Ways to Extend the Life of Your Furnace

As part of an HVAC system, furnaces will typically last 15-20 years. Let’s go through some steps you can take to get the most life out of your furnace.

Hi, I’m Brad from Fire & Ice. As a residential sales professional, I have helped hundreds of Central Ohio homeowners get the most out of their HVAC system.. At Fire & Ice we believe in giving our customers as much information as they need. In this video, we’re going to discuss nine ways you can prolong the life of your furnace.

Perform Seasonal HVAC Maintenance

One of the most important things you can do is yearly furnace maintenance. It is required to maintain your warranty, and it is going to prolong the life of your furnace. We want to keep everything working well, the electrical connections tight, and the burners and blower wheel clean. Maintenance can fix small problems before they become big ones. We recommend servicing your system twice a year. Once for the Summer months as well as once for the winter months. 

Make Sure the Registers Are Open

Make sure your registers are open. Closing too many can result in reduced airflow to the house and a buildup of static pressure, which makes the furnace work harder. This can lead to inefficiencies in your furnace, cold spots, and possible system failure. 

Clear the Clutter Around Your Furnace

Ensure your furnace can breathe properly by not stacking things around the furnace or air returns. Putting a lot of stuff on the ductwork, especially if you have flexible ductwork or duct board, can cause the ducts to separate.

Operate Your Furnace at a Consistent Temperature

A lot of people turn down the heat at night or when they’re away at work. A moderate temperature adjustment is okay. But when the heat is turned way down, the furnace will struggle to bring the heat back up. Operating your furnace at a consistent temperature can reduce strain on your HVAC system. 

Fix Leaks in Your Ductwork

Typical air-duct systems lose 25 to 40% of the heating or cooling energy put out by your HVAC system through leaks. Leaks make your furnace work harder, decreasing its life expectancy. It also increases your utility bill. If you find any leaks in your HVAC ductwork we recommend you call a professional to have them repaired. 

Use a Programmable Thermostat

Using a programmable thermostat can help keep your heating and cooling schedule consistent, efficient, help you save money, and reduce wear and tear on your system. It can also remind you when it’s time to change your filter and schedule routine maintenance. 

Replacing Your Furnace’s Air Filter

 A clean filter is going to give you better airflow, and the better the airflow, the better your furnace is going to function, resulting in less strain on the motor and reduced static pressure. 

Clean Your Home’s Air Ducts

If they’ve never been cleaned since the home was built, it’s not uncommon at all to find construction debris in your ductwork.  If you get a good duct cleaning and use a clean filter, the evaporator coil, the heat exchanger, and the blower motor should stay clean, helping to extend the life of your furnace.

Winterize Your Home

And finally you can always give your furnace a break by taking common-sense steps to make your house more airtight. Weather stripping keeps the cold out, and adding attic insulation makes the most of warmth by keeping it inside where it belongs.

What are the Next Steps?

I hope by now you have a better understanding of how you can extend the lifespan of your furnace. If you’d like to schedule a service appointment for your system, click the schedule service button at the top of the screen. Thank you for watching and we look forward to making your day better.

Further Reading: 9 Ways to Extend the Life of Your Furnace