Do you have new home appliances, or have yours been steadily chugging along ever since your house was built? Our most-used home appliances are built to last, but they do not last forever. If your refrigerator, dishwasher and oven are starting to look and feel dated, it might be because they are reaching the end of their life expectancy. At 1st Choice Inspection Services, we like to keep our clients informed about their homes and home appliances, how to care for them, and how to know when a professional intervention is needed.

Knowing how old your appliances are and how long they are expected to last can help you plan your budget around replacing or repairing them. It also helps to get a professional inspection to make sure all the parts are in good working order and to perform routine maintenance. 1st Choice Inspection Services is always happy to help in Dallas, Fort Worth, and anywhere in the DFW Metroplex.

How Old is Your Appliance?

Do you know how old your appliances are? Many homeowners don’t, and they’re not sure how to find out. Most appliances come with a sticker or tag that contains a serial number. These can be located on the back of the appliance, inside the door, or under a removable panel. Most modern appliances have their manufacture date clearly printed on these tags. If yours doesn’t, you can do an Internet search for the brand and serial number of your appliance.  

The Life Expectancy of Appliances

All major brands have about the same life expectancy. The chart below assumes that the appliance sees an average amount of use and that it has an average amount of routine maintenance and care. If you use your appliance much more than is customary, or if you never take steps to maintain it, its lifespan could be shortened by a number of years. If you only use the appliance occasionally and take good care of it, it could last well beyond the projected lifespan.

• Trash Compactors – 11 years
• Electric Clothes Dryer – 14 years
• Gas Clothes Dryer – 13 years
• Dishwashers – 12 years
• Garbage Disposals – 13 years
• Freezers – 16 years
• Microwave Ovens – 8 years
• Electric Ranges – 16 years
• Gas Ranges – 19 years
• Hoods and Ranges – 14 years
• Compact Refrigerators – 8 years
• Standard Refrigerators – 14 years
• Washing Machines – 12 years

These statistics appear in the 23rd annual portrait of the U.S. appliance industry.

 How Inspections Can Help

 A thorough home inspector can look at appliances and estimate how much life is left in them. By checking the condition of their components and the manufacturer’s label, they can let you know if you’ll need to replace the appliance sooner rather than later. It’s especially important to have your appliances inspected if they are original to your home, and your home was built 30 years ago or more. Our home inspection professionals will also instruct you in caring for your appliances to maximize their longevity. 

If you’re preparing to sell your home, an inspection can uncover problems you never knew existed and give you time to address them before listing your house for sale. If you’re in the market to buy a house, inspections can give you an accurate picture of the home’s condition so you know what you’re getting into and can possibly negotiate a lower price.

Call 1st Choice Inspection Services Today

1st Choice Inspection Services is a division of Hill’s Construction, LLC. and is the premier home inspection company in the Dallas-Ft. Worth area. We have been involved in the home construction industry for over 30 years. Give us a call whenever you need an honest, professional inspection of your home.