As a homeowner, you most likely know that your home’s systems and appliances don’t last forever. They have lifespans, and as they get older and their parts stop working, they're bound to garner some costly repairs and replacements. When those repairs and replacements crop up, it can wreak havoc on your budget… especially if you weren’t planning on paying for a brand-new air conditioning system. Although no one can predict exactly when a system or appliance in a home will break down, contractors and home builders can look at how these different systems and appliances are built and, based on experiences on when the systems and appliance failed in the past, calculate an average lifespan for each. Use this handy infographic to know when to expect to repair or replace these common household systems and appliances in your house, and make sure to purchase a Landmark home warranty to offset the cost of some of those repairs!
Home Appliances
DISHWASHER
According to the National Association of Home Builders Study of Life Expectancy of Housing Components, a dishwasher has a life expectancy of about 9 years but can last longer with maintenance and less usage. So, if you want your dishwasher to last a bit longer, bust out those rubber gloves and wash the dishes by hand once in a while. Then, take a look at this guide on how to do general upkeep and maintenance on your dishwasher.
When your dishwasher does fail, according to Thumbtack, it can cost a homeowner anywhere between $450 – $750 to purchase the new unit and have it installed. If a homeowner has a home warranty, it can help reduce those costs if the dishwasher failed from something covered in the plan. The homeowner will only have to pay a small service call fee to replace the dishwasher if it failed from normal wear and tear.
OVEN
The type of oven you own determines its average lifespan. If you own a gas oven, it will last around 15 years, while an electric oven will last around 13 years. While you can repair these appliances and should take a look at troubleshooting them (you can find gas oven troubleshooting here, and electric oven troubleshooting here), when you do need to replace your appliance, the cost can range between $650 and $2,000 (according to Angie’s List).
Again, a home warranty can drastically reduce that cost. If the oven failed from something in the home warranty contract, a homeowner will only have to pay the $60-$100 service call fee.
FRIDGE
When a fridge fails, not only are you footing the bill of a new unit and installation fees, you’re losing money on any food that spoiled while your fridge wasn’t cool. Usually, refrigerators last around 13 years, according to the National Association of Home Builders Study of Life Expectancy of Housing Components. If your fridge has broken down before that time period, it may just be from increased use. You can see if you can get it started again by cleaning the refrigerator’s evaporative coils.
If your fridge has completely broken down, Angie’s List averages the price for a new unit between $900 to $8,000. A home warranty can help offset some of that cost provided that the fridge broke down due to something covered under the homeowner’s chosen home warranty plan.
WASHER AND DRYERS
Nobody likes to hand wash clothes, but when your washer breaks down, that’s what you have to do until it’s fixed. According to the National Association of Home Builders Study of Life Expectancy of Housing Components, a washer will last around 10 years and cost between $700-$1000 to replace, while your dryer will last around 13 years and cost between $400-$1000 to replace.
HEATING AND COOLING SYSTEMS
One of the largest systems in your home, and one of the most important for your comfort, is your heating and cooling system. If you have a typical HVAC system, which stands for Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning, your air conditioner and furnace will both last significantly less time than many individuals might believe – only 15 to 20 years, according to the National Association of Home Builders Study of Life Expectancy of Housing Components. Of course, a home’s HVAC system will last longer if a homeowner does maintenance on the unit, like replacing or cleaning the filters. If you’re living in a home that is older and has never had the air conditioning or furnace replaced, you may be looking at a fairly expensive replacement in your future. According to Home Advisor’s True Cost Guide, an air conditioning will run a homeowner anywhere between $3,733 - $7,160 to replace while a furnace will cost homeowners between $2,520 - $6,058.
PLUMBING SYSTEM
Garbage Disposal
Your home’s garbage disposal can be a hardy part of the plumbing system that makes up your house. On average, according to the National Association of Home Builders Study of Life Expectancy of Housing Components, garbage disposals can last up to 12 years. Replacing it can cost up to $400, which might not sound too bad, but it is a hefty sum when you’re not expecting it and your sink may not be draining!
Water Heater
Amazingly, your garbage disposal’s average lifespan is more than your water heater, which, on average, only lasts 10 years. You can tell how old your water heater is easily by looking at the serial number on the tank. Unfortunately, if your tank is older than 10 years, and you haven’t flushed the sediment out of the bottom and live in a state with harder water, you could be looking at a replacement costing between $731 - $1,332. Luckily, with a Landmark home warranty that covers sediment damage, your new water heater could be replaced for just the cost of a service call fee.
Toilet
Most toilets are made up of porcelain, a substance that would take almost a lifetime to fall into disrepair, so there’s not much worry in having to replace your entire toilet if your home is relatively new. However, the components that make up the toilet and help it to flush do wear out and only last around 10 years. These repairs could cost you between $133 - $284. Landmark also has helpful repair and replacement instructions for those components here on our do-it-yourself toilet repair guide.
Electrical
The electrical system that makes up your home is the longest lasting system by far, as you don’t need mechanical parts to turn on and off the lights in your home and keep your appliances running. Smaller items like your switches and electrical outlets have lifespans of 10 years or more, so it’s unlikely you’ll have many electrical repairs in your home. When you do, the wiring may cost you the most, with Home Advisor estimating costs between $500-$2,100. Installing a new light switch will only cost $90 - $200, though.
GARAGE
Garage door openers can be frustrating when they stop working... especially if your car is inside! Garage door openers last between 10 - 15 years and they cost between $200 - $465 to replace.
ROOF
Depending on what kind of shingles your home has, you may need to replace (or at least repair) your roof more often than you might think. A slate, copper, or clay/concrete mix roof will last over 50 years, but asphalt shingles have an average lifespan of 20 years. Fiber cement shingles will need repairs or replacements after 25 years, while wood can last up to 30 years. If you don’t have protection from a Landmark home warranty with roof leak repair coverage, the average cost to just repair a roof is between $336 - $1,223.
Overall, your home’s systems and appliances don’t last forever! They require upkeep and maintenance, but even with the best care in the world, they’ll eventually break down and you’ll need to replace them. With a home warranty you can save significant amounts of money on these repairs and replacements!