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How Long Will it Last? By: New Jersey Home Inspector Michael Del Greco Article Word Count: 799 words  [Comments (0)] Total Views: 2 Views

How Long Will It Last? Submitted by: Michael Del Greco, New Jersey Home Inspector Lic GI 0121, President of Accurate Inspections, Inc, a New Jersey home inspection company How nice it would be if we had a crystal ball to tell us how long the systems, appliances, and building materials in our home would last! Unfortunately, this is the \"real world\" and no such item exists. The next best bet is to consult the following list of \"Life Expectancies for Residential Equipment and Materials.\" It will give a good idea of how long these items typically last. The ranges below may vary a little based on a number of factors, including: 1. Quality of the equipment and/or materials. 2. Proper application and/or use of the equipment and materials. 3. The proper capacities of the equipment and/or materials. 4. Varying amounts and type of usage. 5. Exposure to different weather and geographical conditions. 6. Quality of fuels, water, and air to which the equipment is exposed. 7. Future high-tech equipment, materials, and applications (that may increase or decrease life expectancies). 8. Quality of workmanship used in the installation. HEATING SYSTEMS YEARS Boilers Cast iron 30 to 60 Steel 20 to 35 Heating Exchangers (steel) Gas-fired 25 to 40 Oil-fired 20 to 35 Heat Pump Compressor 7 to 12 Heating Pipes Steel 80 to 120 Copper 60 to ? Burners Oil 20 to 30 Gas 30 to 40 Misc. Heating Components Circulators 20 to 30 Fans 12 to 40 Oil Tanks (inside) 25 to 50 Expansion Tanks 35 to 50 Zone Valves 7 to 10 Note: Heaters need complete replacement when the boiler (water) or heat exchanger (air) fails. AIR CONDITIONING (Electric) Compressors 10 to 14 Coils 20 to 30 Fans 12 to 40 PLUMBING SYSTEMS Water Service (Public) Lead 50 to 90 Steel 40 to 75 Copper 70 to ? Plastic Unknown Interior Water Pipe Steel 1/2\" 40 to 60 Copper 1/2\" 70 to 100 Plastic Unknown Drainage Lines Galvanized Steel 40 to 60 Copper 60 to 100 Cast Iron 50 to 90 Plastic (P.V.C.) 35 to ? Lead 50 to 90 WELL EQUIPMENT (On-site Water Supply) Pump-Submersible 15 to 22 Pump-Above Ground 13 to 20 Pressure Tank-Steel 15 to 25 Pressure Tank - Fiberglass 25 to 50 SEPTIC SYSTEM (On-Site Drainage System) Steel Tank 15 to 30 Concrete Tank 25 to 40 Life expectancy of leaching fields is determined by porosity of soil and maintenance (10 to 60 years) MISCELLANEOUS PLUMBING ITEMS Water Heater Gas 8 to 14 Electric 12 to 18 Oil Burner 20 to 40 Fixtures Faucets, etc. 20 to 60 Toilets & sinks 40 to 60 ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS Service cables 20 to 40 Wiring (interior) Knob & tube 60 to 90 Armored Cable-BX 50 to 80 Plastic - Romex) 70 to 80 Panel Boxes Fuses or Circuit Breakers 20 to 50 Life expectancy is directly related to moisture in the area of the box (rust & oxidation of contacts). EXTERIOR COMPONENTS Roof Coverings Fiberglass Asphalt Shingles 18 to 25 Roofs wear out sooner on the south side of the house. Built-Up Roofing, 3 ply 10 to 15 Installation procedures and regular recoating can extend the life of these roofs 2, 3 or more times. Slate (depends on the quarry from which it came, maintenance is required. 35 to 200 Metal Standing or Welded Seams 50 to 90 Metal roofs are mostly tin and will remain functional as long as you keep them from rusting . Cedar (depends on quality of wood, workmanship, and maintenance) 20 to 40 Sidings and Veneers Aluminum (you may repaint aluminum siding at about 20-23 years to extend life) 18-25 Vinyl 25 to ? Aluminum with Tedlar coating 35 to 50 Hardboard or composition (depends on finish, exposure to sun and maintenance) 20 to 40 T1-11 Plywood Siding (must coat regularly or will not last more than 8 years) 20 to 40 Stucco (70 years without paint, 200+ years with regular painting) 70 to 200+ Asbestos (needs normal maintenance, recommended painting) 40 to 100 Masonry Brick. Veneers with periodic pointing. 100+ Note: Masonry walls are very durable and as long as they are designed properly and receive periodic maintenance, they should last 100+ years. Exceptions would be salmon brick, cinder block (instead of concrete block) and Serpentine stone. Windows Wood. Usually very dependable and have long life expectancies with regular painting and storm windows to help protect them. 35 to 100 Aluminum. Usually are marginal in design and functionality. An advantage is their low cost. 10 to 25 Vinyl. Reasonable window, moderate cost, not enough history to project life expectancy. 15 to ? Aluminum storm windows 30 to 40 INTERIORS Ceramic Tile (in tub or shower wall areas) Wed Bed (cement) or Wonder Board Backing 40 to 90 Mastic System (adhesive) 14 to 20 Plaster Walls 70 to 120 Ceilings 60 to 90 Life expectancy of plaster is altered by the carpentry framing and the type of plaster lath used. Drywall (also called sheetrock) Walls 50 to ? Ceilings 30 to ? Appliances Refrigerators 10 to 20 Dishwashers 13 to 18 Gas Ranges 20 to 35 Electric Ranges 15 to 25 Garbage Disposal 10 to 15 Humidifiers 5 to 20 Dehumidifiers 8 to 12 Washers 10 to 20 Dryers 10 to 20 Information provided by Michael Del Greco, New Jersey Home Inspector Lic. GI 0121, American Society of Home Inspectors Member 102273, Pesident of Accurate Inspections, Inc. A West Paterson New Jersey Home Inspection firm.

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