A furnace is a critical part of any home. It provides heat throughout the house, making the space cozy and warm for anyone inside. Like every piece of technology, a furnace has a lifespan. Those who have had their furnace for a while might have this fact in the back of their mind. You might wonder – are there any ways to increase your furnace’s lifespan?
If you’re looking for information about increasing your furnace’s lifespan, you’ve come to the right place. The average lifespan is about 15-20 years, but with care, it can last longer. Let’s talk about five ways you can increase your furnace’s lifespan. There’s a lot to cover, so let’s get started!
Make Regular Furnace Filter Switches
Furnace filters quickly become clogged when working in a home. One of the best ways to increase your furnace’s lifespan is to regularly change out the filters. They can become blocked with items like pet hair, dust, and even debris if left unmanaged for too long. This issue could cause your system to overheat and break.
- Turn off the furnace
- Take off the service panel
- Remove the old filter
- Put the new filter inside
- Turn the system back on
After this, you can wait a while until you replace the filter again.
Filters serve as one of the most critical components operating inside a furnace. It’s vital to check on these as much as possible to keep your furnace working as efficiently as possible. Change these filters every few months for the best results. You should check it more often if you gather dust or have a pet that sheds often.
Get Seasonal Maintenance
Seasonal maintenance should happen with any technology inside a home, from water heaters to dishwashers. Twice a year, you should get a professional to come to your home. They can help you determine any repairs you need to address.
Maintenance on a furnace is most effective if you have it right before fall and after Winter. This way, you can deal with any necessary repairs before you turn up the system for the season. Then, it’s critical to check it at the end to ensure there is no damage after the cold spell is over.
Of course, you can get maintenance more often. Keeping your furnace in check will help it last much longer. If you feel like there’s something wrong with your furnace, get it looked at as soon as you can. It never hurts to be cautious.
Keep a Clean Home
Another thing you can do is keep your home clean. As mentioned above, the filters inside the furnace can quickly become clogged with floating particles. The cleaner your house is, the fewer items will get stuck inside the system. Keep on top of cleaning to increase the lifespan of your furnace.
- Sweeping the floors every other day
- Getting rid of dust, whether on your shelves or floors
- Throwing away the trash that gathers on the floor or counters
- Cleaning up after pets that shed often, whether on the floor or pieces of furniture
These will get rid of particles and garbage that will clog your furnace and prevent it from working well.
A clean home might not be the first thing people think of when considering how to expand a furnace’s lifespan, but it’s one of the most critical. Things floating around in the air can clog your furnace system in ways you might never expect. Keep your home clean to keep your furnace in operation for as long as possible.
Act on Needed Repairs
The faster you act on repairs, the quicker your furnace will be back in service. Dealing with needed repairs prevents them from spiraling out of control and turning into expensive and irreparable troubles.
- A broken thermostat
- Clogged filters
- A frayed blower belt
- A grinding or scraping sound
- A squealing noise inside the system
These can shorten the lifespan of your furnace or cause expensive damages.
If you’re not familiar with how furnaces work, it’s best to contact a professional for a proper diagnosis. They can help you determine your next course of action, whether that’s repairing your furnace or purchasing a new system altogether.
Think Twice About Turning on Fans
When attempting to increase your furnace’s lifespan, it’s critical to think twice about turning on the fans in your home. The direction your fan blows air can improve or decrease the efficiency of your furnace heating system. The more intelligently you use your fans, the less work your furnace will have to put in during the coldest months of the year.
You can switch the direction of your fan by hitting the small switch on the side. To conserve heat, change the direction, so your fan blades rotate clockwise. To cool a room, you need to make the blades turn counterclockwise. To save money, keep your fans moving clockwise in the cold months for extra heat.
Conclusion
Owning a furnace is a critical part of keeping your house warm. Without this device, you might struggle to keep your home warm. These five methods will help you hang on to your furnace for as long as possible, helping you to stay warm and save money all at the same time. There are more techniques online if you want even more ways to help your furnace last longer.
We hope this information was helpful! If you do end up needing a furnace replacement, one of the best choices is the Lennox furnace. It will work to keep your home comfortable for everyone living inside the space. A furnace is a vital part of a home, and it’s critical to keep it in working order.