Gone are the days when home appliances lasted a generation and may have even been handed down after that. As a kid, we had the same yellow Sears washer and dryer for around 20 years. My dad was handy and repaired both from time to time but even when we replaced them, the washer went to a daycare owned by my parents friends and they got a couple year’s use of it along with our old fridge, too.
A rule of thumb is to replace an appliance once it has exceeded 50% of its expected lifespan and it requires a repair charge that is 50% of its original cost. While replacement parts cost money, labor often costs more.
At some point, it makes more sense to consider a new appliance not only because of the expected future cost to repair it but also due to other factors such as the possible better energy efficiency of newer models along with more convenient benefits and features now available.
How Long Do Kitchen Appliances Last?
Most kitchen appliances can be expected to last around 9 -15 years. See the table below for specifics.
Most kitchen appliances don’t necessarily require maintenance per se but do require cleaning. Certainly one of the common problems with dishwashers and garbage disposal units is lack of proper cleaning. With regards to a dishwasher, the inside of the unit should be wiped clean when needed and you should rinse dishes and cutlery before putting them in the dishwasher.
If your fridge has cooling coils, they often get clogged with hair and dust to the point that they look they are wearing a fur coat. I routinely vacuum the coils and use compressed air to blow hard to reach dust out to keep the coils clean and working optimally.
Your stove can get very dirty inside with greasy, messy cooking. A self-cleaning stove is a godsend: You just select the self-cleaning option and it heats the oven to a very high temperature to essentially burn away all the debris. Without this option, you are going to have to manually clean your oven. The longer you wait to clean it, the longer the cleaning job.
A dishwasher has a filtration system that should be manually taken apart as per manufacturer instructions, rinsed and cleaned. It can negatively affect water flow and its ability to clean your dishes if the filtration system is not cleaned and maintained. Fat and grease can clog the filter and you’re essentially washing your dishes in fatty grease water each time.
Not sure how to clean your particular appliance? Check the instruction manual first and foremost and if needed head to YouTube. You’d be amazed at the videos that exist to show you to clean your appliances, not to mention the DIY videos for all the other things in your house.
How Long Do Major Appliances Last?
Major appliances such as a washer, dryer, central vacuum or water softener may last 12 – 20 years. See the table below for indicative lifespans and replacement costs to get a better sense of each.
Major appliances have a very wide range of lifespans given their different uses and how one defines the term major appliance. While many major appliances don’t need maintenance, some require cleaning from time to time like some kitchen appliances.
Expected Appliance Lifespans And Replacement Costs
Here are common household appliances, the expected lifespan and total replacement cost including delivery and installation. Clearly many factors can be at play not the least of which where you live and what brand and quality level of product you choose.
This is particularly helpful to consider when buying a resale home so you can figure out what might need to be replaced within a short period of time after you take possession. It’s also something to think about if you’re planning on selling your home and want to make the home as attractive as possible.
| Appliance | Lifespan | Total Replacement Cost |
| Central Air Conditioner | 15 | $2,800 – $7,700 |
| Central Vacuum (Motor Unit) | 20 | $1,200 – $3,000 |
| Dishwasher | 9 | $530 – $2,400 |
| Disposal | 12 | $250 – $400 |
| Dryer | 13 | $495 – $2,275 |
| Exhaust Fan | 10 | $170 – $365 |
| Fridge | 13 | $475 – $10,850 |
| Freezer | 11 | $600 – $1,150 |
| Microwave | 9 | $165 – $2,500 |
| Range, Electric | 13 | $510 – $7,700 |
| Range, Gas | 15 | $510 – $7,700 |
| Range/Oven Hood | 14 | $345 – $3,050 |
| Washer | 10 | $495 – $2,475 |
| Water Heater (Electric, Gas) | 10 | $805 – $1,554 |
| Water Heater (Tankless) | 20 | $1,000 – $3,000 |
| Water Softener | 12 | $700 – $930 |
Other Expected Home Equipment Lifespan And Replacement Costs
There are plenty of other items in a home to replace both inside and outside the house. Here are some of the more critical and expensive ones and their expected lifespans and replacement costs. In the case of outdoor equipment, the lifespan will depend on your local climate among other factors.
