Perfect Thanksgiving, Perfect Family Home
Did you know the median age of homes in America is 36, which is older than the life expectancy for most roofs, decks, irrigation, HVAC systems, and appliances?
You can extend the life of your home’s components with routine home maintenance. Here are a list of common household components and their life expectancy with the proper household maintenance.
Home Components, Their Life Expectancy, and Routine Home Maintenance to Extend Performance
Roof
Anticipated Life Expectancy: 20 – 25 years for shingles, 30 for wood shake, and 50+ for clay, concrete, slate or copper.
Preventative Home Maintenance Routine: Twice yearly (generally in the spring and fall), replace missing and damaged shingles, check for signs of damage, look for blistering, and check for any sign of leaks. Clear off debris and clean the gutters, paying careful attention to the valleys where water and debris can accumulate.
Siding
Anticipated Life Expectancy: 10 – 100 years for wood siding, 50+ years for steel, 20 – 50 years for aluminum, 50 years for vinyl.
Preventative Home Maintenance Routine: Clean the siding using a garden hose or pressure washer in the spring. Tighten loose boards, and caulk any exposed areas to prevent water from getting inside and damaging the home structure.
Decks
Anticipated Life Expectancy: 20-30 years.
Preventative Home Maintenance Routine: Wash and treat wood decks as needed in the spring/summer with a weatherproof protectant.
Irrigation
Anticipated Life Expectancy: 12 years for sprinkler systems.
Preventative Home Maintenance Routine: Check sprinkler system before you turn on the system in the spring. Fix leaks, cut away bushes and plants that are inhibiting the water flow, and check that no water is spraying on the home’s foundation or siding. Prior to the first freeze, turn off the sprinkler system and have the irrigation system professionally “blown out” for the winter.
Kitchen / Baths
Anticipated Life Expectancy: 50 years for toilets, 10 – 15 years for showers/bathtubs, 15 – 20 years for cabinets, 10 – 15 years for laminate counters, 20 years for granite counters, lifetime for ceramic tile.
Preventative Home Maintenance Routine: Replaced any damaged caulking around sinks, faucets, toilets, showers, or baths. Check for any water-related damage, especially on the floors and in the cabinets under the sinks. Check for any leaks in the plumbing surrounding the fixtures.
HVAC and Water Heaters
Anticipated Life Expectancy: 20 years for tankless water heaters, 16 years for heat pumps, 15-20 years for furnaces, 10-15 years for A/C units, 10 years for gas/electric water heaters.
Preventative Home Maintenance Routine: Change the air return filter every one to three months (depending on the manufacturer). Check or install insulation around water heater. If you have noticed an inefficiency in your HVAC system, you may consider having your ducts cleaned.
Appliances
Anticipated Life Expectancy: 13-15 years for ranges, 13 years for refrigerators, 13 years for dryers, 12 years for disposals, 10 years for washing machines, 9 years for dishwashers.
Preventative Home Maintenance Routine: Remove lint from dryer after every load. If noticing an inefficiency (and every couple of months), check that the dryer exhaust and vent is clean and clear of debris.
For your refrigerator, clean dirt and lint from the condenser coils twice a year.
With the proper home maintenance, you can create a more sustainable, longer lasting home with a higher life expectancy of the components within it.
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