Repair old freezer or get new one - which is greener?

[Kazzia]

The seals have gone on my old fridge freezer which is approx 14 years old. I can get new seals and get it repaired but DP is keen to ditch it & get new energy efficient model. He says it'll have a lower carbon footprint etc.

But what about all the energy, resources, CFC's etc used in making my old one and the new one?

Does anyone know which option is best for the environment?

You are right. Generally the carbon cost of manufacture far outweighs the carbon saving of reduced operating cost.

I'm not sure if snorkle is right. I have a friend who works as sustainability officer for a county council and he says that lifetime energy usage is frequently much higher than manufacture. We've discussed this with reference to things like cars and energy-efficient lightbulbs, anyway.

That said, you could also consider the environmental impact of disposal, or rather, delayed disposal (dumping in landfill) by getting another 1-4 yrs out of your current appliance.

It's probable that you could make the most energy savings by using the freezer efficiently, whether old or new. You need to research this carefully, but I think that would mean stuff like keeping it full, never putting hot stuff in there, keeping it in a cool location, etc. (read more).

I stand corrected flack. A little web research suggests that if its more than 10 years old it's probably best to replace it. This was the most authoratitave article I found (& this one suggests 5-10 years) and it considers production and disposal effects too.

Would it be better to freecycle it or take it to tip, then, I wonder? I'd have to at least offer it on Freecycle. Just couldn't stomach taking an only slightly flawed fridge straight to tip, myself!

The report actually says that to be environmental you must ensure the old one is disposed off. If it ends up getting used as an 'extra' in someones garage (as it may well if put on freecycle) then you have undone all the benefits at a stroke.

It feels all wrong, but if you think about it it's right - otherwise you should repair & keep it.

Wow I am totally over-awed by that fantastic German freezer study!!! Sadly I am too knackered to read it properly atm but will do so tomorrow. In the meantime I have actually booked in an engineer to replace the dodgy seals but have still 2 days to cancel!!

Thanks v much for your help. The article is far more convincing than what I had managed to find which was just something from Energy Saving Trust which seems to be little more than a front for selling new fridges.