There is no accurate method to determine exactly how long a particular system or component is going to last. This is due to a number of reasons: the geographic area; the physical location of the units; and the climate and weather. This is similar to asking how long a car lasts. There are too many variables to determine the life span of items that need maintenance and have thousands of integral components. For example, with heating systems, many factors can directly affect the life span of the appliance. If the furnace is located in an unconditioned crawlspace or in the attic, the elevated humidity levels can rapidly cause heat exchangers to prematurely rust. In addition, when furnaces are used in the colder months, the differences between the low air temperature and the high temperature of the heat exchanger can cause expansion/contraction cracking that can lead to leaks in the heat exchanger. Roofs, on the other hand, can be affected by factors like the amount of direct sunlight, adequacy of attic ventilation, number of layers of roofing material, as well as the quality of the roofing material itself. Climate and weather can affect the life of the roof also. For instance, in the West and Southwest parts of the U.S., asphalt composition shingles have a tendency to last no more than 10 to 15 years on average, whereas in the Northeastern states and around the Great Lakes area, the same roofing material can last 18 to 22 years or longer.

System Component Estimated Design Life
Roofing Asphalt Composition Shingle 18 – 22 Years
Asphalt Composition Rolled Roofing 10 – 15 Years
Built-Up Roofing 10 – 15 Years
Elastomeric / Rubber Roofing 10 – 15 Years
Wood Shakes / Shingles 15 – 25 Years
Clay / Terra Cotta Tiles 25 Plus Years
Concrete / Asbestos Cement Tiles 25 Plus Years
Slate Roofing 50 Plus Years
Metal Roofing (flat, standing-seam, corrugated) Indefinite
Plastic / Fiberglass corrugated panels 15 Plus Years
Glass Panels (sun rooms, etc.) 15 Plus Years
Gutters and Downspouts 15 – 20 Years
Heating Boiler (Steam / Hydronic) 25 – 40 Years
Forced Air Furnace – Gas / Oil 15 – 35 Years
Forced Air Furnace – Electric 15 – 25 Years
Electric Resistance, Baseboard 15 – 25 Years
Cooling Heat Pump 10 – 15 Years
Central Split System 10 – 15 Years
A/C Compressor 10 – 15 Years
Window A/C Unit 10 – 15 Years
Evaporative (Swamp) Cooler 10 – 20 Years
Plumbing Water Heater – Electric 12 – 18 Years
Water Heater – Gas / Oil 10 – 15 Years
Solid Waste Pump 5 – 10 Years
Sump Pump 5 – 8 Years
Submersible Well Pump 10 – 15 Years
Shallow or Deep Well Jet Pump 10 – 15 Years
Kitchen / Appliances Dishwasher 5 – 10 Years
Garbage Disposal 5 – 10 Years
Cook Top – (Electric / Gas) 15 – 20 Years
Range / Oven 15 – 20 Years
Refrigerator 5 – 25 Years
Trash Compactor 5 – 10 Years
Ventilator / Draft Hood 8 – 12 Years
Washing Machine / Clothes Dryer 8 – 12 Years
Miscellaneous Chemical Termite Treatment (subterranean) 5 Years
Fumigation for Drywood Termites 2 Years
Radon Mitigation System Life of the fan