Have you ever noticed how appliances seem to break down in threes? You wake up one morning to a noxious odor drifting from the kitchen ... where your refrigerator/freezer has died. You're surveying the damage when you're suddenly jarred by a loud banging noise coming from outside. It's your air conditioner announcing to the entire neighborhood that it no longer feels like working. Now that you think about it, it did seem a lot hotter in here. Resigning yourself to the fact that you're going to kiss your entire savings account goodbye today, you decide to get yourself ready and head to the nearest department store to start shopping for new appliances. So you head to the laundry room to grab some clean clothes. Only you can't open the laundry room door. There's something blocking it. Something like your clothes washer, which has boogied across the floor, parking itself in front of the door. You know that dance, don't you? I think it's called "I'm on the fritz."

A search of home-improvement Web sites reveals that the majority of home-improvement gurus are in agreement on how long appliances should last. You might consider printing out the following list before you begin your shopping expedition. As you check out new appliances, ask salespeople specific questions about the average lifespan -- particularly if you don't see this information listed on the product itself -- and find out what your warranty covers before you buy anything. What kind of guarantees will you have if your appliance rolls over and dies long before its expected lifespan has run its course?

The average lifespan of some of the most common household appliances is as follows:

In the kitchen:

• Refrigerator: 18 to 20 years
• Microwave oven: 10 years
• Garbage disposal: 10 years
• Electric range: 18 to 20 years
• Oven/stove (gas): 18 to 20 years
• Dishwasher: 10 years
• Trash compactor: 10 years

In the bathroom

• Toilet (flushing/tank equipment): 5 to 6 years
• Sink: depending upon material, could last anywhere from 45 to 50 years (cast iron sinks have the longest lifespan)
• Bathtub: up to 50 years, depending upon material used (again, cast iron is the strongest)
• Ceramic tile (walls): depending upon wear and tear, up to 100 years

Flooring:

• Vinyl: 20 to 25 years, depending upon wear and tear
• Oak/pine: up to 100 years, depending upon whether the homeowner maintains them on a regular basis
• Ceramic tile: up to 100 years

In the laundry room:

• Washer and dryer: approx. 12 years

Throughout the house:

• Water heater: 10 to 15 years
• Central air conditioning: 8 to 10 years
• Septic system: 25 to 30 years
• Smoke detector: 10 years
• Doors (leading to the outside, and which are therefore exposed to more extremes of heat and cold): 12 to 15 years

In and behind the garage:

• Garage-door opener: 10 years
• Driveway (asphalt): 5 to 8 years

Outside:

• Gutters: 25 to 30 years
• Roof (asphalt shingles): 10 years, depending upon intensity of local weather conditions
• Roof (tile): 20 years
• Deck (wood): 10 to 12 years, depending upon weather conditions/wear and tear
• Drywall: 65 to 70 years

However tempting it may be to buy used appliances or to shop at an unknown retailer who claims lower overhead costs and therefore, lower-priced appliances, resist the urge. One exception to this rule would be purchasing from a trusted friend or family member a used washer or dryer, for example, if you're looking for a relatively short-term solution with no guarantees; or if buying new is simply out of the question.

And when you're buying new appliances under such pressing conditions as those listed in the first paragraph, you're going to be sorely tempted to commit to a new appliance immediately because you'll be feeling that you have little choice given the circumstances. That's not necessarily true. Even if you've got to purchase something before the end of the day, shop around. Ask questions. Call friends or family for recommendations; their guidance could be among the most valuable resources available to you, and could save you considerable legwork and time.