Consumer Reports gives guidance on when to replace an appliance

Fix It or Replace It?
Daily Real Estate News April 11, 2007

The May 2007 issue of Consumer Reports offers consumers a timeline to determine when it’s time to say goodbye to old appliances that aren’t operating properly. The magazine took into account age, typical repair and replacement costs, and improvements that have been made in newer models.The following list shows the age when it’s more sensible to replace an appliance rather than fix it:
6 years: dishwashers, over-the-range microwaves, and top-freezer refrigerators

7 years: clothes dryers and top-loader washers

8 years: Bottom-freezer and side-by-side refrigerators, electric or gas ranges, electric wall ovens, and front-loader washers

Source: Consumer Reports (04/10/07)

How Long should a roof last, a door, a whirlpool...?

Study Sheds New Light on Life Expectancy of Home Components

By any reckoning, a home is expected to last many years and serve several successive generations. But what about the individual components that comprise the house? How many years of service can a home owner reasonably expect from a roof or a door, a window or a whirlpool tub?
A new NAHB study sponsored by Bank of America Home Equity takes some of the mystery out of the subject with the caveat that numerous factors, including use, maintenance, climate, advances in technology and simple consumer preferences can have a dramatic effect on product longevity.

Go to the study (pdf format).
© 2007

Boost your Curb Appeal

Simple Ways to Boost Curb Appeal
DIY Network TV expert advises:

The outside of a home can be just as important as the inside in attracting buyers. Maureen Gilmer with the DIY Network offers the following five cheap and easy ways to improve curb appeal:
1. Edge it. Make the distinction crisp between lawn and flowerbed or sidewalk. Replace old edging materials with tumbled concrete payers — the heavier they are the better they stay in place.
2. Mulch it. Cover bare ground with two inches of attractive mulch.
3. Stain it. Old concrete walks, steps, and planters crack, stain, and discolor. Cover them with new colored concrete stains. The result unifies paving and mimics more expensive stone.
4. Color it. Worn out fences can give the property a black eye. Stain them with muted colors like warm gray, soft green, antique gold, or subtle blue.
5. Plant it. Buy whole flats of six packs of single color annuals.
Source: Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Maureen Gilmer (04/07/07)