Toilets can last forever

While your toilets might clog from time to time, it’s unlikely you’ll ever need to replace them since they ought to be around at least as long as your house is. That’s just one of the findings of a study recently released by the National Association of Home Builders that details how long you can expect dozens of appliances, fixtures, materials, and other elements in your home to last.

Gas ranges (15 years), dryers (13), and refrigerators (13) top the list of the most durable appliances, according to the National Association of Home Builders/Bank of America Home Equity Study of the Life Expectancies of Home Components, conducted during the summer of 2006. Dishwashers and microwaves, at nine years apiece, don’t hold up quite as long. Many types of flooring could last you a century, the report says, but not carpeting, which is good for about a decade.

(Download NAHBLifeExpectancy.pdf.)

Among parts of your home exposed to the elements, your deck could last 20 years under ideal conditions, says the study. (Lifespan will be shorter in the humid South and a bit longer in dryer regions.) Treating your deck to reduce the effects of weather is key to its longevity. Your roof’s survival, which also varies by the weather it is subjected to, varies widely depending on what it’s made out of. Asphalt shingles should last 20 years while slate, cooper, and concrete could hold up for half a century.

Of course, that doesn’t mean you can count on these products to endure as long as the report says nor expect them to fail in the same time frame. Every appliance, for example, is affected by care and maintenance. Other factors influencing product lifespan include the quality of manufacture materials used, as well as usage conditions.

An even more valuable resource than the NAHB study is the Frequency of Repair, or FOR, information Consumer Reports has compiled, like this report for ranges (available to subscribers). Our FOR data, based on tens of thousands of replies to our Annual Product Reliability Surveys and compiled by the Consumer Reports National Research Center, will help you choose a reliable brand and avoid future headaches with problem products.

Comments

[Consumer]

Concerning the article "Toilets Can Last Forever" -I am experiencing that "can" to be a sure reality. A Mansfield 10 inch rough-in has just needed to be replaced after 14 years - its trap, it seems, often allowed for clogging and Mr. plunger often had to be called to the rescue. Keeping its outside clean seemed to be a problem too. In a master bathroom, an American Standard was replaced - that's TWO toilets in 14 years! The first one's piping was harmed by hard water, the second went leaking from get-go, valve and rings could not be be found that matched the original, American Standards would not be heard from either...ironically, I received a replacement valve two weeks AFTER the toilet was removed. Then, I tried replacing the Mansfield 10-inch roughin and the American Standards 12-inch roughin with...(to be continued).

[a plumber]

A toilet can last a long time....if it is well taken care of.
If you live in an area with hard water and alot of sediment in it, the toilet bowl should be cleaned often. Especially under the rim where the jet holes are. Once the jet holes get clogged, the performance is affected. It is difficult to clean once clogged. Use a stiff toilet brush with an abrasive like AJAX to clean. Also the parts in the tank can affect performance. Check the flapper (rubber seal that lets the water in the bowl when flushed)for bleeding. When you touch the flapper and it`s slimy or the die is on you hand it`s time to change it. The results can be a running toilet,wasting water and money.

[Howard]

RE: Toilets lasting forever.
I'm of the opinion that the above statement is not necessarily true. About three years ago we bought an American Standard product which was rated as one of the best. While it does an excellent job at what it's meant to do the problems began after 6 months. First, he sealing gasket on the flush valve became displaced allowing water to leak continuously. I had to replace that seal 5 times at a cost of $4 each time.
After a while even the replacement seal wasn't stopping the leak. I went on-line to find the flush valve had a major design flaw and another valve was being substituted. That new valve cost me $37 to acquire. Note that the American Standard website had absolutely no information about the problem nor any solutions.
Upon replacing the flush valve I discovered another major design flaw. It caused the tank to sit in such a way that the tank to bowl bolt washers would no longer stay seated properly thus allowing large amounts of water to leak past the washers. I attempted to tighten the bolts but I was afraid I would crack the tank if I torqued them too much. I even tried using cone instead of flat wahers to no avail.
A call to the company's alleged customer service department put me in contact with a surly represenative who could not help me in any way. When I asked to speak a supervisor I was told he was busy and was not accepting calls.
Bottom line: As soon as I'm done with this message I'm going to the ratings pages to find a suitable replacement toilet. Rest assured it will not be another American Standard product.

[john]

Toilets are tricky. They look good and operate as well as they are taken care of. One thing I have found out is find a toilet that is made in the usa. If they are not you are asking for trouble when you buy it.

I do know that mansfield toilets have always been made here, and if you have a problem they are there to answer the phone. Also a lifetime warranty.

I've been a plumber for 25 years and have repaired and replaced thousands of toilets. Check for quality and waranty, and clean the thing.