Maintenance is key, no matter the age of the A/C periodically changing air filters and thermostat batteries ensures efficient use. Newer systems have an advantage with longer lives, thanks to improvements in technology. Central Air Conditioning and Heat Pumps, 15-20 years: Front loaders can develop leaky door gaskets and top-loaders sometimes have problems with humidity and rust. And type doesn’t have a huge effect –front-loaders and top-loaders both have their own problems. A family average of eight loads a week will yield an average of a (low) double-digit life. The life of a laundry machine is completely dependent on how often it’s run. Washer, 10-14 years, and Dryer, 10-13 years: Small repairs to things like failed door gaskets or malfunctioning ice makers are expected, but a broken compressor usually signals the end for a fridge. More common freezer-top and side-by-side models can last 17 and 14 years, respectively. The top end of this life expectancy range belongs exclusively to increasingly rare single-door refrigerator units. Good everyday care will help extend the useful life, such as cleaning the stove after every use and regularly checking the burners. Gas stoves last longer than their electric counterparts by 2-5 years, on average. Small efforts, like using a strainer and always running water when operating the disposal, will pay off with a long life. A large family that cooks at home will need to replace the garbage disposal sooner than a bachelor who eats out. The biggest thing that affects a disposal’s life span is how often it’s used. But staying on top of maintenance ( like cleaning the filter) and small repairs will prevent bigger problems down the road. The more extra features a dishwasher has, like an electronic readout, the more things can potentially break. Newer and more expensive models don’t necessarily have longer lives. But don’t fret: If anything in the house is near the end of its life, there are still some things you can do to squeeze out extra time and avoid a costly replacement. Read over these average useful lives of big-ticket home appliances, then compare them with the ages of the equipment around your own home. Whether shopping for a new appliance or just trying to make an old one keep ticking, the only question on your mind is “How long is this thing supposed to last?” Knowing the average life of an appliance can help you figure out if splurging on a top-of-the-line range is worth the added cost, or help you make an easy decision when it comes time to determine whether to repair or replace an aging water heater.
Editor’s Note: When planning your yearly budget do you take into account possibly having to replace one of those major appliances? It can be tough to know when to plan for that, but Taryn Fiol from Apartment Therapy is here to help spell out how long appliances last.
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