Photo credit: Trace O; flickr.comphotostracy_olson

Photo credit: Trace O; flickr.com/photos/tracy_olson

One of the biggest leaps from being a renter to a property owner is the responsibility to maintain and replace household appliances. Think about the finances dedicated to those often-used, convenient pieces of equipment in your kitchen, laundry room and other parts of the house. The health of these appliances is impacted by the initial quality of the product, the amount of care and proper maintenance you provide and of course general wear and tear. Some good luck doesn’t hurt either.

Replacing those items is not only financially burdening, but also stressful and time-consuming. The best approach to being prepared for the demise of appliances is knowing their life expectancy. No appliance lasts forever. Here is a ballpark life expectancy guide for appliances:

Refrigerator: 15 years
Dishwasher: 8-10 years
Washer/Dryer: 10-12 years
Water Heater: 8-10 years
Stove/Oven: 15 years
Garbage Disposal: 10 years
Microwave: 10 years

Of course, these are all estimates. No single timeline will apply to every home. But this list should help you financially plan ahead for replacing appliances.