How to Extend the Lifespan of Your Furnace?

You can enjoy the warmth provided by a furnace for many, many years. However, not all furnaces will last that long. Luckily, you can prolong your heating system’s warmth by learning about how to extend the lifespan of your furnace. 

At Monkey Wrench, our technicians have seen how certain excellent and bad factors can impact a furnace’s lifespan, from neglecting maintenance to repairing bad ductwork. For over two decades, we’ve worked with the top brands in the industry to share insider information on how to better protect your furnace from early breakdowns. 

By the end of this article, you will understand how the following factors can extend the lifespan of your furnace. 

• Replacing air filters
• Address furnace problems right away
• Maintain ductwork
• Use a programmable thermostat
• Schedule seasonal professional maintenance

Once you commit to protecting your furnace and extending its lifespan, your home can have reliable heating for years to come.

How Long do Furnaces Last?

With the correct preventative measures, your furnace can last anywhere from 15 to over 20 years, with some furnaces lasting about 30 years in some cases. On the other hand, neglecting your furnace and running it without maintenance can cause it to last around 10 years or less. 

Even if your furnace makes it past 20 years, it’s important to note that it will experience a decline in energy efficiency and heating capacity. Some parts within your heating system will experience normal wear and tear as they age, so they have a higher chance of requiring repairs or replacement.

Still, 20 years is a pretty long time to have sufficient heating in your home, but it’s only achievable by committing to your furnace’s well-being. 

How to Prolong the Life of Your Furnace?

Furnace maintenance has a direct impact on how long it can last. Although most of the preventive care can be completed by a professional, there is one thing you can do on your own.

Replacing your furnace’s air filters is easy and makes a huge difference in extending your heating system’s lifespan.

Replace Your Air Filters

Consistent air filter replacements are beneficial to your furnace’s overall performance and lifespan. Here’s how changing your air filters every 1 to 3 months can make a difference in how long your furnace will last.

• Improves airflow 
• Maintains air quality
• Protects internal components 

Air filters are designed to capture airborne contaminants that would otherwise get trapped within your furnace. As time passes, these particles can build up on crucial parts of your furnace, like the heat exchanger and blower motor. All of the accumulated debris can strain your heating system, increase its workload, and can lead to overheating. 

Dust and debris can clog up and impede airflow, making it harder for warm air to circulate throughout your home. Excellent airflow also helps your furnace’s heating efficiency. All of these factors play a role in your furnace’s lifespan and highlight the importance of air filter replacements, especially in a city like Los Angeles, which deals with a lot of pollution.

Replacing your air filters is key to extending your furnace’s lifespan, as is taking care of any recommended repairs. 

Address Any Furnace Concerns Immediately

If your furnace is dealing with random issues, it’s recommended to address them immediately to protect your heating system’s lifespan. Delaying any pending fixes can negatively impact your furnace’s ability to function and provide adequate heating. 

It can be difficult trying to determine when your furnace needs repairs, but there are some signs you can look out for.

• Unusual noises such as banging, clanging, grinding, and other sounds could signify an issue with your furnace.
• Lack of heat usually means something wrong with your furnace’s ability to create warmth. 
• If your furnace is failing to turn on, then there’s definitely a problem preventing it from operating. 

A professional technician should address any concerns you experience with your furnace. Technicians have the knowledge and experience to diagnose your furnace’s issues and find the right solutions.

Another way to extend your furnace’s lifespan is by caring for your system’s ductwork.

Keep Ductwork in Good Working Condition

Making sure your home’s ductwork is well-kept and maintained can help extend the lifespan of your furnace. Replacing, resealing, or even cleaning your ductwork can prevent your furnace from experiencing problems that can reduce its lifespan.

It is common for ductwork to accumulate dust and other debris over time. After years of no ductwork maintenance, your furnace may experience a loss in heating efficiency. 

Poorly maintained ductwork can also affect your furnace’s energy efficiency. Since it may need more power to heat your home, your furnace will consume more natural gas, which may increase your monthly energy bills. 

Ductwork is more likely to gather dust and debris if your furnace is always running. A programmable thermostat, however, can help prevent it from overworking and extend its lifespan. 

Set a Programmable Thermostat

Having a programmable thermostat can help extend the lifespan of your furnace by decreasing the number of unnecessary heating cycles. Furnaces can experience more wear and tear when constantly running, but a programmable thermostat can help reduce that. 

Smart thermostats help schedule heating cycles so your heating system runs on full power while you’re away from home. You may even be able to take advantage of available rebates by switching to a smart thermostat.

Even if you don’t have a programmable thermostat, you can make a huge difference in your furnace’s lifespan by scheduling annual tune-ups and maintenance. 

Schedule Seasonal Furnace Maintenance and Tune-Ups

You can help extend the lifespan of your furnace by scheduling annual maintenance and tune-ups right before the start of the heating season. By scheduling professional maintenance, you can ensure that a technician is replacing the filter, among other services, such as. 

• Inspect heat exchangers for leakages or cracks.
• Check for any carbon monoxide leakage.
• Inspect ignition sequence for proper operation.
• Check for gas valve operation and gas leakage.
• Check condensate pumps and drain lines.
• Check temperature rise and adjust to the proper level.
• Inspect high-pressure safety controls.
• Check surrounding areas for fire hazards.
• Inspect the inducer motor and combustion air supply.
• Inspect flame sensors and roll out safeties.

This multi-point inspection helps catch any potential issues before they become expensive repairs and helps prepare your furnace so that it can efficiently keep your home warm.

Keeping Your Furnace in Good Condition

Even if furnaces aren’t always in use, it’s important to keep them in good working condition. Now that you know about the top ways to extend your furnace’s lifespan, you and your family can enjoy the warmth it can provide for two decades or more.

Whether it’s a simple maintenance call or full repair, our technicians at Monkey Wrench are highly experienced in dealing with everything furnace-related. For over two decades, we’ve seen how certain factors can make a huge impact in extending the lifespan of a furnace. 

If you’re interested in a furnace repair or maintenance service, contact us using the button below. You can also book an appointment directly through our HVAC online scheduler.