Service‐Life Expectancy of Household Appliances: New Estimates from the USDA

Abstract
The objective of this research was to develop current estimates of average service‐life expectancy under one owner for widely owned items of major equipment by using the actuarial or current life table method. Information on year of acquisition of selected appliances in use and on those discarded within the previous year was collected from a national sample of about 12,000 households. Actuarial tables were constructed to develop service‐life expectancies for ranges, refrigerators, freezers, dishwashers, clothes dryers, washers, and televisions. When the estimates developed from this study were compared with estimates developed by the USDA in 1957 through 1961, service life for most items acquired new remained about the same. The service‐life expectancy of items acquired used was, in most cases, slightly less in 1972 than in 1957 through 1961.