How long does a furnace last? How does a furnace work? These are common questions asked by many homeowners across Waldorf, MD.
Several contributing factors affect furnace life expectancy. The team at Mission Comfort can help you extend the life of your furnace by providing effective repairs and professional Heating and Air Conditioning services. Our team is passionate about helping customers keep their homes comfortable year-round by providing unmatched repair and maintenance services.
The life expectancy of a residential furnace depends on several different factors. Below is a comprehensive guide to understanding how long your furnace should last and aging signs to watch for.
What Is the Average Lifespan of a Furnace?
A furnace’s average lifespan will depend on its quality and maintenance frequency. However, the average gas furnace will last between 15 to 30 years. In rare cases, a furnace may last up to 40 years.
Routine maintenance is the key to extending your furnace life. Like many home appliances, your furnace will require occasional repairs. Scheduling routine maintenance inspections with your local Heating and A/C professionals is the best way to ensure that your furnace or air conditioning unit lasts well over 15 years.
What Factors Affect a Furnace’s Life Expectancy?
When answering the question, “How long does a furnace last?” consider the following factors.
The Size of Your Furnace
The size of your furnace can impact its efficiency and overall life span. When your furnace is too small for your home, it must work harder to meet thermostat demands. As a result, your Heating and Air Conditioning system will short cycle, leading to increased wear and tear.
Similarly, if the furnace is too large for your home, it will turn off and on too frequently. This turnover increases the wear and tear of your system, thus gradually lowering its lifespan.
An improperly sized furnace affects the lifespan of your system and increases your utility bills. When your system must work harder to reach the desired temperature, it requires more power. Consequently, homeowners will face higher utility bills and reduced efficiency.
Furnace Installation
Hiring an experienced and trustworthy Heating and Air Conditioning professional to install your furnace is critical. Poor installation can create several problems for your furnace.
- Poorly installed fuel lines
- Improper drainage system
- Poor ductwork design
- Restricted airflow
Poor installation can prevent your furnace from effectively keeping your home comfortable. Whether buying a new home or replacing an old, worn-out furnace, let Waldorf’s top-rated furnace installers at Mission Comfort install your new Heating and Air Conditioning system. Our experts have the tools and expertise needed to properly install furnaces and help extend their life expectancy.
Your Thermostat
Your Heating and Air Conditioning system heats or cools your home according to your set thermostat temperature. Setting the thermostat too high or low can impact your furnace’s efficiency.
To maximize efficiency and reduce the need for a furnace repair, we recommend that you keep your thermostat set between 60 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit.
Routine Maintenance Frequency
Maintenance frequency is among the most important factors contributing to furnace life expectancy. Routine maintenance inspections help identify problems early and ensure that your Heating and Air Conditioning system is ready for the upcoming system.
A lack of routine maintenance can create several problems for your furnace.
- Dirty air filters: Dirty air filters can restrict airflow, leading to system overheating or overworking to meet thermostat demands.
- Lack of heat exchange: Without routine maintenance, your system can struggle to transfer heat efficiently, impacting your home’s comfort.
- Malfunctioning fans: Malfunctioning fans in your system can impact the motor’s lifespan. When the motor breaks down, your furnace cannot effectively heat your home.
Warning Signs That Your Furnace Is Wearing Down
Unfortunately, your furnace won’t last forever, even with regular maintenance. As your furnace ages, various warning signs may indicate the need for a replacement.
- You are constantly scheduling system repairs.
- Your furnace is blowing cool air.
- Your Heating and Air Conditioning is unevenly cooling or heating your home.
- Your furnace or air conditioner is making strange noises.
- You notice a significant increase in your energy bills.
- You notice a decrease in indoor air quality.
- Your repair bills are expensive.
When to Replace Your Furnace
If you notice any of the above issues and your furnace is over 15 years old, it may be time to replace it with a newer system. Despite the upfront costs, replacing your furnace with a newer model can save you money in the long run.
Replacing your current or worn-out furnace with an upgraded model can help you lower your energy bills, reduce maintenance and repair costs, and extend your system’s life. Newer models use an annualized fuel utilization efficiency (AFUE) rating to measure system efficiency. This rating indicates the amount of heat used and lost during combustion.
Therefore, if your system has an AFUE rating of 80%, the furnace wastes only 20% of the heat used in the combustion process. Generally, the newer furnace systems carry an AFUE rating of 80% or higher. A higher AFUE rating means greater system efficiency and lower energy bills for you.
How Can You Extend the Life of Your Furnace?
How long does a furnace last, and how can you extend its lifespan? The easiest way to extend your furnace’s life expectancy is to perform regular maintenance and schedule routine inspections.
Regular professional inspections help you identify problems before they escalate into severe issues. During an inspection, your Heating and Air Conditioning professional will thoroughly evaluate all your furnace components. The Heating and Air Conditioning technician can ensure that your furnace is fully functional and ready for the upcoming season by following a comprehensive checklist.
Aside from scheduling regular inspections, there are several at-home maintenance steps that you can take to extend your furnace’s life.
- Regularly replace your air filter.
- Keep the motor clean by removing dust and debris.
- Keep your home properly insulated.
- Clean the heat exchanger to prevent overheating.
- Keep the unit clean and away from debris such as trees or pests.
With proper maintenance and regular inspections, you can easily extend the life of your furnace while increasing its efficiency.
Your Waldorf Furnace Professionals
Whether you’re scheduling a routine maintenance service or you must replace your furnace, Mission Comfort in Waldorf, MD, has the tools and expertise you need. With years of experience and a passion for continuous learning, our technicians continue to provide the best possible Heating and AC services for our customers.
The team at Mission Comfort is proud to offer a wide range of Heating and Cooling services in Waldorf, MD.
- Furnace repair
- Heating and Air Conditioning installation
- Regular maintenance
- and more
How long does a furnace last? The answer ultimately depends on how well you care for your furnace. The best way to extend your unit’s life is to perform regular maintenance and find a trustworthy team of professionals to perform repairs and inspections.
Read about how long Heating and Air Conditioning systems last and learn about how our team can help you extend the life of your system by checking us out.
Mission Comfort has the tools and trustworthy team that homeowners rely on to extend the life of their furnaces. Call us at (301) 701-3296 to schedule an appointment in Waldorf, MD.
