Enter the year a house was built to get a checklist of likely materials and risks, system by system, with the official source behind every date.
Don’t know the year? Check the “year built” line in the listing or your county property record.
Most-searched materials
- Knob-and-tube wiring
Common from about 1880 to the 1940s. See what else a 1920s house usually has.
- Polybutylene pipe
Installed from 1978 to the mid-1990s. Check a late-1980s house.
- Lead paint
About 61% of homes built 1940–59 and 24% of 1960–77 homes have some (HUD).
- Aluminum wiring
Branch circuits from 1965 to the mid-1970s. Decode a 1970 house.
Browse by system
- Hazardous Materials
Lead paint, asbestos, vermiculite and problem drywall.
- Plumbing & Water
Lead, galvanized, polybutylene and Orangeburg pipes.
- Electrical & Heating
Knob-and-tube, aluminum wiring and older panels.
- Buying & Insuring
What the build year means for inspections and insurance.
Every date on this site links to a public source. See the master table of dates and how ratings work. This is general information, not an inspection: read the disclaimer.