How long do appliances and other components last in a rental, and how should a landlord plan for them?
The NAHB's 2007 study of home components puts a standard refrigerator at about 13 years, a gas range at 15, a dishwasher at 9, a washer at 10, a gas furnace at 18 and carpet at 8 to 10. Rentals are harder on equipment than owner-occupied homes, so treat these as the upper end, record each item's install year and plan replacements from the youngest number you would be comfortable with.
Typical life expectancy by item
These are the study's published figures, based on first-owner use. Climate, installation quality, maintenance and how hard tenants use things move every number.
| Item | Years |
|---|---|
| Dishwasher | 9 |
| Food waste disposer | 12 |
| Microwave oven | 9 |
| Refrigerator, standard | 13 |
| Range, electric | 13 |
| Range, gas | 15 |
| Washer | 10 |
| Dryer, electric or gas | 13 |
| Water heater, gas | 10 |
| Water heater, electric | 11 |
| Furnace, gas warm-air | 18 |
| Central air conditioner (unitary) | 15 |
| Room air conditioner | 10 |
| Heat pump | 16 |
| Carpet | 8 to 10 |
| Vinyl flooring | 50 (the study's figure for the material) |
| Interior paint | 15 or more, depends on whether it is washable |
| Asphalt shingle roof | About 20 |
Source: NAHB and Bank of America Home Equity, Study of Life Expectancy of Home Components, February 2007. The study is dated; replacement cost and product quality have changed since.
Why rentals usually come in under the table
The table assumes one owner living in the home. A rental has turnover, several different users, deferred small repairs because the person who feels them is not the person who pays, and sometimes gaps in filter changes and cleaning. A dishwasher used by four roommates will tend to age faster than one used by a couple. Use the table as a ceiling and keep your own records: after a few years your own replacement dates tell you more than any study.
The study also notes that appliances are often replaced before they wear out because of styling and technology changes. In a rental you usually replace when repair stops making sense, not when a style goes out.
Signs an item is near the end, whatever its age
Age is a guide, not a verdict. Repeat repairs on the same item within a year, a part that is hard to find, rust at the base of a water heater, a refrigerator that cannot hold temperature, a furnace with a cracked heat exchanger and a dishwasher that leaves water behind all point toward replacement even when the table says there are years left. A water leak from a tank is never worth a second repair. Keep a note of each repair against the unit so the pattern is visible, and replace during a vacancy where you can, because it avoids entry notices and a tenant without the appliance.
Turn the table into a replacement plan
- List every appliance, water heater and HVAC unit by unit, with brand, model, serial number and install year or date of the first work order that mentions it.
- Add the table's life to the install year to get an expected replacement year, then mark anything within two years of it as "watch".
- Estimate the replacement cost with a recent quote, not a guess, and add the rows into a yearly figure.
- Move that yearly figure into a reserve. See capital reserves per unit.
- Check the repair-or-replace test before you spend on a repair. See the 50 percent rule.
Example a made-up owner has a 12-unit building. Each unit has a refrigerator installed in 2015, a range in 2015 and a dishwasher in 2018. Using the table, the refrigerators and ranges are expected around 2028 to 2030 and the dishwashers around 2027. The owner marks the dishwashers "watch" for 2025 and gets one quote for twelve dishwashers, so the work can be scheduled across vacancies instead of paid in a rush.
How DoorKeeping handles it
DoorKeeping keeps work orders for each unit, so every appliance repair is on record against the unit it happened in. You can ask Claude or ChatGPT which units had repeat repairs on the same appliance, and the answer comes from your own work order history. Rent stays in your own bank account, and anything involving money waits for your approval.
Sources
Questions
- How long does a refrigerator last in a rental?
- The NAHB study gives about 13 years for a standard refrigerator on first-owner use. Rentals often come in under that, so plan with your own records.
- How long does a water heater last?
- The same study gives about 10 years for gas and 11 for electric, and over 20 for tankless. Flushing and water quality change the result.
- Is the NAHB study current?
- It was published in 2007 and is still widely quoted, but costs and products have changed. Use it as a starting point and refine with your own replacement dates.