An excellent post on the Home Inspection Blog on the life expectancy of some common household items. Sample life expectancies include:
| Item | Life Expectancy |
| Wooden Deck | 10-15 years |
| Asphalt or Cement Driveway | 15-20 years |
| Gas Stove | 15 years |
| Refrigerators | 13 years |
| Dishwashers | 9 years |
| Compactors | 6 years |
| Dryers | 13 years |
| Microwave Ovens | 9 years |
| HVAC | 15 years |
| Slate/copper/concrete roofs | 50 years |
| Asphalt Shingles | 20 years |
| Wood shakes | 30 years |
You can find the entire study of the life expectancy of home components at http://www.nahb.org/fileUpload_details.aspx?contentID=72475