How long does a typical furnace last?

A typical furnace can serve you for 15-30 years or slightly longer with the right maintenance routines. You can extend its lifespan through regular cleaning and tune-ups. Clean the filters and reduce the humidity levels in your home to get many years of use from your investment.

The average lifespan of a furnace

Everything expires with time. Before investing in a furnace or any other appliance, a financially prudent homeowner should consider the item’s lifespan.

The average furnace works for between 15 and 30 years. Even though some furnace types can last for more than 40 years, you should typically start making plans for a new furnace after the second decade of ownership.

Factors that affect the longevity

Your story might be different. Your furnace could age gracefully or throw in the towel earlier than the stated years. The main factor that affects furnace longevity is repair &maintenance. With the right expert repair jobs, your kiln could last for longer than expected.

The value perception in furnace maintenance and longevity:

· New furnaces get to work efficiently for long

· Old furnaces keep working satisfactorily for long

· Fewer incidences of unit breakdowns

· Repair and maintenance is a budget-friendly approach—replacing furnaces is costly

Frequency of use

You may need your furnace burning 24-7 to survive the winter’s biting cold, but please note that overworking a furnace shortens its lifespan. If you use your system heavily, consider increasing your frequency of repair and maintenance. Professional maintenance and tune-ups can help to counteract the performance and durability issues from overuse.

Installation

Many homeowners unknowingly work with poorly installed furnaces. The result is not only premature breakdowns but also significant reductions in energy efficiency. You can prolong the lifespan of your furnace and improve performance through professional installation.

How to tell that a furnace is nearing the end

Talk to professionals. There may be too many variables to consider with regards to the lifespan of your furnace. A repair expert is better placed to tell whether the system is really at the end of the rope.

If your furnace has served you for more than 30 years, a new installation may save you more in the long run. Just so the system doesn’t quit on you without knowing, keep an eye out for signs such as:

• Inefficient heating

• Soaring energy bills

• Bad air quality

• Too frequent repairs

Other warning signs of a deteriorating furnace:

• Too much dust in the vents

• Furnace blowing cold air

• Squeaks and strange noises

A good repair job can fix a majority of these issues. Even so, you may find that you are continuously shelling out on repairs. Over time, it may also become increasingly challenging to find the right parts or experts to handle your old model.

For a furnace that has lived past the 30-year mark, getting a replacement is the wisest thing to do. You get to take advantage of the advanced features in newer models for more energy efficiency. Repair experts recommend the 50% rule: If the repair expenses are more than 50% of the current cost of a new replacement, choose the replacement.