If you’ve recently invested in a new furnace for your home, you know that furnaces can be quite expensive. Most manufacturers estimate that their furnaces will last anywhere between 15 and 20 years. If you want your furnace to last even longer, then consider undertaking the practices below.
Professional Maintenance Each Year
One of the biggest determining factors when it comes to making a furnace last beyond its estimated lifespan is how often it was serviced by a professional. You should be calling in a professional during the fall to service your furnace to ensure that it will work efficiently for the winter season. This helps to ensure that your furnace’s internal components are properly looked after and reduces their risk of experiencing a malfunction.
Get Immediate Furnace Repairs
Another factor that plays a big role in the life of your furnace is the number of repairs it has undergone. When you first notice that there’s a problem with your furnace, you need to get it looked at immediately. You should never let problems like weird noises or odd smells continue to go on while you run your system. This will eventually lead to more damage to your system components. The goal of a long-lasting furnace is to be able to run the original parts for as long as possible.
Have Adequate Insulation in Your Home
Let’s say that the same furnace is installed in two different homes. One home has insulation that meets the appropriate R-value for the area, and one doesn’t. The furnace in the house that has adequate insulation is going to last much longer than the one that doesn’t. This comes down to the simple fact that without adequate insulation in the home, a furnace is going to have to continue to overwork to keep the home at a comfortable temperature for the family.
You want to do everything possible to ensure that your furnace has a long life. One of the best ways to do this is to take a look at the R-value of the insulation in your home. If your R-value is below what is recommended in your area, then you need to upgrade it. Additionally, any air drafts that are coming through your window and door cracks need to be sealed up. These can allow unnecessary cold air to seep into your home and cause your furnace to consistently overwork.
Change Filters Regularly
You’ve probably been told that you need to change your furnace filters on a regular basis. While the general rule is to change your furnace filter every three months, that’s not always accurate for every homeowner. Rather, you should evaluate the state of your filter every month and change it whenever you can no longer see through it. If you leave a dirty filter in your furnace for an extended period of time, it will make your furnace work much harder than it needs to as it forces air through the clogged filter.
Clean Your Ducting
As air travels throughout your home, it’s pulled into the return vent. This forces the air down your ducting and back to your furnace to be reheated. As airborne particles like dust and debris get pulled into your vents, they can make their way to the internal components of your furnace. The dirtier your furnace gets, the lower its lifespan is going to be. While your furnace filter will filter out some of these unwanted airborne particles, it usually isn’t enough. Consider having a professional duct cleaning service come in and remove excess dirt and debris from your ducting every two to five years.
Get Your Ducting Sealed
Another ductwork-related contributor to shortening the life of your furnace is air leaks. Over time, your ducting can become dented and pull apart. This can create air gaps that allow the hot air created by your furnace to seep out into your wall and floor cavities. This results in less hot air making it to the rooms in your home. Therefore, your furnace has to work much harder to adequately heat up your rooms. To fix this issue, you should invest in duct sealing every 10 years to ensure that you’re not losing any of that precious hot air created by your furnace.