Replacing or upgrading the many components in our home is a costly enterprise and one recurring question is always, “How long before I have to do this again?”
Frankly, the answer will always be a little fuzzy, even to home inspectors, since it is an average of those that fail right out of the box and those that appear to cling to life far beyond our most outlandish expectations. It also does not take into account the fact that older, simpler machines may be expected to survive longer than newer, more complex units do and that weather and usage may influence individual results.
This table, used in home inspections, should help in planning efforts.
Component |
Useful Life |
Incandescent light bulb |
1000 hours |
Compact-Florescent light bulb |
8000 hours |
Furnace filter, disposable |
1 to 3 months |
Furnace filter, washable |
2 to 3 years |
Trash compactor |
6 years |
Smoke detector |
5 to 7 years |
Carbon Monoxide detector |
5 to 7 years |
Deck sealer |
1 to 3 years |
Dehumidifier |
8 years |
Humidifier |
8 years |
Exterior paint |
6 to 10 years |
Microwaves |
8 to 9 years |
Refrigerators |
9 years |
Air conditioner (room) |
10 years |
Air conditioner (central) |
15 years |
Water heater (gas) |
10 years |
Water heater (electric) |
11 years |
Water heater (tank less) |
20 years |
Freezer |
11 years |
Garbage disposal |
12 years |
Washing machine |
12 years |
Dryer |
13 years |
Dish washer |
13 years |
Kitchen range (electric) |
13 years |
Asphalt drive |
15 years |
Kitchen range (gas) |
15 years |
Furnace (electric or gas) |
15 to 18 years |
Furnace (oil) |
20 years |
Hydronic boiler (electric) |
13 years |
Hydronic boiler (gas) |
20 years |
Thermostat (analog) |
35 years |
Thermostat (electronic) |
5 to 10 years |
Mid-America Inspection Services, serving Fargo and West Fargo, North Dakota, Moorhead, Alexandria, Fergus Falls, Detroit Lakes, Wadena and the Minnesota Lakes Region
218-443-3555, 320-846-0004, 218-287-0877, 218-841-0444
midamericainspections@gmail.com
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