Just how long do furnaces last? When you figure out the life expectancy of these appliances, you’ll be in a better position to know when to replace yours.
Picture this: you’ve just left a long, rough day at work. You shiver in the cold winter air as you make your way into your car. You drive home, and all you can think about is relaxing in your warm living room, putting your feet up on the couch, and drowning the stresses of the day with your favorite TV show.
You park your car in your garage, open the door, and … oh no! The house is freezing!
To prevent this scenario, it’s important that you know the answer to the question of “how long do furnaces last?” Otherwise, the end of your furnace lifespan could be coming up soon. And if you didn’t know, you could find yourself walking into a freezing home one of these winter nights.
How Long Do Furnaces Last?
According to Consumer Reports, the average lifespan of a furnace is between 15-20 years. Of course, this lifespan is very heavily dependent on multiple different factors: how well you maintain it, the area that you are located in, and the quality of the original installation. Of those factors, the main one that you are in control of is the furnace’s maintenance.
To ensure that you’re getting the most years out of your furnace before it’s time for you to replace it, let’s take a quick look at how to maintain your furnace.
How Do You Maintain a Furnace?
There are a few different furnace maintenance strategies, but none of them require a lot of time investment.
The first thing to do is to always, always make sure to deal with any weird noises as they come up. A loud vibration or rattling that comes from your furnace means that something has gone wrong.
If you continue to use your HVAC system without paying any attention to this problem, then the issue could easily get much worse very fast, forcing you to replace the unit far better you otherwise would have had to. But if you call in the best furnace service company and have the unit fixed, it’ll stay operational for a long time.
The next furnace maintenance tip is to regularly replace your air filter. This is an easy DIY job — simply pop out the old filter and put the new one in, for the cost of just a few bucks. During the heating season, you should check the filter at least once a month. Replace it if the filter is woefully dirty, but otherwise a good cleaning could suffice.
Last but not least, also check your blower motor’s belt. Over time, cracks can develop in the belt that cause it to snap. If it snaps, more components can be damaged. Replace the belt before that happens.
Know Your Furnace Requirements
Now that you know the answers to the questions of how long do furnaces last and how can you take care of your furnace, there’s no excuse for you not to properly maintain your furnace.
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