Recently, I just went through the headache of trying to repair my washing machine.  I went through the troubleshooting process.  Ordered one part and replaced it….no luck.  Continued to troubleshoot.  Ended up ordering another part.  I replaced it…no luck.   The truth is the machine is older and the problems are more likely to continue to happen.  Eventually, you expect things to break down and need to be replaced.

I call this reality the life-cycle of a home.  Some projects just need to be given attention at certain stages of a home’s life. It’s easier to predict these things when you’re in a home that’s just 10-15 years old because you know at when everything was new.  But, as time passes, it gets to be a lot to keep track of the age of everything in a home because there’s not one “start” time for everything.  So, planning for a replacement starts with collecting data on your components.  I encourage you to consider taking an inventory of your home and create a list of everything you think may need to be replaced at some point and then find out how old it is.

How Old Is It?
How do we find out how old things are?  Here’s a secret inspectors use for mechanicals (water heaters, furnaces, and A/C units).  Google, “(Brand) (component) age code.”  For example, “Trane AC Age Code.”  Or “Bradford White water heater Age Code.”  Some systems have some convoluted codes to disguise the age of the system.  Others just print it write on the data plate.  Do this with each element and see if you can get a better picture of the age of each of your system.

Now that you know the ages, let’s talk about the life expectancy.

How Long Will it Last?

Virtually everything in your home has a life expectancy.  From the appliances to sinks to outlets and roofs.  There is a reasonable expectation of how long things will last.  With proper maintenance, perhaps these things will last longer.  Sometimes you’re fortunate and things exceed there life expectancy.  That’s a true gift!

But, having an expectation of a reasonable life expectancy will help you to plan for replacement and hopefully not put you in a financial crunch because you weren’t anticipating the repair.

In preparation for this article, I researched many resources to get an idea of how long most industry professionals expect things to last. I examined data from Consumer Reports, This Old House, Family Handyman, International Association of Certified Home Inspectors (known as NACHI), and a handful of other sites.    There were some components that these resources gave a wide range on.  But, generally speaking, there seemed to be a number that fell within the range of each of them.  I did my best to assimilate the data and land on an approximate life expectancy age for each of these elements.

By far, the most extensive list was from the NACHI site.  If you want to see their extensive list of nearly 300 different components go to nachi.org/life-expectancy.  

We are not going to go into a list of 300 items today.  That would not be enjoyable listening.  But, we are going to discuss some of the common things homeowners want to know about from appliances, to mechanical, and exterior elements.

Appliances

Let’s start by talking appliances.  Kitchen appliances vary in age. If you just want a general rule to remember things by it would be that the typical appliance lasts around 11 years.  That’s actually shorter than I expected the numbers to show.  Now, that’s a very general rule.  Some are estimated to last longer and some are shorter.

Shorter Life Expectancy:

• Microwave – 8 years
• Dishwasher – 9 years

Longer Life Expectancy

• Range – 11 years
• Washing Machine 11 years
• Dryer – 12 years
• Garbage Disposal – 12 years
• Refrigerator – 13 years
• Range – 14 years

If you have purchased or are buying a home that is 10-12 years old, be aware that if the appliances have not been replaced there may be some repairs or replacement costs coming in the next few years.  Hopefully, your home exceeds expectations.  But, these numbers are considered reasonable expectations.

Mechanical

When we shift over to mechanical elements are are generally talking about higher cost elements.  While they may cost more, it doesn’t mean that the life expectancy is exceptionally longer.  Let’s take a look.

• Water Heater – 10 years (Tankless Water – 20 years)
• Air Conditioning – 15 years
• Furnace – 20 years
• Electric Panel – 60 years

Outdoor Components

• Garage Door Opener – 12 years
• Asphalt Driveway – 15-20 years
• Concrete Driveway/Patio – 20-25 years 
• Garage Door – 20+ years
• Aluminum Gutters/Fascia – around 30 years
• Roofs (Asphalt) – 20 years
• Wood Decking – 15 years

Other Components

• Caulk – 5-10 years
• Sealants – 8 years
• Exterior Paint  – 7-10 years
• Interior Paint – 10-15
• Roof Adhessives – 15 years
  (Vulnerable area of roofs that leak before the roof needs to be replaced.) 
• GFCI Outlets – Up to 30 years 

By no means is this an exhaustive list.  The whole point of this episode is to help you anticipate potential improvements you need so that you can be financially prepared and not caught off-guard.