I have spent some time in China and one of the craziest parts was how different the Chinese view time.  I remember walking down a street of old houses and finding out they were literally hundreds of years old.  What?!  I’m from Overland Park.  When we say a house is old, that means it was built before Reagan was president.  NOT that it was built before Abraham Lincoln was born!  

Cell phones haven’t helped.  The new I-phone is coming out, and people are talking about replacing their OLD 18 month old phones.  What?!  (Ok, so that was me).   Don’t you wish you knew how long parts of your house are supposed to last?  You might postpone that family trip to Disneyland if you knew that your furnace is 5 years past its predicted Dia de los Muertos (that’s Spanish for “day of the dead” for all you Trump supporters)

House parts are like dogs. Some live a lot longer than you think (like my crazy 18 year old lab that is deaf and blind and breathes like a chronic smoking grandmother), and some live a lot shorter. But there are some expected lifespans that may help you plan ahead. Check out the list below and I’ll bet you’ll be surprised by a few!

Four critical factors that help keep the Grim Reaper away (at least from your appliances):

• Did you buy quality?    (That can of paint that costs half what the others cost?  Yeah, you know what that means.)
• Does it have electronics?  (That flashy computer screen on your range actually shortens the lifespan by 5 years or more)
• Do you maintain it?  (regularly cleaning the dryer vent will make it last years longer)
• What are its working conditions?  (carpet in a basement could break down faster due to exposure to moisture coming through the floor)

Some lifespans:

• Air Conditioner    5-7 years
• Furnace 15-25 years
• Dishwasher 10 years
• Range 13-17 years
• Refrigerator   10 years
• Kitchen cabinets 25-50 years
• Concrete and drywall 75 years
• Laminate countertops 20-30 years
• Granite 100+
• Wood deck 10-15 years
• Composite deck 10-25 years
• Incandescent bulbs 1,000 hours
• LED bulbs 30,000-50,000 hours!
• Wood floors 100+
• Carpet 8-10
• Laminate floor 15-25 years
• Tile 75-100 years
• Concrete block foundation 100+ years (same as poured foundations if properly done)
• Smoke detectors Less than 10 years (don’t wait to find out they don’t work!)
• Insulation 100+ if installed properly
• Cast Iron drain pipe 60 years (how old is your house?)
• Copper water lines   70 years
• Toilet tank components 5 years
• Sump pump 7 years
• Water heater 6-12 years
• Asphalt roof 15-30 years
• Slate roof 60-150
• Vinyl siding and stucco 60 years
• Brick and stone 100+

You can also view this column with our partner PVPost.com