Life Expectancy of...

Originally Posted By: wwarner
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determine this, yet many pre-printed inspection forms have blanks for the life expectancy and age of many systems i.e. furnace/heat etc. This confuses me as to what I should do. I am not that confident in my ability to determine the life of such items. Do most of you report the life expectancies???


Thanks

Bill


Originally Posted By: jmyers
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Bill,


I do include life expectancies in my reports on major systems and/or components. While it is certainly understandable that you are not and do not want to include them in your report you could simply type in N/A in the space where the report system you are using asks you to fill in the information.

Many other inspector here do not include life expectancies in their reports. I do simply because I like the client to know how long those appliances should last and I do not guarantee they will.

Joe Myers


Originally Posted By: wwarner
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Thanks Joe!


I just had a problem with the liability issue of putting this in writing.
It's easy to estimate that a water softener should have another 5 years left on it by looking at the overall condition of it, but we all know the unpredictability of the electronics/mechanics involved in such a system or other systems for that matter. And I know the general public all too well to be stating this. I feel it would be better to say that a unit appears to be somewhat older or somewhat newer and life expectancy is not available or not determinable.

I just wanted to see what other inspectors were doing.

Thanks again Joe

Bill


Originally Posted By: ismetaniuk
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This membership was a big waste of my time!



Igor


Top To Bottom Inspections


Glen Spey, NY

Originally Posted By: jmyers
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Bill,


A life expectancy is just that, an expectancy. I let everyone know up front that is just a general life span, not to rely heavily on it. Anything can break at any time, without warning. I suggest they have appliances cleaned and serviced regularly, like annually. This is well worth the $99 you pay for that type of preventive maintenance.

If you make yourself sound like god to the client they will always expect you to be god and when they are disappointed you will pay!

Good luck.

Joe Myers


Originally Posted By: David VanderSchaaf
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Hi William


I do include life expectancy in my reports for the main reason that my clients would like to know the condition of the components and a reasonable amount to set aside to budget for that project. I tell them that it is a rough estimate of time and I usually put in less that time than the actual life expectancy. I very rarely use actual times like years. I would say that a roof for instance is nearing the end of its life expectancy and that the client should budget for a new roof in about 2 to 5 years. This gives them a ball park idea that a new roof is needed in the not too far future. There are some programs and franchises that include a complete schedule for life expectancy, one being Pillar to Post.


Hope this helps



VanderSchaaf Property Inspection


174 Norton ON


London Ontario


519-686-6211

Originally Posted By: David VanderSchaaf
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Hi William


Just another note concerning components like a furnace. the life expectancy is usually 15 to 20 years. this seems quite short but actually the main emphasis is the efficiency of the unit. You can drive a 1974 Lincoln Towncar and it would run just great, but you still have to put gas in it. The same with a furnace. It may function great for over 35 years but is it efficient in comparison to today’s standard. It would probably be wise to install a new high efficiency unit and save money on fuel cost, repair and maintenance.



VanderSchaaf Property Inspection


174 Norton ON


London Ontario


519-686-6211

Originally Posted By: wwarner
This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.



Thanks all for the help…


You've answered a lot of questions for me.

And thanks Igor, I just read that string. I've been trying to catch up on some of the old posts, didn't get to that one yet or else I wouldn't have asked.
You guys are great, thanks for all the help nowand in the future.

Bill


Originally Posted By: mhenderson
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I Heard Nick was working on a crystal ball for all NACHI members & predicting life expectancies will be much easier soon! icon_lol.gif


Mike @ Eagle I Home Inspections


Originally Posted By: jmyers
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Mike,


That is pretty funny. How did you know he was planning a crystal ball, that was supposed to be top secret! icon_biggrin.gif

Bill,

Ultimately it is a personal choice, sometimes as you have learned a software choice, to place life expectancies in your report. Many of the people that I have spoken with are happy with the fact they know how long these things should last so they can financially plan for their replacement. It does have its drawbacks, you certainly want to be careful you are not misleading them into a false sense of security. icon_biggrin.gif

Joe Myers


Originally Posted By: Richard Stanley
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If I’m not mistaken, I think the ASHI web site has a list of life expectancies for lots of things. I don’t include them.


Originally Posted By: jmyers
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Richard,


Are those life expectancies in a public portion of that web site, or in the private section? I don't ever remember seeing them there!

Joe Myers


Originally Posted By: rray
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My company actually has a brochure called “Is That Going To Last?” with information gathered from major insurance companies.



Home inspections. . . .


One home at a time.


Originally Posted By: jmyers
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Russel,


That is a really good idea for those that don't want to include them on the report. Thanks again for sharing your knowledge with us.

Joe Myers


Originally Posted By: rray
This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.









--
Home inspections. . . .
One home at a time.

