What You Can Do to Make Your Furnace Last

Make your furnace last with annual maintenance from Blue Frost Heating & Cooling.

There is no standard answer to what you can do to make your furnace last. But I can tell you that how long your furnace lasts depends on the model and how well you take care of it. A poorly maintained furnace can last five to seven years on average, while a well-built and well-maintained furnace can last 20 years or more.

The reality is that the lifespan of a furnace is somewhere in the middle. Most furnaces typically last between 12 and 15 years. But again that depends heavily on the quality of the model purchased and its maintenance.

How to Make Your Furnace Last

Did you know that the natural byproducts of combustion are corrosive and will attack the inner workings of a furnace? Also, the type of fuel your furnace uses has a lot to do with how corrosive the combustion gases are. For about 90 percent of us, natural gas is the primary fuel burned. It’s clean burning, and with the right kind of care, there’s minimum corrosion.

The right kind of care means regular maintenance.

Here’s what you can do to make your furnace last (and greater energy efficiency, too):

Inspect, clean and change filters

A dirty filter can increase your energy costs, and make your system run harder than it needs to. When you change the filters regularly, you extend the life of your furnace and save money on costly repair bills.

Weatherstrip and caulk your windows and doors

A large amount of the air that you’re paying to heat can escape through gaps in your windows and doors. This means that you’ll be colder, and you’ll be paying more for your HVAC system to work harder.

Use a programmable thermostat

A programmable thermostat can help you keep your home at a more regulated temperature, saving you money and making your home more energy efficient. The purchase of a programmable thermostat is an investment up front, but one that will quickly pay for itself through savings on your utility bills.

Drastic changes in the settings of a thermostat can use excessive amounts of energy. Lowering the temperature just a few degrees while you’re away during the day can result in three to five percent less energy used, however. That adds up to savings on your heating bill.

Hire a Blue Frost Heating & Cooling HVAC specialist

Hiring Blue Frost Heating & Cooling to clean and give your furnace annual tune-ups is a great way to ensure it’s operating at optimum levels during the winter months. This will save you money in the long run, through less wasted energy.

Other Factors to Consider to Make Your Furnace Last

When buying a home, it’s important to take a look at the state of the furnace. It may not be all well and good just because you’re buying a new home, either. Some home builders use lower grade models that have shorter life spans.

Some of the best furnaces from the 1970’s are still operable today. The problem is that they operate at about 60 percent efficiency. That means 40 percent of the energy produced is escaping and costing money.

One of the best things you can do for your home heating bills would be to upgrade to a newer modern model, which will operate closer to 95 percent efficiency. It’s an investment that will pay off through savings on your utility bills in the long run.

The Best Way to Make Your Furnace Last

Football is being played, the leaves are turning, and the brisk breezes are driving temperatures downward. Pretty soon we’ll be running our heaters as hard as we were running our air conditioners just a few short weeks ago. Make sure your heating system and your home are ready for the winter months. And make your furnace last with annual maintenance by Blue Frost Heating & Cooling. Call (630) 444-0860 today to schedule maintenance of your HVAC system.