FAQ - Antique Appliances

Frequently Asked Questions

If you would like to see information added to the FAQ page that we haven’t thought of, please send us an e-mail.

Q. Do you sell vintage refrigerator door gasket material?

Yes. We stock several different styles of vintage refrigerator door gasket material. Please note that these gaskets do not cross to original manufacture numbers. Gasket material sells for $6.00 per foot, and up. For more information regarding our available door gaskets, check out our online parts store.

Q. Are these old refrigerators energy efficient?

Yes. During the restoration process, the entire refrigerator is dismantled. All of the old insulation and electrical wiring is removed and discarded. The empty box is then sand blasted, hand sanded, primed and repainted with 6 coats of solvent based enamel paint (your choice of color). Upon reassembly, the refrigerator receives a new blanket of insulation, new electrical wiring and a new door gasket. The mechanical system is overhauled or replaced with a new system, then calibrated and fine tuned to optimum efficiency. Once the refrigerator is completely reassembled, it is turned on and operated on a test pattern for 5 to 7 days. The average run time of a completely restored refrigerator is 10 to 12 minutes every hour. Because these do not have defrost heater assemblies or condenser and evaporator fan systems, they do not require the additional electricity of today’s more modern units. The key to their efficiency is the new insulation and a good solid door gasket seal. By keeping the cold air in, the operating time is reduced.

Q. Do you ship, and what does it cost?

Yes, we ship our restored vintage appliance anywhere in the US. We have established a relationship with several private transport servicxes that offer in home pick up and delivery. Be sure to check out our Shipping page for more information on shipping as well as other options for your consideration.

Q. How does Classified Advertising work on AntiqueAppliances.com?

AntiqueAppliances.com offers a classified advertising forum for antique appliances of all kinds. Our forum allows you to place your own text ads automatically. Two “For Sale” ad options are available: 90 days for $40 or 120 days for $60. Each rate allows you to ad text and photos. At the end of 90 days, you have the option to renew your advertisement. If you do not renew your advertisement, it will be removed. “Wanted” advertisements cost $10 for 3 months (no photos) and $40 for 3 months (up to three photos).

Q. How old is my vintage appliance and what is it worth?

We’re happy to give you an opinion as to the value of your old stove or fridge! Our opinion is free…so all you need to do is email us a couple of photos of the appliance and tell us that you would like to know what it might be worth. Send images in a standard 800X600 pxl, “jpg” format to john@antiqueappliances.com

Q. I have an old GE refrigerator, on legs with the motor on top. How old is this refrigerator, and what is it worth?

This is the classic GE Monitor Top refrigerator. GE first introduced this model for residential use in 1927. The Monitor Top was considered the standard in the industry and was one of the most popular and most affordable means of electrified refrigeration from 1927 through 1937. Monitor Tops used SO2 (sulfur dioxide) or Methal Formate for their refrigerant. Monitor Top refrigerators were so well built, that literally hundreds of them are still in service today, many have never had need for a service repair. This is a real testimony to the quality and integrity that these units were produced with. Most of these models had a single door, however, there were limited productions of double and triple door models. Single door models are typically worth $150 to $400 in their “as is’, unrestored condition, models having been completely restored can sell for $3400 to $4200. The rarer double and triple door models are worth considerably more depending on condition. Read More about Monitor Top Refrigerators Here.

Q. What is a 100-Point Restoration?

At Antique Appliances, we strive to restore your vintage appliance with every attention to detail. Our 100-Point Restoration begins with a complete photographing the stove or refrigerator from every angle. The item is then carefully dismantled with each part cataloged and tagged, more photos taken with every step of the process. Once the unit is completely dismantled, all old insulation is discarded. Electrical wiring is diagramed and inspected. At this point in the process, there is a slightly different avenue taken depending on whether the cabinet finish of the appliance is a painted surface or a porcelain surface. Click here to view the rest of our story.

Q. What’s your refund policy?

Due to the uniqueness of the vintage appliance business, AntiqueAppliances.com has the following policy with regard to refunds for deposits made toward the purchase of or the restoration of any vintage appliance.

If you are purchasing a vintage appliance from our inventory of “Unrestored Treasures ” or our showroom, your initial 40% deposit is not refundable. Once the item is tagged for you and your project is placed on our restoration calendar, the item is removed from the list of items available for sale to other potential clients. Because we are reserving the item exclusively for you and may pass up an opportunity to show it to another client, we consider the item yours. Should you decide, for any reason, to back out of your purchase on the selected vintage appliance, we will retain your deposit as compensation for the opportunities we have missed to sell the item to other potential clients.

If we are restoring a vintage appliance that already belongs to you, your initial $500 deposit may be partially refundable. Because the appliance already belongs to you, we have no reason to show it to or attempt to sell it to other clients. Should you decide to cancel the project before we begin restortion work, the full deposit amount is refundable. No refunds are offered once we have started restoration on your project.

Q. Does AntiqueAppliances.com purchase appliances?

Although we do purchase vintage appliances for our inventory, we are very selective as to what we purchase. If you think you have an item that would be of interest to us, please provide two pictures of the item. You can e-mail those pictures to John (john@antiqueappliances.com) or mail them to our P.O. address on the “Contact Us” page of our site. Both photos should be full view of the front, one with the doors open and one with the doors closed. Once we review the item we will contact you regarding our level of interest. Should we have interest in your appliance, shipping costs will be a consideration in our decision to make you an offer or accept your price, so please tell us the city and state where the appliance is located .

You may also post your vintage appliance for sale on the classified ad section of our website.

Q. What about replacement parts?

Here at AntiqueAppliances.com we occasionally salvage vintage and antique stove and refrigerator parts. Unfortunately, sometimes we are forced to sacrifice an entire unit for a part or two. It is an overwhelming task cataloguing and indexing all of these parts for the website as our stock of original replacement parts changes frequently. However, if you drop us an e-mail at parts@antiqueappliances.com we will be happy to assist you in any way we can. We may have just the part you are looking for. We do carry a few items on our website. Click here to view our new online parts store.