How Long Home Components Last: Four Published Sources Compared
NAHB, HUD, InterNACHI, Fannie Mae. Data covers Sources published 2000 to 2019; InterNACHI chart as read November 2026.
Summary
The most-quoted life-expectancy figures for home components do not agree with each other. Kitchen cabinets are given 50 years by the National Association of Home Builders and 15 to 20 by HUD. Vinyl siding is "lifetime" in one source and 25 years in another. This page sets four published sources side by side for 26 components, exactly as each states them.
Kitchen cabinets are given a 50-year life by the National Association of Home Builders' 2007 study and by InterNACHI, 15 to 20 years by HUD's inspection guide, and 20 years (wood construction) by Fannie Mae's tables for rental apartments. Source [1], [3], [2], [4]
Vinyl siding is listed as "lifetime" by NAHB, 60 years by InterNACHI, 50 years by HUD and 25 years by Fannie Mae. Source [1], [3], [2], [4]
Exterior paint is listed at "15+" years by NAHB, 7 to 10 years by HUD and InterNACHI, and 5 to 10 years by Fannie Mae. Source [1], [2], [3], [4]
Carpet has the shortest life of any flooring in every source: 8 to 10 years in NAHB and InterNACHI, 11 years in HUD, and 7 years inside apartments in Fannie Mae's tables. Source [1], [3], [2], [4]
Solid wood flooring is listed as lasting a lifetime or 100 years or more by NAHB, HUD and InterNACHI, while Fannie Mae plans on 15 years for wood floors inside rental units. Source [1], [2], [3], [4]
A wood deck is given 20 years by NAHB ("under ideal conditions") and by Fannie Mae, and 15 years by HUD. Source [1], [4], [2]
Fannie Mae's figures, written for budgeting replacements in rental apartments, are the lowest of the four sources for vinyl and fiber cement siding, vinyl and wood flooring, carpet and exterior paint. Our calculation from [4]
| Component | NAHB (2007) | HUD (2000) | InterNACHI | Fannie Mae (2019, apartments) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Interior paint | 15+ | 5–10 | 10 to 15 | — |
| Exterior paint | 15+ | 7–10 | 7 to 10 | 5–10 |
| Wood deck | 20 | 15 | Structure 10 to 30; planks 15 | 20 |
| Composite deck | Deck planks: 25 | — | 8 to 25 | — |
| Hardwood flooring | Lifetime ("100 years or more") | Lifetime (oak or pine) | 100+ | 15 (in units) |
| Engineered wood flooring | 50+ | — | 50+ | — |
| Laminate flooring | 15–25 | — | 15 to 25 | — |
| Vinyl flooring | 50 | 20–30 | 25 | 10 (in units) |
| Carpet | 8–10 | 11 | 8 to 10 | 7 (in units) |
| Tile flooring | 75–100 | — | 75 to 100 | 20 (in units) |
| Kitchen cabinets | 50 | 15–20 | 50 | 20 (wood); 15 (particle board) |
| Countertops, natural stone | Lifetime | Granite: 20+ | 100+ | — |
| Countertops, laminate | — | 10–15 | 20 to 30 | — |
| Faucets | Kitchen 15; lavatory and tub/shower 20+ | 13–15 (low quality); 15–20 (high quality) | 15 to 20 | 15–20 |
| Toilets | Lifetime | 50 | 100+ (tank components 5) | 50+ (tank components 5) |
| Shower enclosure or module | 50 | Fiberglass tub/shower: 10–15 | 50 (fiberglass tub/shower 20) | Fiberglass bath/shower: 20 |
| Shower doors | 20+ | 25 (average quality) | 20 | — |
| Windows, wood | 30+ | 20–50 (casement) | 30+ | — |
| Windows, vinyl | — | 20–30 (aluminum and vinyl casement) | 20 to 40 (vinyl/fiberglass) | 30 (vinyl or aluminum) |
| Windows, aluminum | 15–20 | 20–30 (aluminum and vinyl casement) | 15 to 20 | 30 (vinyl or aluminum) |
| Vinyl siding | Lifetime | 50 | 60 | 25 |
| Fiber cement siding | Lifetime | — | 100+ | 45 |
| Engineered wood siding | Lifetime | — | 100+ | 20 (grouped with wood and stucco) |
| Wood siding | — | 10–100 (depends on maintenance) | — | 20 (grouped with plywood and stucco) |
| Exterior door, wood | Lifetime | 80–100 protected; 25–30 exposed | 100+ | 25 (solid wood or metal clad) |
| Exterior door, fiberglass | Lifetime | — | 100+ | — |
A dash means the source does not list that component. Fannie Mae figures are for multifamily rental properties; where it gives separate figures for dwelling units and common areas, the dwelling-unit figure is shown.
The four sources were written for different purposes. NAHB's study surveyed manufacturers and trade associations about how long products can last. HUD's guide is for inspectors assessing older houses. Fannie Mae's tables tell lenders when to budget for replacement in rental apartments, where wear is heavier and replacement is often driven by turnover, not failure.
They are also not fully independent. HUD's appendix reprints an earlier NAHB survey, and many InterNACHI figures match NAHB's 2007 numbers exactly. Agreement between them is not three separate confirmations.
Every source says actual life depends on climate, installation quality, use and maintenance. None of these figures is a warranty or a prediction for a specific home.
- We recorded each figure exactly as its source states it, including words such as "lifetime" and "100+", with the page or table it came from. Where sources disagree, both figures are shown; nothing is averaged or reconciled.
- The NAHB study and the HUD guide are no longer on their publishers' sites, and the Fannie Mae site blocked automated access, so those three were read from Internet Archive captures of the original publisher URLs. The InterNACHI chart was read from its live page.
- The full dataset, including roofing, water heaters and components not shown in the table, is in the download.
- These are estimates published between 2000 and 2019, not measurements, and none is specific to Idaho's climate.
- The Fannie Mae figures are from the August 2019 edition of its useful-life tables. The parent form has been revised since, and the current edition was not retrieved.
- Fannie Mae's figures describe rental apartments, not owner-occupied houses.
- Coverage is uneven: composite decking appears in only two sources and vinyl windows are not in the NAHB study.
- The sources are not independent of each other.
Each reference below is cited for a specific claim on this page. Codes, fees and product specifications change — confirm current requirements with the authority having jurisdiction before relying on them for a project decision.
- [1] Study of Life Expectancy of Home Components (February 2007), archived copy (National Association of Home Builders / Bank of America Home Equity)
Cited for: NAHB column. Accessed November 12, 2026.
- [2] Residential Rehabilitation Inspection Guide (2000), Appendix C, archived copy (U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development)
Cited for: HUD column. Accessed November 12, 2026.
- [3] Standard Estimated Life Expectancy Chart for Homes (International Association of Certified Home Inspectors (InterNACHI))
Cited for: InterNACHI column. Accessed November 12, 2026.
- [4] Form 4099.F, Estimated Useful Life Tables (August 2019), archived copy (Fannie Mae Multifamily)
Cited for: Fannie Mae column. Accessed November 12, 2026.
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Iron Crest Remodel. "How Long Home Components Last: Four Published Sources Compared." Published November 12, 2026; reviewed November 12, 2026. https://ironcrestremodel.com/research/materials/how-long-home-components-last
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