Originally Posted By: dbush
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Russel, how can I plagerize it if I can’t read it? The print is too small. icon_lol.gif



Dave Bush


MAB Member


"LIFE'S TOUGH, WEAR A HELMET"

Originally Posted By: rray
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Well, it’s a copyrighted document from my franchisor anyway, so, naughty, naughty, naughty. No plagiarizing allowed.


However, try this from the Housing Inspection Foundation:

Top 10 Most Common Home Problems
In a recent survey, the American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI) identified the most common home problems. It is interesting to note that four of the top ten problems involved water or moisture.

1. Improper Surface Grading and Drainage
Responsible for the most common household aggravations, including water penetration into the basement or crawlspace. All basements eventually will leak.

2. Improper Electrical Wiring
Includes insufficient electrical service, inadequate overload protection, and amateur (and often dangerous) wiring connections.

3. Roof Damage
Caused by old or damaged shingles or improper flashing and drainage.

4. Heating Systems
Includes broken or malfunctioning controls, blocked chimneys, and unsafe exhaust disposal.

5. Poor Overall Maintenance
Includes cracked, peeling, or dirty painted surfaces, crumbling masonry, makeshift wiring or plumbing, and broken fixtures and appliances.

6. Structure-Related Problems
Usually as a result of problems in other categories, damage is sustained by structural components like foundation walls, floor joists, rafters, and window and door headers.

7. Plumbing
Includes old or incompatible piping materials and faulty fixtures and waste lines.

8. Exteriors
Flaws in this category rarely have structural significance but may pose discomfort to the occupants due to water and air penetration. Inadequate caulking or weather stripping are most common.

9. Poor Ventilation
In an effort to save energy, many homeowners have ?oversealed? their homes, resulting in excessive interior moisture. Significant moisture can lead to rotting and failure of both structural and non-structural elements.

10. Miscellaneous
This category includes interior components (often cosmetic in nature) that were so infrequent that they did not rank individually on the survey.
Homeowners should understand that regional climates, local building codes, and the age of the home have a direct bearing on the ranking of these defects. For instance, the statistics relating to electrical and plumbing problems and roofing may vary from one location to another. In addition, in older homes, problems such as heating system failure, inadequate electrical service and wiring, and worn plumbing was found much more frequently than reflected in the nationwide survey.
Housing Inspection Foundation
The Association of Home Inspectors

IS THAT GOING TO LAST?
The number of years one can reasonably expect various components of the home to last, as determined by a comprehensive survey of researchers, trade associations, and manufacturers. Life expectancy may vary greatly depending on quality of material, installation methods, maintenance, environmental factors, and use. The HomeTeam Inspection Service only reports on conditions at the time of inspection and does not warrant the life expectancy of homes or their components.

Item Years
Air conditioning
Central unit and compressor 15
Window unit 10
Galvanized duct work 30
Plastic duct work 15
Bathtub & shower
Cast iron tub 50
Fiberglass shower/tub 10-15
Carpet 11
Dishwasher 10
Screen door 25-50
Shower door 25
Deck, wood 15
Driveway
Asphalt 10
Concrete 24
Dryer 14
Exhaust fan 20
Faucets 13-20
Fence 12
Fireplace damper 20
Freezer 12-16
Furnace
Forced air, heat pump 15
Gas 18
Garage door opener 10
Garage door 20-50
Garbage disposal 10
Gutters and downspouts 30
Heater, gas or electric 13
Microwave oven 11
Oven 14
Paint 3-10
Patio, brick and concrete 24
Refrigerator 14-17
Roofing
Composite shingles 15-30
Wood shingles and shakes 15-30
Sheet metal 20-50
Slate 50-100
Tile 50

Item Years
Shutters
Interior aluminum 35-50
Interior wood Lifetime
Exterior aluminum 3-5
Exterior wood 4-5
Plastic (vinyl), exterior 7-8
Sidewalks
Concrete 24
Gravel 4
Siding
Aluminum 20-50
Vinyl 50
Wood 10-100
Metal 50-lifetime
Sink
Enameled cast iron 25-30
Enameled steel 5-10
Porcelain 25-30
Smoke detector 12
Sprinkler system 12
Stove
Electric 17
Gas 19
Swimming pool 18
Tennis court 10
Termite proofing 5
Toilet 50
Trash compactor 10
Wallpaper 7
Washer 13
Water heater, electric 14
Water heater, gas 11-13
Window
Aluminum casement 10-20
Screen 25-50
Wood casement 20-50
Glazing 20
Housing Inspection Foundation
The Association of Home Inspectors
[/url]


--
Home inspections. . . .
One home at a time.

Originally Posted By: wwarner
This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.



You guys are awesome!!!


You've given so much info and help!

Much appreciated!!!!


Bill