July 8th， Kuai Technology reports that while most people associate expiration dates with food products， many electrical appliances also have a “shelf life.”
Appliances like refrigerators and washing machines are used almost weekly， if not daily. In summer， air conditioners often run continuously.
Indeed， these units have their own recommended service lives. Failing to replace them in a timely manner upon reaching their operational limit can significantly increase safety hazards.
Furthermore， improper use and frequent usage can shorten an appliance’s safe service period. Similar to how a car’s mileage affects its lifespan， more frequent operation accelerates wear and tear.
Here are the recommended safe service lifespans for common household appliances:
Safe service lifespan of 10 years: Refrigerators， microwave ovens， electric fans;
Safe service lifespan of 8 to 10 years: Televisions， air conditioners;
Safe service lifespan of 8 years: Washing machines， clothes dryers， gas stoves， range hoods， water purifiers， tableware sterilizers， smart toilets， storage-type electric water heaters， vacuum cleaners;
Safe service lifespan of 5 years: Rice cookers， electric pressure cookers.
Another often overlooked item is the power strip.
It is generally recommended to use household power strips for no more than 5 years. When a power strip exhibits overheating， loose sockets， or blackened sockets， it should be replaced.
Additionally， avoid plugging too many appliances into a single power strip during daily use， as excessive load can easily lead to short circuits.
For power strips used frequently or in humid environments， their lifespan will be even shorter.
Beyond general appliances， gas appliances in the home must also be replaced after 6 or 8 years.
Gas appliances that are “over-aged” have aging internal components， which can easily cause gas leaks. This can lead to carbon monoxide poisoning， fires， or even explosions， with severe consequences.
According to GB 17905-2008 “Safety Management Rules for Household Gas Appliances，” the specified retirement periods are calculated from the date of sale:
For fast water heaters using natural gas/liquefied petroleum gas， the retirement lifespan is 8 years; for those using artificial gas， it is 6 years;
The retirement lifespan for gas stoves is 8 years.
