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General Home Maintenance

Average Life Expectancies for Various Structures and Mechanical Items in Your Home

Floors
Carpeting:
Several years
Oak:
Life of building
Pine:
Life of building
Vinyl:
10-15 years
Slate, quarry, Flagstone:
4-50 years
Terrazzo:
Life of building
Heating and Cooling
Air Conditioner Compressor:
10-15 years
Air to Air Heat Exchanger:
15+ years
Buried Oil Tank:
15-25 years
Cast-Iorn Boiler:
20-40 years
Electric Baseboard:
15+ years
Electronic Air Cleaner:
10-15 years
Furnaces:
15-25 years
Heat Pump Compressor:
8-12 years
Humidifier:
2-10 years
Oil Tank:
40 years
Steel Boilers:
15-25 years
Wall Convection:
15+ years
Plumbing
Brass Pipes:
35-40 years
Cast Iron Drains:
50+ years
Copper Pipes:
50-60 years
Electric Water Heater:
10-15 years
Galvanized Steel Pipes:
30-40 years
Gas Water Heater:
6-12 years
Oil Water Heater:
10-12 years
Plastic Drains:
50-60 years
Plastic Pipes:
35-50 years
Pressure Tank:
20+ years
Septic Leaching Fields:
18-22 years
Submersible Well Pump
10 years

Appliances
Dishwasher:
7-12 years
Diposals:
5-12 years
Dryers:
7-12 years
Exhaust Fan:
10 years
Microwave Ovens:
10-15 years
Refrigerators:
8-16 years
Stoves:
15-25 years
Trash Compactors:
5-10 years
Washing Machines:
5-12 years
Roof Coverings
Asbestos-cement:
40-60 years
Asphalt Shingles:
15-25 years
Built-up:
10-25 years
Metal:
60+ years
Slate:
50-80 years
Rolled:
7-10 years
Tile/Terra Cotta:
40-60 years
Wood Shingles or shake:
30-40 years
Gutters
Aluminum:
15-25 years
Copper:
40+ years
Galvanized Steel:
20-30 years
Vinyl:
15-20 years
Wood:
20-30 years

Siding
Aluminum:
Indefinitely
Brick:
Life of building
Stucco:
30-40 years
Vinyl:
Indefinitely
Wood:
30-40 years
Windows and Doors
Garage Doors:
20-30 years
Interior Doors:
10+ years
Jealousy Windows:
30-40 years
Screen Doors:
5-8 years
Steel Casement Windows:
30-40 years
Storm Doors:
10-15 years
Wood, Double Hung Windows:
40-50 years
Chimneys
Masonry with Clay Liner:
60-100 years
Masonry Without Liner:
20-30 years
Metal:
10-20 years

Driveways
Asphalt:
10-15 years
Concrete:
20-30 years
Gravel:
10-20 years
Decks and Porches
Treated Wood:
30+ years
Untreated Wood:
5-7 years
Other Exterior Items
Concrete Patio:
15-25 years
Presure-Treated Fence:
30+ years
Sprinkler Systems:
15-25 years
Wood Fence (untreated):
7-12 years

Anatomy of a House

House
  1. Window Head Frame
  2. Wall Sheathing
  3. Verge Board
  4. Gutter
  5. Window Jamb Trimmer
  6. Wall Building Paper
  7. Window Sill Frame
  8. Cripple Studs
  9. Wall Siding
  10. Window Shutters
  11. Corner Bracing (45o)
  12. Corner Studs, Double
  13. Sole Plate
  14. Box Sill
  15. Basement Areaway
  16. Basment Sash
  17. Grade Line
  18. Gravel Fill
  19. Ridge Board
  20. Collar Beam
  21. Roof Rafters
  22. Interior Partition Plates
  23. Interior Studs
  24. Cross Bracing
  25. Plaster Base
  26. Gable Studs
  27. Interior Window Trim
  28. Plaster Walls
  29. Cross Bridging
  30. Second Floor Joists
  31. Arch Framing
  32. Insulation, batts
  33. Dining Nook
  34. Interior Door Trim
  35. Plaster Base, Rock Lath
  36. Finish Floor
  37. Floor Lining Felt
  38. Sub-Flooring
  39. Sill Plate
  40. Termite Shield
  41. Girder
  42. Plate Anchor Bolt
  43. Post
  44. Foundation Wall
  45. Frame Partition
  46. Tarred Felt Joint Cover
  47. Drain Tile
  48. Footing
  49. Flue Liner Tops
  50. Chimney Cap
  51. Brick Chimney
  52. Flashing and Counter Flashing
  53. Spaced 1"x4" sheathing (wood shingles)
  54. Tight Roof Sheathing
  55. Ceilling Joists
  56. Exterior Wall Plates
  57. Lookouts
  58. Furring Strips
  59. Stair Rail Balusters
  60. Stair Landing Newel
  61. Finish Flooring Over Felt Over Sub-flooring on Wood Joist
  62. Book Shelves
  63. Picture Mould
  64. Mantel and Trim
  65. Damper Control
  66. Base Top Mould
  67. Ash Dump
  68. Base Boards
  69. Shoe Mould
  70. Hearth
  71. Plaster Ceiling
  72. Boiler or Furnace
  73. Cleanout Door
  74. Basement Concrete Floor
  75. Cinder Fill
  76. Roof Cover (shingles)
  77. Roofing Felts
  78. Soffit of Cornice
  79. Facia of Cornice
  80. Vert. Board and Batten Siding
  81. Fire Stops
  82. Ribbon Plate
  83. Stair Wall Partition
  84. Stair Rail or Easing
  85. Starting Newel
  86. Cased Opening Trim
  87. Main Stair Treads and Risers
  88. Wall Stair Stringer
  89. Face Stringer and Moulds
  90. Starting Riser and Tread
  91. First Floor Joists
  92. Basement Stair Rail and Post
  93. Basement Stair Horses
  94. Basement Stair Treads and Riser
  95. Basement Post
  96. Facia Board
  97. Cornice Bed Mould
  98. Leader Head or Conductor Head
  99. Belt Course
  100. Porch Rafter
  101. Porch Ceiling Joists
  102. Porch Ceiling Soffit
  103. Porch Roof Beam
  104. Porch Beam Facia
  105. Entrance Door Trim
  106. Leader, Downspout or Conductor
  107. Porch Trellice
  108. Porch Column
  109. Porch Column Base
  110. Concrete Porch Floor
  111. Concrete Stoop
  112. Entrance Door Sill
  113. Stoop Foundation