Whatever the tech finds, you’ll get the repair price in writing before anyone picks up a tool. If the unit is old enough, or the failure big enough, that replacement deserves a look, we’ll price that as well and leave the choice with you.
The part that failed
A door gasket, fan motor, thermostat or defrost heater is an ordinary wear part. Replacing one on an older unit is almost always the right move, because it puts the equipment back where it was. Needing one says very little about how much life the unit has left.
Compressors are another matter. A compressor is the most expensive single part in the system, and on an older unit it raises the question of what goes next. A leaking evaporator or condenser coil puts you in the same spot, especially one that’s been patched before.
Age, and how the unit has been treated
There’s no set age when equipment should go. A well-kept walk-in system can run a long time, while a reach-in jammed against a fryer with a coil full of grease can wear out early. Age still counts, though. If the unit is 15 or 20 years old and needs a compressor, get the replacement price too before you decide.
Look at the repair history as well. A single big repair on a box that’s otherwise been solid doesn’t worry us much. Three service calls on the same cooler this year is a different situation, and adding up what those visits cost sometimes surprises people. Old service reports help here if you kept them.
The refrigerant it runs on
A lot of older equipment runs on R-22, and R-22 production in the US ended in 2020. What’s available now is recovered and reclaimed supply, which tends to get more expensive over time.
If an R-22 system has a small problem that doesn’t involve the refrigerant, fixing it is often still reasonable. A leak that needs a big recharge, or a compressor, is where replacement starts to make more sense. Either way the tech has to recover the refrigerant with proper equipment. It can’t be vented.
Walk-ins have two parts
A walk-in is an insulated box plus a refrigeration system that cools it, and they don’t wear out at the same rate. The box often outlasts the system, so you may be able to replace the condensing unit and evaporator and keep the box you have.
Not always, though. A soft floor, bulging panels or ice forming inside the walls usually means moisture has gotten into the insulation. Wet panels don’t insulate well, and new refrigeration on a waterlogged box will run hard, so at that point the box is part of the conversation too.
Reach-ins, prep tables and ice machines
Smaller self-contained units are simpler math. When an older reach-in or prep table needs a compressor, the gap between the repair and a new unit can be small enough that replacing makes more sense, and the new one comes with its own warranty. On an ice machine, a failed evaporator plate on an older machine is usually where we’d start talking replacement.
If the unit is only a few years old, fix it.
Downtime, leases and fit
Think about how long you can go without the equipment. A replacement means ordering, delivery and installation, and some units take a while to come in. A lease that ends next year changes the math too. Newer equipment tends to use less power, though the electric bill rarely settles it by itself. And if you’ve outgrown a two-door reach-in, a breakdown can be a sensible time to size up.
When to ask for both prices
We’ll quote the repair every time. Ask us to price a replacement as well when:
- the system runs on R-22 and the repair involves the refrigerant
- it needs a compressor, and it’s well along in age
- you’ve already had it repaired more than once this year
- a walk-in’s floor or panels are soft, wet or icing inside
None of those mean you have to replace it. Seeing the two numbers side by side is just worth the extra phone call in those cases.
If you’d like the old parts after a repair, ask and we’ll leave them.
Our installation and replacement page covers the replacement side, and the compressor and condenser and leak repair pages explain the two repairs that most often bring this question up.
