This table provides a tool for determining service life expectancies. The service life can vary between maintenance life and replacement life. Maintenance life can be the schedule between conditions where maintenance needs to be performed and replacement life is the term life where an item should be replaced. The life span dates can also vary based on the geographic location of the property as well as the initial quality of the component being used.

An example is brick siding. The lifespan is listed as 80 to 100 years. This might not be when the brick has to be replaced but when some advanced maintenance (pointing) attention is required.

Terms to Know:

  • Estimated Life Expectancy: The total length of time a building system or component is expected to function as intended under normal conditions before replacement is typically needed. Also referred to as useful life (UL).
  • Remaining Useful Life (RUL): The estimated number of years a building system or component is expected to continue performing adequately before needing replacement, based on its current age, condition, and exposure.

Roof

System/Component
Year
Surfaces
  • BUR
  • Mod Bit
  • EPDM
  • TPO
  • Metal
  • Slate
  • Concrete
  • Wood
  • Clay Tile
  • Foam
Year
  • 15 to 20
  • 15 to 20
  • 20 to 25
  • 20 to 25
  • 50+
  • 75 to 100
  • 60 to 75
  • 20 to 25
  • 50 to 75
  • 20
Decking
  • Corrugated steel
  • Concrete
  • Skip Wood
  • Plywood
  • OSB
  • Tongue and Groove
  • Fiber
  • Insulation
Year
  • 30 to 40
  • 50 to 60
  • 20 to 40
  • 20 to 30
  • 50 to 80
Roof Structure
  • Roof Structure
Year
  • Life
Drainage
  • Gutters
  • Downspout
  • Roof Drains
  • Scuppers
Year
  • 20 to 35
  • 20 to 35
  • 35 to 40
Skylights
  • Skylights
Year
  • 30 to 45

Exterior

System/Component
Year
Siding
  • Metal
  • Brick – Veneer
  • Brick – Solid
  • Block
  • Split Block
  • EIFS
  • Stone
  • Aluminum
  • Vinyl
  • Cement Stucco
  • Concrete Tilt up
  • Wood
  • Fiber Cement
  • Stone Veneer
Year
  • 20 to 40
  • 70 to 75
  • 80 to 100
  • 80 to 100
  • 35 to 50
  • 30 to 50
  • 75 to 100
  • 30 to 50
  • 20 to 35
  • 30 to 50
  • 30 to 50
  • 25 to 35
  • 50 to 100
  • 35 to 50
Doors
  • Wood
  • Glass
  • Steel
Year
  • 35 to 45
  • 20 to 30
  • 30 to 40
Overhead doors
  • Wood
  • Steel
  • Fiberglass
  • Resin
  • Door Opener
Year
  • 30 to 40
  • 35 to 40
  • 35 to 450
  • 35 to 50
  • 15 to 30
Lighting
  • Parking Lot Steel
  • Landscaping
  • Building
Year
  • 25 to 30
  • 20 to 30
  • 20 to 30
Surfaces
  • Concrete Parking Lot
  • Asphalt Parking Lot
  • Concrete Walks
Year
  • 30 to 35
  • 25 to 30
  • 30 to 50
Fencing
  • Wood
  • Chair Link
Year
  • 20 to 25
  • 30 to 35
Loading Docks
  • Cushions
  • Levelers
  • Bumpers
Year
  • 20
  • 25
  • 20
Retaining Walls
  • Concrete
  • Masonry
  • Timber
  • Gabian
Year
  • 50 to 75
  • 50 to 75
  • 30 to 35
  • 50 to 75

Wood Decks and Balconies

System/Component
Year
Structure
  • Wood
  • Steel
  • Concrete
Year
  • 10 to 20
  • 35 to 50
  • 60 to 100
Surface
  • Wood
  • Composition
  • Concrete
Year
  • 10 to 20
  • 20 to 25
  • 40 to 50

Basement, Foundation, and Crawlspace

System/Component
Year
Foundation
  • Concrete
  • Block
  • Masonry
  • Timber
  • Clay
  • Slab
Year
  • 80 to 90
  • 75 to 80
  • 40 to 80
  • 15 to 30
  • 75 to 80

Heating and Ventilation

System/Component
Year
Gas Meter
  • Meter
  • Pipe
Year
  • 20 to 25
  • 35 to 45
Units
  • Gas Forced Air
  • Gas Hanging Unit
  • Packaged Unit
  • Tube Heater
  • Electric Space
  • Electric Baseboard
  • Steam Boiler
  • Warm Water Boiler
  • Direct Vent Space
  • Stove
  • Radiant
Year
  • 15 to 25
  • 20 to 30
  • 15 to 25
  • 15 to 25
  • 15 to 20
  • 20 to 30
  • 20 to 40
  • 20 to 40
  • 15 to 20
  • 15 to 20
  • 20 to 25
Ventilation
  • Upblast Fans
  • Ceiling Fans
  • Exhaust Fans
Year
  • 10 to 15
  • 10 to 20
  • 15 to 20
Distribution
  • Pipes
  • Steel Ducts
  • VAV
  • Air Handling Units
Year
  • 30 to 40
  • 20 to 25
  • 15 to 20
  • 20 to 30

