Every appliance in your home has a life expectancy, including your furnace. Fortunately, the average lifespan of furnaces is on the rise. While most furnaces are expected to last between 15 and 20 years, some of the latest and most innovative models could remain functional for three full decades or more. Several factors go into the expected lifespan of your furnace.
Oil-Fired and Gas-Fired Furnaces Sustain the Most Wear
Fuel-combusting furnaces sustain more cumulative wear than furnaces that rely solely on electricity. When these appliances are installed in environments with high and near-constant heating demand, they typically last between 15 and 20 years. Most models come with 10-year limited parts warranties and 20-year warranties on their heat exchangers.
Electric Furnaces Last Two to Three Decades
Electric furnaces are expected to last between 20 and 30 years. Like fuel-combusting furnaces, many of the top models come with 10-year warranties that cover their major components. While high internal temperatures are the greatest contributors to gas-fired and oil-fired furnace wear, unchecked airflow obstructions are the most common cause of early failure in electric furnaces.
Hanging onto a Functional Furnace for Too Long Is Rarely the Best Choice
Irrespective of the fuel type they use, some furnaces continue turning on and functioning well past their expected lifespans. If you have a furnace in your home that’s already provided 20 years of service, it’s important to note that it’s far less efficient than it once was. Furnaces naturally lose efficiency as they age. In fact, some models lose more than 50% of their efficiency after just one decade. As time goes on, aging furnaces can also develop safety issues and they may contribute to a gradual decline in indoor air quality (IAQ).
Tips to Extend Your Furnace’s Lifespan
Extending the lifespan of a residential furnace is easy. It starts by having your heating equipment professionally sized and installed. Furnaces that are too large or too small for their service areas overwork throughout their lifetimes, and they sustain accelerated wear along the way.
All furnaces should be professionally serviced at least once each year. Scheduling annual furnace tune-ups during fall will prime your heating equipment for the challenges of each cold season. You should also keep a fresh and properly fitted furnace filter installed. You can avoid filter-related problems by checking this component monthly and changing it every 30 to 90 days.
Since 2006, we’ve been proudly serving Scottsboro, AL. You can count on us for superior heating, cooling, and IAQ services. We also provide smart thermostats, mini-splits, and preventative maintenance plans. Get in touch with Batey Brothers Heating & Cooling today to schedule an appointment.
