Becoming a homeowner is a wonderful experience. It’s always fun shopping around for furniture, decoration, and all the other first home essentials. However, sometimes it can be difficult going into a place and shopping for household items and not knowing what to look for or expect. There are actually items that commonly break sooner than other items. Here are the five most common household items, big or small, that break first, so you can have a game plan down the road!
Fragile Household Items
1. Coffee makers
This could be bad news if you take coffee seriously for waking up. This really just also depends on the value of your coffee maker. Oftentimes, coffee makers are a prime example of you getting what you pay for. Some really cheap coffee makers seem great because of the price, but they only last a couple of months. Depending on what kind of coffee maker, how often you use it, and the maintenance is done to it, your coffee maker could last a bit longer. However, they usually break after about 5 years. By cleaning your coffee maker and descaling it regularly, it could last around 10 years.
2. Ovens
This bigger, more important appliance is essential for many families. It may seem like it would last a good amount of time, but they actually only last about 13 to 15 years depending on the type. This can also be expedited due to maintenance, how often it’s used, and other factors as well. This can be a bigger expense if you weren’t expecting it. Obviously, 10 years is a lot longer than 5, but depending on what type of oven you are wanting it could take a while to save the money for a new oven. This is a smart move to proactively look at this particular appliance. By replacing an old oven upfront, you can save money on the home remodel later. It would also be wise to do the needed maintenance and cleaning these appliances need to last.
3. Microwaves
Microwaves are easily one of the most used appliances a family could have. From defrosting meals to reheating meals, it’s hard to imagine not having a microwave! However, this is another important appliance that doesn’t last long. It is also so often used that the life span is reduced greatly. On average, they last about 7 years, but can also break a lot sooner. Microwaves also are an appliance that you get what you pay for. Doing research on the best microwaves that last, cleaning them, and also reducing your usage on them will make it last a lot longer and avoid that replacement cost!
4. Water heaters
Water heaters are maybe an expense that you didn’t think of, but they can cost from about $600 to $1,600 to replace. This definitely makes it a bigger expense to replace, especially if you weren’t even aware of how often it can break. The average time it takes for a water heater to break is about 8 to 12 years. This isn’t much more than a microwave, but it does cost a lot more! Being aware of this, doing the needed maintenance, and watching for any malfunctions can do justice when it comes to saving that replacement expense. You should also research these appliances and see how you should take care of yours!
5. Dishwashers
Lastly, dishwashers are another common household item that breaks quickly. This isn’t really a necessary appliance to have, but many people do prefer it in their homes! Although on average dishwashers break after 10 years, it is actually very common for them to break or develop problems in the first 5 years. This will also depend on usage. Many people sometimes forget they have to wash their dishes before putting them in a dishwasher, and this can cause a lot of issues for their dishwashers. It’s important to follow the instructions, do any cleaning and maintenance, and reduce the usage when it’s possible.
So there are the five most common household items to break first. These items often break a lot sooner because people aren’t aware of the maintenance of the items or tend to use them very often. Unexpected breaks and replacements can add some serious stress to homeowners, especially newer homeowners who are still learning about their new bills and expenses. You should be aware of these items and be prepared for these incidents to have less stress down the road as a homeowner.
Alex Capozzolo is a partner of Cash Offer Kentucky, a home buyer based in Louisville, KY. He has been writing for the real estate industry for several years. Cash Offer Kentucky focuses on single-family and small multi-family houses.