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The age of various house members/units is crucial in the understanding of their remaining useful life. Listed below are some typical age/life expectancies. These are general statements, for there are many factors which determine the life of a house member/unit that are impossible to detect on a visual inspection. Some members/units may perform well beyond their expected life, while others may need replacement sooner.
| House Members/Units |
Est. Useful Life |
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asphalt composite roof |
15 - 30 |
| slate/tile roof |
50+ |
| septic system (leaching fields) |
18 - 20 |
| boiler/furnace |
20 - 30 |
| heat exchanger w/humidifier |
10 |
| combustion chambers |
10 |
| burner |
10 |
| appliances |
5 - 8 |
| hot water tank |
5 - 12 |
| tankless hot water (serviced properly) |
10+ |
| buried water pipes in concrete |
15 - 18 |
| window maintenance/repairs |
maintain annually |
| flashing maintenance/repairs |
maintain annually |
| metal chimneys |
10 |
| metal flue lines |
10 |
| unlined brick flues |
20+ |
| automatic flue dampers |
inspect annually |
| swimming pool liners |
10 |
| tile walls (average quality) |
1 - 5 |
| exposed wood deck or porch |
5 - 7 |
| old wiring |
unknown |
| thermal seals in windows |
5+ |
| caulking/putty (average quality) |
1 - 5 |
| painted siding/trim |
5 |
| stained siding/trim |
7+ |
| downspout drywalls |
10 |
| termite treatment |
5 - 7 |
| carpenter ant treatment |
annually |
| air conditioning compressor |
8 - 12 |
| old water pipes |
unknown |
| old drains, traps, vents, waste pipes |
unknown |
| buried oil tanks |
15 |
| oil tanks |
30 |
| plumbing fixtures/faucets |
unknown |
| fiberboard siding |
5 - 7 years (properly treated) |
| rolling roofing seams |
maintain annually |
| chimney maintenance |
inspect annually |
| pump motors |
5+ |
| roof drainage maintenance |
service semiannually |
| heat pump |
8 - 10 | |
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Tips From R.J.D.
Cracks in poured concrete or concrete block, Stone, or Brick foundation walls can result from shrinkage, differential settlement, lateral pressure on the wall by the soil, or poor workmanship. It is not uncommon to find short cracks in the foundation walls. Cement block, Brick, and Stone foundations have a greater chance of water seepage then poured concrete foundations due to the numerous joints. We recommend all cracks be sealed as a precautionary measure against water and insect penetration. Since it is not possible to determine from a single visual inspection whether the cracks differential settlement is active or dormant, the wall should be checked for incremental movement over a period of time, usually several months or years.
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