Cooling

System/Component
Year
Units
  • Split Units
  • Packaged Units
  • Heat Pump
  • Mini-Split Units
  • Evaporative
  • Cooling Tower
  • Chiller
  • Window Unit
Year
  • 15 to 20
  • 20 to 25
  • 15 to 20
  • 15 to 20
  • 20 to 25
  • 20 to 25
  • 20 to 25
  • 5 to 10

Plumbing

System/Component
Year
Backflow Preventer
Year
  • 15 to 20
Supply Pipe
  • Copper
  • Brass
  • Galvanized Steel
  • PEX
  • Polyethylene
  • CPVC
Year
  • 50+
  • 50+
  • 35 to 50
  • 30 to 35
  • 35 to 40
  • 50 to 60
Waste Pipe
  • PVC
  • ABS Plastic
  • Cast Iron
  • Copper
  • Galvanized Steel
  • Concrete
  • Orangeburg
Year
  • 50 to 60
  • 60 to 80
  • 60 to 75
  • 60 to 80
  • 40 to 60
  • 30
Water Heater
  • Electric
  • Gas
  • Tankless
  • Mini tankless
  • Heat Pump
Year
  • 15 to 20
  • 10 to 15
  • 15 to 25
  • 25 to 30
  • 15 to 20
Pumps
  • Storm Sump
  • Ejector – Brown
  • Ejector – Grey
  • Condensation
Year
  • 5 to 10
  • 5 to 10
  • 5 to 10
  • 5 to 10
Fixtures
  • Toilets
  • Sinks
  • Tubs
  • Showers
Year
  • 20 to 40
  • 20 to 40
  • 40 to 60
  • 20 to 40

Electrical

System/Component
Year
Service
  • Overhead Mast
  • Underground
  • Meter Socket
Year
  • 40 to 50
  • 50 to 60
  • 30 to 40
Panels
  • Panel
  • Breakers
Year
  • 30 to 50
  • 30 to 50
Transformers
  • Transformer
Year
  • 30 to 35
Branch
  • Conduit
  • Non-metalic cables
  • Switches
  • Receptacles
Year
  • 30 to 35
  • 50 to 60
  • 50 to 60
  • 30 to 50
Lighting
  • LED
  • Strip
  • Grid
  • Pot
  • Pendant (Large)
  • Pendant (Small)
Year
  • 20 to 25
  • 20 to 25
  • 20 to 25
  • 20 to 25
  • 20 to 25
  • 20 to 25

Fireplaces

System/Component
Year
Fireplaces
  • Prefabricated
  • Masonry
  • Freestanding
Year
  • 20 to 25
  • 80 to 100
  • 20 to 25

Attic Ventilation and Insulation

System/Component
Year
Fan
  • Mounted
  • Solar
Year
  • 15 to 20
  • 20 to 25
Insulation
  • Fiberglass
  • Foam
  • Rock Wool
Year
  • 100+
  • 100+
  • 100+

Doors, Windows, and Interior

System/Component
Year
Doors
  • Wood
  • Steel
  • Glass
  • Aluminum
Year
  • 30 to 40
  • 60 to 75
Windows
  • Steel
  • Wood
  • Glass
  • Aluminum – Storefronts
  • Vinyl
Year
  • 35 to 60
  • 30 to 50
  • 25 to 30
  • 35 to 40
  • 30 to 40
Walls
  • Block
  • Drywall
  • Panels
  • Brick
Year
  • 50 to 60
  • 35 to 50
  • 25 to 50
  • 60 to 100
Flooring
  • Wood
  • Carpet
  • Concrete
  • Tile
  • Vinyl
  • Stone
  • Terrazzo
Year
  • 50 to 100
  • 10 to 15
  • 50 to 100
  • 35 to 40
  • 20 to 25
  • 40 to 50
  • 40 to 45
Ceiling
  • Drywall
  • Suspended
  • Concrete
Year
  • 50 to 75
  • 25 to 30
  • 70 to 80
Stairways
  • Concrete
  • Wood
  • Steel
Year
  • 50 to 60
  • 50 to 60
  • 50 to 60
Elevator
  • Elevator
  • Escalator
Year
  • 25
  • 40

Life Safety

System/Component
Year
Lighting
  • Exit
  • Emergency
Year
  • 5 to 10
  • 5 to 10
Sprinklers
  • Heads
  • Pipe
  • Valves
  • Extinguishers
Year
  • 35 to 40
  • 35 to 40
  • 35 to 40
  • 10 to 20
Fire Alarms
  • Fire Alarms
Year
  • 10 to 15
Fire Escapes
  • Fire Escapes
Year
  • 40 to 60

Cooking Areas

System/Component
Year
Exhaust Hood
  • Type I
  • Type II
Year
  • 10 to 20
  • 10 to 20
Exhaust Fans
  • Upblast
  • Inline
  • Utility Set
Year
  • 15 to 20
  • 15 to 20
  • 15 to 20
Fire Protection
  • Fire Extinguisher
  • Suppression System
  • Nozzles
Year
  • 10 to 15
  • 25 to 35
  • 25 to 35
Filters
  • Baffles
  • Mesh
Year
  • 10 to 15
  • 10 to 15
Plumbing
  • Service Sink
  • Triple Basin
  • Hand Wash Sink
Year
  • 25 to 45
  • 35 to 45
  • 35 to 45
Make-Up Air Unit
  • Make Up Air Unit
Year
  • 15 to 20