Your furnace is an essential part of your home during the winter season. It’s responsible for keeping you, your family, and your home warm and safe throughout the colder months of the year. However, several factors can impede your furnace’s performance, which can affect its lifespan. Understanding how long your furnace lasts will give you the necessary information about when to schedule a replacement. Below, we’ll examine what the average furnace lifespan is and provide you with various factors that can influence it when it comes to your furnace.
Typical Furnace Lifespans
The lifespan of your furnace is highly dependent on the type of energy that it uses. Furnaces that burn gas, including both propane and natural gas furnaces, will typically last about 15 to 20 years. Those that burn heating oil can last between 15 and 25 years. Electric furnaces typically have a usable lifespan of 20 to 30 years. It’s important to realize that this lifespan is based on optimal operating conditions of a well-maintained furnace. Other factors can also influence the overall lifespan of your furnace.
Professional Maintenance
One of the biggest factors that will influence the longevity of your furnace is the amount of maintenance that it receives. Furnaces that receive routine maintenance will last much longer than those that don’t. It’s essential to remember that furnaces are complex machines with many moving components and electronic controls.
Any neglect in maintaining your furnace will lead to reduced efficiency, higher operating costs, and an increased risk of experiencing a major breakdown. We recommend annual furnace tune-up services for all our customers. This includes inspecting, cleaning, lubricating, and testing all the internal components of your furnace. This service is ideal for detecting small issues and for maintaining your furnace’s warranty coverage.
Routine Filter Changes
Another thing to keep in mind is how often you change your furnace filter. When your furnace has a dirty filter, it operates less efficiently. This results in increased wear and tear on the internal components of your furnace, leading to a shorter overall lifespan. Routine filter changes are one of the best ways to help extend the longevity of your furnace.
We recommend swapping out your furnace’s filter every month. Hold the filter up to a light and look at it. If you can’t see through the filter, it’s an indication that it’s time for a replacement. You should have a spare filter ready, so you can do a replacement whenever it’s necessary. If you suffer from allergies or respiratory conditions like asthma, you may want to consider purchasing a filter with a MERV rating of 11- 13.
Usage Patterns
One key thing you realize about furnaces is that they don’t all wear at the same rate. Your usage patterns significantly affect the overall longevity of your furnace. In general, homes in colder climates will run their furnaces more often, causing increased wear and a shorter lifespan. If you have a larger home with multiple floors, you’ll likely use your furnace more often than someone with a ranch-style home.
If you have a zone heating system, your system will operate more efficiently, and your furnace will run less often. This will result in a longer lifespan than a single-zone system. In addition, your temperature preferences also play a key role in your usage patterns. If you like to set the temperature high, your furnace will run more often and have a shorter lifespan than if you like to set it lower.
Installation Quality
The quality of installation can affect your furnace’s longevity. When you have your furnace professionally installed, it ensures a long lifespan for your unit. If your furnace wasn’t professionally installed, it could have a shorter lifespan due to numerous factors. These can include incorrect sizing, inadequate venting, inaccurate calibration, and poor ductwork alignment.
Equipment Quality
The quality of your equipment and the brand name that you select can significantly impact the longevity of your furnace. Not all furnaces are created equal. Higher-end furnace models from more reputable brands tend to last longer than those from unheard-of brands. Furnaces produced by one of the industry’s leading manufacturers are usually constructed with quality materials, superior construction quality, and advanced safety and efficiency features for better long-term performance.
Environmental Factors
Another factor that can affect your furnace’s longevity is its overall environment. If your home has poor indoor air quality with a lot of pet dander, dust, and other debris floating in the air, it will shorten the lifespan of your system. If you have excess humidity, it will corrode the metal components of your unit and prematurely deteriorate them.
If you live in an area that experiences frequent voltage spikes or power outages, your system is more likely to have internal electrical damage that will shorten its lifespan. Even issues like poor airflow and blocked vents can stress your furnace, leading to shorter longevity.
Signs Your Furnace May Need Replacing
As your furnace ages, some key factors can let you know it’s likely getting time for a replacement. Some of the most common signs include frequent repairs, odd operating noises, and uneven heating across your home. Aging units can lead to decreased comfort alongside inefficient operation. This can increase your energy bills, leaving you paying more out of pocket for heating your home during the winter.
Tips on Extending Furnace Longevity
A furnace is a high upfront expense for most homeowners. It only makes sense to do everything you can to extend the lifespan of your furnace. One of the best things you can do is get routine maintenance every fall to prepare your heating system for the winter months. This will ensure that it’s operating safely and efficiently, leading to a decreased breakdown risk.
Be sure to keep up with routine filter changes and invest in regular duct cleaning services about every three to five years. This will help you maintain better indoor air quality and can extend the longevity of your system. Consider getting a programmable or smart thermostat. Smart thermostats can reduce unnecessary energy waste. You’ll have remote control access and can monitor your energy usage. Smart thermostats will also alert to when your furnace needs maintenance.
Importance of Scheduling a Replacement
When you first start experiencing issues with your aging furnace, it’s a good idea to plan for a replacement at a time that’s convenient for you. Far too often, homeowners delay getting a replacement until their system completely fails. This isn’t a good idea, as it could leave your home without heat during the cold winter until a new unit can arrive.
Reliable Furnace Installation Service
Fox Heating, Cooling & Plumbing offers reliable furnace installation service for the Wheat Ridge, CO, community. We can also assist with all your furnace repair, replacement, and tune-up needs. Call our office today for more information and to book your next service consultation with one of our experienced technicians.
