How Long Will It Last?

"How long will it last?" That's a question we hear on just about every home inspection we perform. Home buyers should be concerned about the life expectancy of the systems of a home such as appliances, furnaces, air conditioners, etc. After all, these items are really expensive to replace and it's probably the last thing you want to do when moving into a new home.

Just about every item in the home has an estimated life expectancy. InterNACHI, the nations's largest home inspector association, has published a chart with the life expectancy of many items located in the home. This is a useful guide on determine what remaining life a system has.

These Are Guidelines

It's important to note that life expectancies are guidelines only. Furthermore, this assumes the item in question undergoes recommended maintenance and experiences normal wear and tear. The lifespan of an item can be reduced due to extreme weather conditions, over-use, neglect, or abuse.

For instance, a clothes dryer is rated for 13 years. That figure is determined based on normal use with routine maintenance. But let's say that same dryer is used in a three-unit apartment and the landlord doesn't have it routinely maintained. One can expect that the life of the dryer would be reduced.

Common Life Expectancies

Here are some of the most common items we get asked about. Please refer to the full list in the link above for even more information.

Item	Life Expectancy in Years
Gas Oven	10-18
Dishwasher	9
Refrigerator	9-13
Clothes Dryer	13
Washing Machine	5-15
Water Heater	6-12
Central Air Conditioner	7-15
Furnance	15-25
Boiler	40
Decks	10-30
3-Tab Shingles	20
Architectural Shingles	30