more sense.
However, if you take a closer look at some factors, such as the long term cost of replacement for both you and the economy, you may want to think again. So, when deciding on which course of action to take in such a situation, consider the following:
Shorter TV life spans: It is easy to observe that TVs now get damaged earlier than they used to. This would seem like a deliberate ploy by manufacturers to make sure that you replace your sets earlier than planned. The result of this trend is that over a period of say, five years, you may end up buying 2 to 3 TV sets. If you had opted for a repair the first time, you would have instead increased the life span of your set by that same number of years – allowing you save money for other needs. Calling a professional TV repairer to have a look before dumping your TV may save you a lot of valuable dollars on the long run.
Repairs don’t usually cost that much: Some have suggested that whenever the cost of a repair is more than half the cost of replacement, it is better to replace. The fact however, is that more often than not, the cost of getting your TV set repaired isn’t that expensive. Some just don’t consider it as an option. For flat screen TVs, the only time a repair is impossible is when the screen is damaged. Apart from this, any other issue can be resolved and you can still get some quality viewing time from your TV set. If you call a competent repair man to get it looked over, you’d be quite surprised to see that it is quite affordable.
Environmental implications of dumping: TV monitors contain compounds like lead, which are harmful to the environment. Every time you decide to throw away your TV set, you are inadvertently contributing to environmental degradation and pollution. On the long run, excessive dumping creates undesirable economic issues because valuable resources would be required for clean up.
Cost of safe disposal: Getting the components of used TV sets recycled or disposed of safely costs money. Being aware of this, some authorities charge a toxic fee on new TVs and monitors. This adds to your total cost every time you opt for a purchase.
The Local Economy Benefits when you repair: Apart from the environmental benefits, opting for a repair also has benefits for the overall local economy. Most manufacturing plants are located in China and other Asian countries and every new purchase benefits their economies in terms of employment and GDP. Patronizing your local repairman increases the taxable revenue and benefiting your community.
Repair and donate: If you think you do actually need a new TV, why not repair the faulty one and give to someone else or donate to a home, shelter or some other charities. There are quite a few people that would benefit from your kind gesture.
TV screens can be used as computer monitors: If the screen is not broken, it can still be used as a computer monitor. So rather than throw it away why not repair and find some other useful purpose for it.
We are electronics technicians and have been repairing electronic equipment for the last 10 years. We specialize in TV repairs