One thing about furnaces is certain: no one likes replacing them. They’re big, and they are a significant investment. While you can’t undo damage that has already been sustained, there are ways to get more from your unit and help extend the time between replacements. Here are some of the best things you can do to extend your furnace’s life expectancy.
Start With the Right Size Furnace
Everything starts with getting the right size furnace for your home. A furnace that’s too small for your home will make your unit run constantly. If it’s too large, it’ll shut down prematurely, only causing it to start up again quickly to continue trying to heat your home.
In either case, the result is excessive strain on your system, which eventually erodes your service life. Work with an experienced installer to determine the right size unit for your home.
Keep Up With Your Maintenance
As your unit runs, it’ll get dirty inside from byproducts of combustion and contaminants that make it through the filter. The components and electrical connections also work themselves loose over time because of the vibration from the system running. Both of these lead to your system running less efficiently. Over time, that efficiency degradation cuts into your system’s life expectancy.
Routine maintenance keeps all of this from happening. A technician cleans the areas that get dirty, preventing airflow restrictions. They also go through the system and tighten mounting hardware and electrical connections, reducing normal wear-related repairs.
Check Your Thermostat Programs
Nearly all digital thermostats have some programming capabilities. Think about the time when you’re home versus when you’re not. Chances are that there are extended periods where your house is empty, but your system is running along as if everyone is there.
Program your thermostat to reduce the temperature by 7 to 10 degrees Fahrenheit while you’re not home. This will keep your home at a safe temperature but reduce the strain your system experiences. The less strain it experiences over time, the longer your furnace will last. Add to this, you’ll save up to about 10% from your annual heating bill by following this recommendation.
Fix Small Problems Early
It’s easy to ignore small problems, especially if it seems like your system is still heating your home. Mechanical issues will only continue getting worse. When one part of your system has an issue, it causes strain on the rest of the system, reducing efficiency and degrading its lifespan.
For instance, you may notice your furnace running shorter cycles with your home never quite reaching your desired temperature. This could be caused by a malfunctioning exhaust dampener, causing heat to build up in the furnace. If the heat exchanger overheats, it could cause it to crack, which means either a new furnace or a costly repair.
Tending to your smaller issues early keeps the associated strain down. This both protects your furnace’s life expectancy and reduces your overall repair bill.
Change Your Air Filter on Time
The air filter is one of the most important ways of extending your furnace’s life. This incredible component keeps airborne contaminants out of the sensitive internal areas of your furnace.
However, to make sure the filter has the fullest intended effect for your system, it must be changed on time. Manufacturers have a recommended changing schedule; however, the actual life of a filter may vary depending on your home’s air quality.
Check your filter monthly to keep a close eye on it so that you can change it before it creates an airflow restriction. While checking it, vacuum off the dust and dirt on the surface of the intake side of the filter. This will give your system an efficiency boost between changes, further extending your system’s service life.
Find and Seal Air Leaks
Anything causing strain to your system will affect its lifespan. Air leaks, both in the system and around your home, will allow warm air out, causing your system to run longer cycles, which means added strain.
Start by checking for any leaks in the weatherstripping around your doors and replacing that if needed. Then, have your ducts inspected and sealed so that heated air isn’t leaking out in unheated areas.
Dr. HVAC Inc takes pride in keeping people around Margate comfortable throughout the year. People around the area trust our team for heating and air conditioning repair, installation, and maintenance. Call to schedule your furnace service with one of our expert HVAC technicians today.
