Expert Tips for Extending the Lifespan of Your Furnace
With the fall season in full swing, you may be wondering how you can prepare for winter. Maintaining your furnace is essential if you want to limit your energy bills during the cold months, and extending your furnace lifespan can save you a lot more in the long run. This guide reviews how you can get the most out of your furnace.
Expected Furnace Lifespan
The average furnace might last up to 20 years, but most people aren’t aware that they can get much more with good practices. When maintained properly, a furnace can actually last up to 30 years. This is on the rare side, but when you know how to maintain a furnace, you’re immediately adding years to its life.
Factors that Wear Out Your Furnace
The main cause of furnace wear and tear is the expansion and contraction of heat exchanger components. These parts of your furnace heat up and cool down in cycles, which can degrade the quality of the metals they’re made of. There are a few other issues that can reduce your furnace’s life, however.
Not replacing your furnace filters, thermostat issues, blower motor problems, and faulty pilot lights are also common issues with furnaces. The good news is that you can usually hire someone who has furnace repair and maintenance expertise to fix these problems.
Tips for Extending Your Furnace’s Lifespan
Ways to extend the lifespan of your furnace include the following.
Perform Routine Maintenance
It’s important to have someone inspect your furnace twice a year and perform recommended repairs where needed. Investing a little money in these services upfront can save you thousands of dollars in the long term because your furnace will last longer and heat more efficiently. This keeps your monthly energy bills down as well.
Pay Attention to Your Condenser
You might not realize that the damage done to a condenser over the summer through wind and hail storms may harm your heating system. If you’ve recently experienced a severe storm, you should look over your air conditioning condenser to see if it’s been damaged.
Insulate Your Home Well
One great way to improve the life of your furnace is to check your home for potential gaps in insulation or insulation that’s past its life. Insulation can extend your furnace lifespan because well-insulated homes don’t require their heating systems to be active as much. If you can reduce the amount of time your furnace runs, you’ll extend its life.
Consider a Smart Thermostat
The primary benefit of having a smart thermostat is that you’re able to remain comfortable while saving a considerable sum on your energy bills. Smart thermostats regulate your home’s temperature to reduce energy consumption and only heat certain rooms when you’re likely to be using them. An added benefit is that smart thermostats make furnaces work less and more efficiently, prolonging their lives.
Check Your Filters
If you haven’t changed your filter in a while, there are several potential issues you may run into. The first is that the air quality in your home will begin to suffer. Viruses and airborne bacteria are often filtered out through your air filter so that you can breathe better. As filters get gunked up, they also force your HVAC system to work harder, reducing the life of both your furnace and air conditioner.
Schedule Your Next Furnace Maintenance With Top Hat Comfort Services
Whether you’re looking for a new furnace or want to get the most out of the one you already have, we can help at Top Hat Home Comfort Services. Our technicians can diagnose and repair any furnace issue you may have and reduce the risk of a furnace breakdown through routine maintenance. Contact us today to learn more.
