If you’re asking, “How long does a furnace last?” it’s highly likely that your furnace is starting to cause you some concern. Of course, you don’t want it to give up on you in the dead of winter, but you don’t want to make the significant investment of buying a new furnace on a whim.
At Complete Comfort Heating, A/C & Plumbing Repair, our years of experience as an expert furnace installation company in Greenwood, IN, means we’re the perfect team to listen to on this topic. We’ll discuss the details in this blog post.
The Lifespan of the Average Furnace
Furnace systems last 15 to 20 years on average. It’s harder to arrive at exact numbers because factors like maintenance, levels of insulation, and the type of furnace you have can all influence your unit’s lifespan.
For instance, an electric furnace can last up to 30 years because it has far fewer moving parts than a gas furnace, which has an upper average lifespan cap of 20 years. Oil furnaces are similar to gas furnaces, but they can last up to 25 years.
So, if you’re asking, “How long does a furnace last?” you must keep in mind that all the answers you’ll find are averages.
Even if your unit is already within the projected average lifespan for the furnace type, it doesn’t always mean you should discard it right away. We’ve seen numerous cases of furnaces lasting five to 10 years more than the average lifespan.
If you’ve taken good care of your furnace over the years, it will likely reach and exceed the advertised average lifespan.
Factors That Can Lower a Furnace’s Lifespan
An average lifespan of 15-20 years sounds great on paper. However, your furnace may fall way short of that estimate if any of the following applies to your situation.
Poor Furnace Sizing
If the furnace is too big or too small for your home, it won’t last long. An oversized furnace will run shorter cycles. The frequent on-and-off cycles will cause the furnace’s parts to wear out faster.
An undersized furnace will also lead to the same results because it will run longer cycles to meet your heating needs.
Poor Installation Work
Your choice of HVAC installer can have an impact on your system’s lifespan. A furnace with incorrectly installed fuel lines, a poor drainage system, or poorly designed ductwork will not reach its advertised lifespan. Mistakes in these areas can also affect your comfort.
Poor Maintenance Practices
Regular maintenance is the surest way to stay ahead of furnace problems. Minor issues, if ignored long enough, will almost always lead to more serious issues.
For example, clogged filters or an inefficient heat exchanger can make the furnace work harder. Imbalanced blower fans can damage the motors over time. Dirty flame sensors can damage the ignition mechanism.
Regular maintenance is the best way to avoid these unwanted knock-on effects.
Poor Usage Habits
If you always set your thermostat too high or too low, your furnace will run more frequently than it should, lowering its lifespan.
Signs Your Furnace Is Near the End of Its Lifespan
Even the most well-maintained furnace systems will need replacing at some point. You’ll notice some of these signs over time. Some of the top warning signs you should watch out for include:
- More frequent service calls
- Costlier furnace repair bills
- Poor indoor air quality
- Inadequate heating performance across the home
- Sudden noisy operation
- A sudden rise in your energy bills
If you don’t want to deal with the hassle of repairing or replacing a furnace in the middle of winter, you need to watch out for these signs as your furnace nears the upper boundaries of the recommended average lifespan.
Contact Complete Comfort Heating, A/C & Plumbing Repair for All Your Furnace Needs in Greenwood, IN
Knowing your furnace’s lifespan is the easiest way to work out whether you should stretch the existing unit a bit further or if you’re risking a winter night without heating.
However, as you’ve seen above, finding more than an average lifespan takes a bit of work. That’s where we come in. Our HVAC technicians here at Complete Comfort Heating, A/C & Plumbing Repair can evaluate your existing system and give you a personalized answer.
Do you want further discussions on, “How long does a furnace last?” Maybe you’d like us to run through the pre-winter furnace checklist on your system to ensure it is ready for chilly weather. Call the Complete Comfort Heating, A/C & Plumbing Repair team in Greenwood, IN, today at (317) 343-8709 to schedule a consultation.