How Long Should It Last?

If you've been home-shopping recently, you may have heard comments such as "the roof is 8 years old"... but for some buyers this doesn't mean much. Is that old? Is that new? How long should a roof be expected to last anyway? Well, the National Association of Homebuilders (NAHB) has some answers for you.

The NAHB did a survey to determine the average life expectancy of a number of household items and appliances. Of course these are just average expectancies, and some other factors play a major role in how long something will last, such as quality of installation, frequency of use, and standard of maintenance.

Here are some common household components and their life expectancies (in years):

Dishwashers - 9 yrs
Washing Machine - 10 yrs
Dryer - 13 yrs
Electric Water Heater - 11 yrs
Gas Water Heater - 10 yrs
Refrigerators - 13 yrs
Microwave - 9 yrs
Electric Range/Stove - 13 yrs
Gas Range/Stove - 15 yrs
Electric Furnace - 15 yrs
Gas Furnace - 18 yrs
Brick Masonry - 100+ yrs
Stucco Siding - 50 to 100 yrs
Cultured Marble Counter - 20 yrs
Natural Stone Counter - lifetime
Wooden Decks - 20 yrs
Fiberglass, Steel, or Wood Doors - lifetime
Screen Door - 40 yrs
Vinyl Door - 20 yrs
French Door - 30 to 50 yrs
Copper Electrical Wiring - lifetime
Whirlpool Tubs - 20 to 50 yrs
Carpet - 8 to 10 yrs
Concrete Flooring - 50+ yrs
Marble Flooring - 100+ yrs
Slate Flooring - 100 yrs
Tile Flooring - 20 yrs
Laminate Flooring - 15 to 25 yrs
Linoleum Flooring - 25 yrs
Vinyl Flooring - 50 yrs
Wood Flooring - Lifetime
Engineered Wood Flooring - 50yrs
Exterior & Interior Paint - 15+ yrs
Asphalt or Modified Bitumen Roof - 20 yrs
Coal & Tar or Wood Roof - 30 yrs
Slate Roof - 50 yrs
Clay/Concrete Roof - lifetime

Believe it or not, these are only a selection of what I find to be most useful for buyers to know... if you want the complete list, do not hesitate to contact me!