On Fri, 23 Jan 2009 09:23:07 -0800 (PST), Too_Many_Tools
wrote:

FYI...

In reference to the suggested times


My suggestion, when they fail and the cost of repair is more
than it is worth, or when the estimated energy savings over the
expected remaining life is sufficient to make it worth while

Remember that an appliance that is close to the estimated life
for an appliance is much like mine. I have had cancer many times in
the last 45 yeras, but since I am now 60+ years old, my expected life
is now higher than the national average because I have already avoided
dying in those first 60 years.

An old appliance approaching the average life of that kind of
appliance is likely to live well past that average, it must in order
to keep the average because of all those that previously died.