| Equipment | Lifespan | Total Replacement Cost |
| Asphalt Driveway | 25 | $2,300 – $10,300 |
| Deck (Wood) | 15 | $4,380 – $10,080 |
| Furnace | 15 | $2,500 – $6,592 |
| Gutters (Aluminum) | 20 | $5 – $14 per linear foot |
| Roof (Shingles) | 12 | $5,100 – $10,000 |
| Roof (Slate, Copper, Tile) | 50 | Slate: $11,000 – $24,000 Copper: $25,051 – $37,577 Tile: $16,000 – $32,000 |
| Roof (Wood Shake) | 30 | $18,000 – $27,000 |
| Sump Pump | 10 | $400 – $1,100 |
| Windows (Aluminum) | 15 | $375 to $1,285 per window |
| Windows (Wood) | 30 | $800 – $1,000 per window |
Home Equipment To Maintain And Service
With regards to this list, a driveway, deck and sump pump can all be maintained and repaired over time to extend their lifespan. An asphalt driveway can be resealed and cracks and holes repaired. A deck can be re-stained. A sump pump can be cleaned and serviced.
A furnace on the other hand does need regular (typically yearly) maintenance. Bringing a furnace specialist in each year before winter to service the furnace can help to extend its lifespan, ensure it runs more effectively and possibly save on electricity or gas costs, too.
Furnaces generally also require that you replace the disposable filter regularly which not only helps it run more effectively but ensures that the air is clean.
The 50% Rule To Replace Or Repair An Appliance
The average home appliance repair cost is around $171
but it can go much higher for larger appliances and bigger fixes. Many times, a service person will charge a fee of $45 – $120/hour just to show up and diagnose the problem and some may have a minimum charge so that the trip is worth their while. If you go with a cheaper service and pay cash, you may not have any recourse if the appliance breaks again shortly thereafter.
It may be time to replace an appliance once it has exceeded the 50% lifespan that could reasonably be expected from it and you are facing a repair bill that could cost around 50% of the original cost of the appliance.
So let’s say your 5 year old dishwasher stopped working and it appears you need a new water pump that may cost around $230 on average to replace (parts and labor included). A new dishwasher costs around $400 on average to purchase so you may be better off just replacing it. You do also need to consider the delivery and installation cost of course.
If you have a more expensive brand name dishwasher that originally cost $1,000 that has broken, it’s possible that the 50% lifespan has been exceeded but the repair cost isn’t. You might need to do some thinking to decide the best course of action.
How To Extend The Lifespan Of Appliances In Your Home
- How long do appliances last and how should you decide to repair or replace appliances? Lifespans vary as shown above but by the time they reach half their expected lifespan and need a repair worth 50% of their original cost, it may be time for a replacement.
- Follow the instructions of each appliance closely in terms of maintenance and cleaning. Not only will the appliances look better they will perform better too.
- Pay attention to the warranty for each product so that you can take advantage of it when necessary. Don’t wait to repair something if it’s still under warranty.
- Wipe gaskets in the fridge, oven and dishwasher to keep them clean. They can’t keep as tight a seal when they are dirty.
- If your fridge has cooling coils, vacuum them from time to time to get rid of dust bunnies.
- Don’t overload a dishwasher or clothes washer. It can negatively affect quality of cleaning and the machines have to work much harder.
- Don’t underload your washing machine either as it can throw off the balancing of the machine during spin cycles.
- Don’t overload your dryer as it takes longer to dry your clothes and puts an extra strain on the machine.
- Regularly clean out the lint trap of your dryer and also ensure the air vent leading outside the house isn’t clogged with lint as it can create a fire hazard. It may need to be serviced from time to time.
- Don’t wait until it’s more work than it should have been to clean things like the inside of an oven or the dishwasher filter.
- Get small leaks and noises checked out asap by a professional before a small problem becomes a big one.
- Consider a paid maintenance service plan for things that you can’t do yourself such as furnace cleaning. You may not need to repair or replace appliances as quickly when they are professionally serviced.
- Consider an extended warranty for some large mechanical parts of your home such as a furnace especially if it includes priority service.
Maintenance service plans and warranties may come in handy when you require an urgent furnace repair ie. in the middle of winter. They often provide emergency priority service to paid customers.
