Are You at the End of Your Useful Life?

I didn't think so. Yet how many times have I read an engineer's or contractor's report with the statement "...the boiler (air handler, whatever) is X years old and at the end of its useful life and thus should be replaced"?

While it is true that a piece of equipment, like a person, has a typical lifespan, age alone is not all that useful a criterion when deciding to replace (retire?) it.

A co-op approached me recently because they were concerned that their boiler was about to pack it in. They had no reason other than that the boiler is at least 80 years old. After taking a look at it and interviewing the super, I saw no reason to replace the boiler, at least not immediately. There was no history of chronic repairs or excessive makeup water, and the boiler was reasonably efficient.

We may perform a few more tests to confirm certain things, but the point is, a well-maintained piece of equipment can last decades and, conversely, poorly-maintained equipment can fall apart well before its time. Don't be bamboozled into spending big bucks on something you don't need just because the one you have is old.