home + garden

Q What is considered "old" in a house that's for sale? The basement appliances appear to be in good shape and they work. The report with the house states that the water heater is 15 years old, the furnace was put in in 1986. The washer and dryer were bought in 1995. I hate to buy a house and then start having to replace these items.

A Chances are you will be replacing them sooner rather than later. The items you listed are either beyond their expected useful life or nearing the end. It depends somewhat on their use and maintenance. However, a study of the life expectancy of home components conducted last year by the National Association of Home Builders generally found that:

• Gas or electric water heaters last 10 to 11 years.

• Gas or electric dryers last 13 years.

• Clothes washers last 10 years.

• Furnaces last 15 to 20 years; boilers 13 to 21 years.

Some other life expectancies:

• Dishwasher: nine years.

• Microwave oven: nine years.

• Exhaust fans (such as bathroom): 10 years.

• Refrigerator: 13 years.

• Electric range: 13 years; gas range, 15 years.

• Central air conditioner: 15 years.

Sometimes appliances can be repaired to extend their lives, but, at some point, that won't be cost-effective.

It would be nice if life expectancies were longer; buying new appliances is rarely on anybody's Top 10 list of fun ways to spend money. And such short-lived items seem like a slap to the environment.

On the other hand, buying new lets you do something good for your pocketbook and the environment. Choose wisely, and many of the new efficient appliances will save you money because they use less electricity and natural gas to operate, reducing carbon emissions and saving natural resources. In addition, Minnesota mandates that metal in old units be salvaged and recycled. Besides saving landfill space, using recycled steel also contributes much fewer greenhouse gases than producing new steel.

Remember, buying a home with aging appliances can be a negotiating point. But think twice about having the seller replace them with no input from you. They could be tempted to get less expensive and less efficient models, and you'd pay for their poor decisions for years to come.

Send your questions to Fixit in care of the Star Tribune, 425 Portland Av. S., Minneapolis, MN 55488, or call 612-673-9033, or e-mail fixit@startribune.com. Sorry, Fixit cannot supply individual replies.