How Often Should You Replace Everything in Your Home? The Complete Appliance Lifespan Guide

Keeping up with home maintenance is hard enough—but knowing when everything in your home is due for replacement? That’s an entirely different level of chaos. From appliances to roofing to systems hiding behind your walls, every part of your home has an expiration date. And missing those windows can quietly drain your bank account through inefficiency, surprise breakdowns, and preventable repairs.

This guide breaks it all down into a clear, room-by-room appliance lifespan chart and home maintenance schedule so you finally know what’s overdue, what’s next, and what you can safely ignore (for now).

Your Whole-Home Replacement Timeline

Below is your brutally honest breakdown of how long the things in your home actually last. Some items will surprise you. Some will terrify you. All of them will make you realize why staying proactive matters.

Kitchen Replacement Lifespans

The kitchen is full of hardworking appliances that see heavy daily use. Many don’t last nearly as long as homeowners expect.

• Refrigerator: 10–14 years

• Dishwasher: 8–12 years

• Microwave: 7–10 years

• Electric Range: 13–17 years

• Gas Range: 15–20 years

• Garbage Disposal: 8–12 years

• Range Hood: 10–15 years

• Kitchen Faucet: 10–12 years

• Cabinets: 20–30 years (but hinges/soft-close mechanisms: 5–10 years)

• Countertops: 10–15 years depending on material

Warning: Dishwashers and disposals often fail silently before breaking—meaning they can leak small amounts of water for months and ruin cabinets or flooring.

Bathroom & Plumbing Replacement Lifespans

Bathrooms face moisture, mineral buildup, and daily wear.

• Toilet: 10–15 years

• Toilet Wax Ring: 5–10 years

• Bathroom Exhaust Fan: 7–10 years

• Showerhead: 7–10 years

• Water Heater (Tank): 8–12 years

• Tankless Water Heater: 18–22 years

• Main Plumbing Supply Lines: 40–70 years (depending on material)

• Shutoff Valves: 8–12 years

• Bathroom Faucet: 10–12 years

Watch for: slow drains and hairline cracks—they often signal bigger issues waiting to happen.

HVAC & Whole-Home Systems

These are the systems that can blow up your budget when they fail.

• HVAC System: 12–18 years

• Furnace: 15–20 years

• Air Conditioner: 10–15 years

• Heat Pump: 10–15 years

• Thermostat: 10 years

• Ductwork: 15–20 years

• Air Purifier/Dehumidifier: 5–10 years

Neglect = expensive: Dirty filters and blocked vents shorten system life by up to 30%.

Structural & Exterior Lifespans

Some of the largest replacement costs live on the outside of your home.

• Roof (Asphalt Shingle): 20–25 years

• Roof (Metal): 40–70 years

• Gutters: 15–20 years

• Windows: 20–30 years

• Exterior Paint: 5–10 years

• Decking (Wood): 10–15 years

• Decking (Composite): 25–30 years

• Siding: 20–40 years depending on material

Don’t skip inspections: A small roofing issue can become a $15,000 replacement.

Electrical & Safety Systems

These components keep your home safe—but degrade quietly.

• Smoke Detectors: 10 years

• CO Detectors: 5–7 years

• Electrical Panel: 25–40 years

• Wiring: 50–70 years (if copper)

• GFCI Outlets: 10–15 years

• Light Fixtures: 10–20 years

Hidden danger: Old panels and outlets are top sources of electrical fires.

Laundry Room Lifespans

These appliances work hard and break harder.

• Washer: 10–13 years

• Dryer: 10–16 years

• Dryer Vent Hose: 1–3 years

• Laundry Sink/Faucet: 10–12 years

Critical note: Old dryer vents are one of the leading causes of home fires.

Why Keeping Track Matters

Most homeowners wait until something breaks—then scramble. But a structured home maintenance schedule and replacement timeline gives you:

• predictable costs

• fewer emergency repairs

• longer appliance lifespans

• increased home value

• safer living conditions

The problem? Nobody wants to manage a giant spreadsheet just to keep their home from falling apart.

That’s where House Health helps.

Stay Ahead of Every Replacement with the House Health App

Keeping track of everything in your home doesn't have to feel overwhelming.

House Health makes it simple by:

• tracking every appliance and system in your home

• sending reminders before anything is due for maintenance or replacement

• preventing expensive surprises

• helping you protect your largest investment

Stay in control of your home. Sign up today at www.househealth.app