Warranties aren’t based on average life expectancies, however, so if the April 1996 issue of Appliance Statistical Review says that your dishwasher should last ten years and it dies after nine, don’t expect to get a new one for free.
Warranties for appliances are typically one year and cover all parts and labor, and that’s it. Some exceptions-for example, the sealed system tubing in a refrigerator that carries the coolant are covered for longer. Manufacturers assume that people will neither use a product as they would expect them to nor read instructions.
Paint, too, undergoes extensive testing. Paint is tested for color and gloss retention and resistance to dirt and mildew. It is applied to all kinds of wood surfaces, vinyl, and aluminum to deter mine durability. After extensive testing, it has been determined that exterior paint on wood, brick, and aluminum surfaces will probably last seven to ten years.
There are caveats, though, and they will be discussed in a subsequent chapter on painting. For instance, there needs to be sound surface preparation before painting. In paint jobs on older homes, you see a lot of paint failure because moisture is getting behind the paint, so you have to take care of that.
It all boils down to variables. Concrete is formed and poured on site, so there are a lot more variables contributing to its life expectancy. By reducing the number of variables, concrete producers have learned that the life expectancy of their products will increase. They accomplish this by establishing training programs and developing specifications for mixing and applying the material.
