Imagine you’re luxuriating on your sofa on a cold winter evening. It’s frigid outside, but that’s not a problem for you. After all, you’ve got a working furnace.
But as you start getting cozy, it occurs to you that you’ve had your current furnace for a long time. Then you start to wonder…
How long does a furnace last?
Can yours make it through the winter? Will you need to replace it next year? Or sooner than next year?
All of these are great questions! In this article, we’ll do our best to answer them.
As for the primary question regarding furnace longevity, we can get right to the point. In our climate zone…
…you can expect your furnace to last 12 to 20 years.
That’s quite a bit longer than air conditioners, and it makes sense.
Compared to air conditioners, furnaces:
- Aren’t subject to refrigerant leaks: One of the biggest failure points on an air conditioning system is the possibility of a refrigerant leak. Furnaces can have problems, but not this problem.
- Have fewer efficiency regulations: While you can get a really efficient furnace, the need for atmospheric combustion in many homes means that EPA rules can only mandate furnace efficiency up to a point. This means that components don’t become obsolete as they often do with air conditioners.
- See less action every year: We live in Atlanta. Here, people run their air conditioners for most of the year, not their furnaces. The result is that furnaces are subject to less wear and tear. While the furnace blower will be used year-round in most systems, other furnace components sit dormant for much of the year. In cooler climates, the reverse is often true. This article will focus on furnace longevity in our climate zone.
Why 12 years and not 10 years? Isn’t the manufacturer warranty for 10 years?
Yes, it is. And if a furnace part fails after the end of the warranty period, you’ll have to weigh the pros and cons of repairing the furnace versus replacing it.
But in many cases, you’ll probably opt to repair the furnace. Why is that?
For starters, the first part to fail on your furnace is unlikely to be something huge and expensive. With an air conditioner, it’s common for the compressor or evaporator coil to fail. These are large, high-dollar components! However, with a furnace the problem is more likely to be something small that every HVAC technician is prepared to fix. The hot surface igniter, for example, fails very often but isn’t particularly expensive or difficult to replace.
You’ll probably get a few years after the warranty period where anything that goes wrong is pretty simple and inexpensive to deal with.
But the good times don’t last forever. Eventually, your furnace might have a bigger problem. Replacing a cracked heat exchanger, for example, often costs two-thirds of the cost of just replacing your entire furnace! A lot of heat exchangers have a 20-year or even lifetime warranty, but the reality is that they can and do fail.
When you’ve got an older unit and are looking at a big repair bill, that’s when it’s probably time to replace the furnace.
By then, the furnace is probably between 12 and 20 years old.
Things to consider when the furnace is out of warranty
If your manufacturer warranty has expired and the furnace has a problem, be sure to consider the following:
- Future repair costs: Given that the furnace has a problem today, how much longer will it be until something else goes wrong? What might the cost be when that happens?
- Energy efficient options: Many Atlanta area homeowners are replacing their old furnaces with high efficiency models. Be sure to factor in long-term future energy savings when calculating the cost to replace your furnace vs. keep it.
- Inflation: Recent inflation has been atypically high. Consider the potentially higher costs of future furnace replacement compared to replacing it now.
How to maximize the lifespan of your furnace
It’s so important to ensure your furnace was properly sized and installed.
Oversized furnaces tend to overheat certain areas and underheat others. Plus, they start and stop more frequently, leading to more wear and tear and higher repair bills.
Nobody wants that! You want your furnace to keep you comfortable and last a long time.
To avoid that outcome, every new furnace installation should include the following tasks:
- Manual J load calculation: Most contractors don’t do this, but they should. A load calculation ensures you get a furnace that’s the right size.
- New ductwork or ductwork adjustments: A good furnace is only as good as the ducts that are connected to it. Not only should ducts be the right size and length–they need to be properly insulated, sealed, and installed such that there are no obstructions.
- Post-installation audit: It’s so important for HVAC installers to check their work. Ask your contractor about their post-installation audit and whether they ensure the new furnace is installed to the manufacturer specifications. You want to be sure that it is–and that it’s really keeping you comfortable!
After all, you want to get 20 years out of your furnace. You want to be at the higher end of the typical furnace lifespan!
Getting there requires a great installation, but it also requires regular furnace maintenance. PV Priority Plan members get two service visits per year, one of which falls just before the heating season.
During this visit, our technicians inspect your furnace inside and out to ensure it’s ready for the winter to come. If something needs attention, we’ll let you know so you can decide what to do. Members also get parts discounts, priority service, and other benefits!
At the very least, insist on a basic furnace tune-up from your preferred contractor prior to the heating season. It’s the best way to keep your furnace in great condition.
Conclusion: A furnace lasts 12 to 20 years and longest with regular maintenance.
That’s pretty much what it comes down to! Take care of your furnace, and it will keep taking care of you.
If you live in Metro Atlanta and are concerned about an aging furnace, PV Heating, Cooling & Plumbing can help! Give us a call today at (404) 798-9672 or schedule service online!
