How Long Will My Furnace Last?
Homeowners often experience a little sticker shock the first time they have to replace a major appliance. Typically, the most expensive device in the home is the furnace. Heating systems can last a long time. However, age, climate, poor maintenance history, and other factors can shorten their life cycle.
If you’ve recently had a furnace installation or you live in a home with an existing heating system…
you’re probably wondering how long it will last. The quick answer is, it depends. In this article, we will discuss what factors affect a furnace’s lifespan. This will allow you to properly plan for your next Shrewsbury NJ furnace replacement with enough time.
Contents
How Long Does A Furnace Last?
The average lifespan of a furnace is about 15 years. Four primary factors influence the life cycle of a heating system. These variables can impact how much of that 15-year life cycle your furnace will get.
- Age of the furnace
- Who made the heater
- How the unit is treated
- Where the furnace lives
All of these variables impact the life cycle of a furnace. To illustrate, a furnace that is already ten years old is, naturally, not going to last as long. Even an older system that receives proper care will not last as long when you compare it to a brand new one. Obviously, a new one will last longer. Also, a high-quality system is most likely going to last much longer than one that is poorly made. Lastly, if your furnace has to work overtime due to climate, it may wear out faster. A heating system that is in a more temperate climate will last longer since it only runs for smaller portions throughout the year.
Age Of Your Furnace
We already mentioned that the average life cycle of a furnace is…
about 15 years. If you’ve purchased a home and you know the furnace is already 6-7 years old, you may have to pay closer attention to other variables to get the most remaining life out of the system. For instance, it is even more critical to keep up with routine maintenance to increase longevity. All experts will agree that a furnace that receives proper care will outlast a neglected furnace. Therefore, it pays off to schedule annual maintenance and repair your system when it needs it.
Just because a heating system is not brand new,. doesn’t mean it won’t last a long time. If it has proper maintenance and lives in a climate where it isn’t working overtime, there’s a good chance it could last beyond its 15 year lifetime. Unfortunately, it is hard to tell if someone has taken good care of a furnace unless they’ve kept meticulous records.
Who Made Your Furnace
Some companies make better heating units than others. Usually, those that make a quality product will stand behind it with some impressive warranty. If you have warranty information available for your furnace and the company is covering the system for quite some time, chances are it’s high-quality and will last for its entire life cycle.
Companies that do not offer a warranty at all (or ones that last for a small duration of time) may not produce the best gas furnaces or other types of quality heating systems. The situation is, of course, assuming that it was given care and not over-worked in the climate where you live. The age is also a factor even with well-made furnaces.
The thing that’s great about furnaces made by well-known manufacturers is that they often come with lengthy warranties. Reviews online can also indicate how good a brand of heating system you have. For instance, if there is nothing but complaints online for your furnace’s manufacturer (or even just the model), you might have to replace it sooner than later.
If a furnace company offers a 5 or 10-year warranty on the system or its parts, that is an excellent indication that it will last its entire life cycle or longer. It’s important to point out that these furnace companies don’t make up their warranty terms. They use sophisticated formulas to predict when systems or parts within systems are likely to malfunction. They base their warranty projections on that.
This means that more extended warranty periods indicate you won’t have to worry about fixing or replacing things for a while. All of these aspects are indicators for how long your furnace will last.
How The Furnace Is Treated
It’s not much of a stretch to say…
that neglected machinery is not going to last as long. Furnaces that do not receive regular maintenance tend to burn out faster. This is true when they are compared to systems that receive tune-ups and repairs when necessary. If you want a new heater to last its entire life cycle, or an aging furnace to last a little longer, proper maintenance is critical.
For the most part, heating systems are mostly trouble free and don’t need a lot of attention. If you don’t do the minimum work that is necessary though, significant problems can develop. Furnace filters need replacements on a regular basis to prevent the buildup of dust and debris inside the unit. Worn components need replacement parts promptly to avoid overworking the system.
A heating system should receive an inspection annually to ensure everything is in proper working order. Heating systems that receive proper maintenance should last their entire life cycle or even longer.
Where The Furnace Lives
The day-to-day conditions that your furnace is subjected to play a prominent role in how long it lasts. If you live in an area where there are extreme temperatures regularly, your furnace is going to work harder more consistently. Conversely, if you live in a region where the furnace is in use during smaller portions of the year, then it may last a lot longer because it isn’t always running. Naturally, this is hard to control as we all live where we live. However, if you are wondering how long your furnace will last, extreme temperatures can shorten its life cycle.
Furnace Replacement Shrewsbury NJ
Homeowners should never conduct a DIY furnace installation. Only a licensed HVAC contractor should handle a job like this. If you are seeking a heater replacement, contact the NATE certified professionals at Lawes Company. We specialize in all makes and models of heating systems. We can suggest the most energy efficient units to help reduce your home heating costs while enhancing the comfort of your home. Also, we can find the perfect system that fits within your budget. For those who have an existing system in your home, we can tune up or a repair for your system. Additionally, we can also assess the condition of your system to give you an idea of when you should start planning for a replacement. When working with Lawes Company, you can expect affordable, fast, and friendly services. Call our office today to schedule an appointment.
Some of the areas we service include: Eatontown, Fort Monmouth, Oceanport, Shrewsbury and these zip codes: 07724, 07703, 07757, 07702 as well as all surrounding areas in Monmouth County, New Jersey.
Contact us now at (732) 741-6300 to find out more!