Wondering what is the average life expectancy of a gas furnace? Most furnaces last between 15-30 years. As long as you are taking good care of your furnace, it will easily last over 15 years.
While this is the average lifespan, it’s not uncommon to find some furnaces lasting for as little as 5 years and others for as long as 40 years. According to furnace service providers, these extremes are brought about by a number of factors.
Factors affecting the life of a gas furnace
Size of the furnace: If you installed a furnace of the wrong size, chances are it’s going to have a short lifespan, as it works harder than it should.
Installation: Did you know how the furnace was installed has a significant impact on how long it lasts? If the contractors didn’t properly design, size, and seal the ductwork, you will have limited airflow, making the furnace work too hard, hence shortening its life.
Inaccurately installed venting and fuel lines can also affect the performance of the furnace and reduce its lifespan.
Quality of the furnace: Like anything else, the furnace’s quality will significantly influence its lifespan. If your furnace is top quality, it’s going to last for a long time compared to a cheap, low-quality appliance.
House humidity: When the house is too humid, the key components will rust out, resulting in premature furnace failure.
Furnace use: How often do you use the furnace? You should expect an appliance that you use too frequently to have a shorter lifespan than a unit you use once or twice a year.
The heat exchanger condition: Due to repeated heating and cooling, the heat exchanger will degrade. Due to this, the heat transfer capabilities decline together with the appliance’s efficiency.
Maintenance: It goes without saying that a regularly maintained furnace has a much longer life than one that is rarely checked.
Thermostat settings: A simple thing as a thermostat setting can make a whole difference between the appliance lasting for 5 years and 30 years. Setting the thermostat too high or low has been shown to damage the appliance’s inner parts, so it has a shorter lifespan. To avoid overworking your appliance, set your thermostat between 60⁰ and 80⁰ Fahrenheit.
Can you extend the life of a gas furnace?
Yes, it’s possible the extend the life of your gas furnace. How do you do this? Here are things you should do:
Tune-up the appliance
At least once a year, hire a furnace technician to inspect your appliance and fix any issues your unit might be having. The professional should look at the motors, heat exchanger, filters, and other parts during the tune-up.
The technician should also tweak the furnace parts to increase efficiency and recommend ways to keep the appliance in top shape.
Change the gas furnace filter.
The furnace filter has a significant impact on the furnace’s life, so ensure it’s clean all the time. Every 90 days, remove the filter and, if reusable, clean and return it to the furnace.
If you can’t reuse the filter, replace it with a new one. The purpose of cleaning or replacing the filter is to get rid of dust and dirt particles that might have built up there.
When there is a lot of dirt there, it blocks airflow, forcing the furnace to work harder, which reduces its lifespan.
The cool thing is you don’t need to hire a professional to help you change the filter—you can do it yourself. Begin with turning off the furnace, remove the old filter and insert the new one. You should then turn the furnace back on.
Control the humid levels
As mentioned above, the humidity levels affect the life of the appliance. To reduce the rate at which the furnace parts rust, work at controlling the humidity levels in and around your appliance. Remember, a rusted appliance has high chances of leaking the deadly carbon monoxide gas into your living space, putting your life and that of your loved ones in danger.
If not sure how to go about it, get the input of an experienced and certified furnace repair services Falls Church.
