Normal Maintenance
If you strip away the cosmetics, a house is made up of the structure, roof, exterior envelope and the “systems” of the house. The “systems” are things like heating, plumbing, electrical and cooling.
All components and systems eventually wear out. Fortunately, they don’t all wear out at the same time. Different components have different life cycles. Houses tend to settle into what you might call a “normal maintenance pattern”.
What's the message here?
A homebuyer should arrive at the home inspection with realistic expectations. If you are buying a 12-15 year old home, let’s face it, you may need a new roof covering. If you are buying a 60 year old home, you may have to update some plumbing. Don’t let this scare you away from a perfectly good home.
How long does it last?
Here is a short list of typical life cycles of the most common components of the home. Please keep in mind that there will be exceptions in every category. All time lines are approximate.
ROOF conventional asphalt shingles12 - 15 yearstop quality asphalt shingles25 - 30 yearslow slope shingles10 - 15 yearsslate 40 - 200 yearstar & gravel roof (built up roof)15 - 20 yearssingle ply roof membrane15 - 20 yearsroll roofing 5 - 10 years EXTERIOR gutters & downspouts 20 - 30 years copper gutters and downspouts 50 - 100 years aluminum siding 50 plus years wood siding maintenance dependent stucco maintenance dependent exterior paint 4 - 6 years deck 10 - 20 years asphalt driveway surface 10 - 20 years driveway sealer 1 - 3 years concrete driveway 30 - 40 years garage door opener 8 - 12 years STRUCTURE termite treatment 10 - 20 years HEAT conventional furnace 20 - 25 years mid efficiency furnace 20 - 25 years high efficiency furnace unknown, suspect < 20 years cast iron boiler 35 - 50 years steel boiler 20 - 30 years copper tube boiler 10 - 20 years humidifier 5 - 10 years electronic air filter 10 - 20 years COOLING air conditioning condenser 10 - 15 years PLUMBING galvanized steel supply pipe 40 - 50 years copper pipe unknown, suspect < 45 years toilet 30 - 40 years sink 12 - 20 years faucet 10 - 15 years whirlpool bath 15 - 25 years shower pan Unpredictable submersible pump for well 10 - 15 years suction or jet pump 10 - 15 years water softener 5 - 15 years sump pump 2 - 7 years water heater 8 - 12 years tile bathtub enclosure 10 - 50 years INTERIOR paint 5 - 10 years windows maintenance dependent
ROOF
conventional asphalt shingles
12 - 15 years
top quality asphalt shingles
25 - 30 years
low slope shingles
10 - 15 years
slate
40 - 200 years
tar & gravel roof (built up roof)
15 - 20 years
single ply roof membrane
roll roofing
5 - 10 years
EXTERIOR
gutters & downspouts
20 - 30 years
copper gutters and downspouts
50 - 100 years
aluminum siding
50 plus years
wood siding
maintenance dependent
stucco
exterior paint
4 - 6 years
deck
10 - 20 years
asphalt driveway surface
driveway sealer
1 - 3 years
concrete driveway
30 - 40 years
garage door opener
8 - 12 years
STRUCTURE
termite treatment
HEAT
conventional furnace
20 - 25 years
mid efficiency furnace
high efficiency furnace
unknown, suspect < 20 years
cast iron boiler
35 - 50 years
steel boiler
copper tube boiler
humidifier
electronic air filter
COOLING
air conditioning condenser
PLUMBING
galvanized steel supply pipe
40 - 50 years
copper pipe
unknown, suspect < 45 years
toilet
sink
12 - 20 years
faucet
whirlpool bath
15 - 25 years
shower pan
Unpredictable
submersible pump for well
suction or jet pump
water softener
5 - 15 years
sump pump
2 - 7 years
water heater
tile bathtub enclosure
10 - 50 years
INTERIOR
paint
windows
Tracy Gosling, Owner/Inspector
Professionally Licensed Building Inspector
Province of British Columbia, BPCPA # 47579
(Business Practices and Consumer Protection Authority of BC)