Wondering How Long Your Furnace Will Last?

Your furnace is an essential part of your daily life, and while replacing it is expensive, if you wait too long, you could have to make a difficult replacement decision in a hurry, or worse, suffer days or weeks without heat. While you can’t pinpoint an exact lifespan of a heating system, you can have a good idea how long your furnace will last by considering a few key factors.

Factors That Affect How Long Your Furnace Will Last

First take into consideration any recent problems you’ve had with the furnace. If various malfunctions or ineffective heating have been a problem, this likely is signaling more serious issues. This would be an ideal time to start researching a replacement and saving up if needed. Secondly, age is generally a good sign of whether or not you should be looking for a replacement. Most furnaces will last around 15 to 20 years before they need to be replaced. However, some, if well maintained, can last 25 years or longer, while others, through heavy use and poor maintenance, may last fewer than 15 years.

Finally, take into consideration the amount of work your furnace does and the type of fuel it uses. A furnace that’s heating a house with air leaks and poor insulation will work much harder than one that’s heating a tightly sealed home. That harder work will translate into a shorter service life. If you want an expert’s opinion on how long your furnace will last, consult with a trusted HVAC professional. They typically have ample experience with furnaces and can give you a good idea of what to expect.

If you have any questions about your furnace or your HVAC system in general, please contact Sobieski Services. Our goal is to help educate our customers in Delaware, Pennsylvania, Maryland and New Jersey about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC & plumbing systems).

Photo Credit: Lara Cores via Compfight cc