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Study
Measures Life
Expectancy Of
Common Home
Components
Article
Date - Feb.9.2007 |
|
[Editor’s
note: This report
should be used
as a general
guideline. Readers
should not make
buying decisions
and/or product
selections based
solely on the
information
contained in
this report.]
From the roof
to the foundation,
and from the
front door to
the back, a
home consists
of thousands
of components.
Ideally, these
components might
all have an
unlimited life
expectancy.
But given the
realities of
day-to-day use,
how long can
a home owner
reasonably expect
a home component
such as a window
or roof to last?
A new study
conducted by
the National
Association
of Home Builders
(NAHB) and sponsored
by Bank of America
Home Equity
provides insight
into the life
expectancies
of a number
of products
in the home
with the caveat
that actual
life expectancy
of a product
has little bearing
on consumer
preferences,
which might
result in a
product such
as a kitchen
counter being
replaced long
before the end
of its useful
life or a room
being painted
only once in
50 years. Other
factors that
can have a significant
effect on life
expectancy include
maintenance,
proper installation,
the level of
use and the
quality of the
materials.
According to
the National
Association
of Home Builders/Bank
of America Home
Equity Study
of Life Expectancy
of Home Components,
all types of
insulation can
be expected
to last a lifetime
if they are
properly installed
and are not
punctured, cut,
burned or exposed
to ultraviolet
rays and are
kept dry.
Windows, because
they can be
exposed to extreme
weather conditions,
have a much
shorter life
expectancy.
The study, which
polled experts
in the various
fields, found
that aluminum
windows can
reasonably be
expected to
last 15 to 20
years and wooden
windows can
last upwards
of 30 years.
Like windows,
the life expectancy
of a roof depends
on local weather
conditions as
well as appropriate
maintenance
and quality
of the materials.
The study found
that slate,
copper and clay/concrete
roofs can be
expected to
last more than
50 years. Roofs
made of asphalt
shingles should
last for about
20 years; fiber
cement shingles
should last
about 25 years,
and wood shakes
for about 30
years.
And although
some avid decorators
may repaint
every six months,
homes usually
need to be painted
every five to
10 years depending
on the content
of the paint
(its glossiness),
its exposure
to moisture,
and traffic.
Quality paints,
per se, are
expected to
last upwards
of 20 years.
“It’s
important to
remember that
the life expectancies
for materials
included in
this study are
averages,”
said Gopal Ahluwalia,
NAHB Staff Vice
President for
Research and
the chief researcher
for this study.
“Usage,
weather and
a number of
other factors
can influence
life expectancy.
Moreover, home
owners often
replace materials
long before
the end of their
expected life
span due to
personal preferences
and changing
trends.”
The full NAHB/Bank
of America Home
Equity Study
of Life Expectancy
of Home Components
will be released
in late February.
ABOUT BANK OF
AMERICA: Bank
of America is
one of the world's
largest financial
institutions,
serving individual
consumers, small
and middle market
businesses and
large corporations
with a full
range of banking,
investing, asset
management and
other financial
and risk-management
products and
services. The
company provides
unmatched convenience
in the United
States, serving
more than 55
million consumer
and small business
relationships
with more than
5,700 retail
banking offices,
through more
than 17,000
ATMs and award-winning
online banking
with more than
21 million active
users. Bank
of America is
the No. 1 overall
Small Business
Administration
(SBA) lender
in the United
States and the
No. 1 SBA lender
to minority-owned
small businesses.
The company
serves clients
in 175 countries
and has relationships
with 98 percent
of the U.S.
Fortune 500
companies and
80 percent of
the Global Fortune
500. Bank of
America Corporation
stock (NYSE:
BAC) is listed
on the New York
Stock Exchange. |
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