Every appliance has a lifecycle, no matter how essential it is to your home. The same is true of your furnace. Most modern homes are built with an electric or gas furnace to keep the house warm during winter. Some regions use their furnace only one month out of the year, some for more than five months, but all furnaces have a lifespan.
How do you know when to replace a furnace, and how long should your furnace last? At Superstition Cooling, we want you to have all the answers when you need them, so let’s dive into the lifespan of your average furnace and the right time to schedule a furnace replacement if your furnace has started to show signs of failure.
How Long Does a Furnace Last?
Furnaces are designed to last about 15 years. Your average furnace will last about this time, but some go out sooner, and some run far longer than they should. If you live in a cold-weather climate where the furnace runs for many months during the year, you may need a furnace repair sooner. In a warm-weather climate with a particularly high-quality furnace, you may see one keep functioning for 20+ years — but not without issues!
If your furnace is reaching that age or has passed its expiration date, it may be time to schedule a furnace replacement. Of course, this timing isn’t arbitrary, like the “sell by” date on dry goods. There are some very clear signs when your furnace’s time has come.
7 Signs You Need a New Furnace
How do you know when it’s time to replace your furnace? Most of the time, your furnace will let you know.
- Your Furnace is More Than 15 Years Old: The first sign is your furnace’s age. If the furnace is as old as your house and over 15 years old, there is a good chance that a furnace replacement will be in your future. You may also be able to check the dates on the furnace maintenance record or look up the serial number if you are not sure.
- Your Energy Bills Have Gone Up: When an HVAC appliance like your furnace gets old, it becomes less efficient. That means more electricity for less heat over time, so check your utility bill. If your power bills are going up, and your usage is also going up every winter, chances are that your old furnace is taking more than its fair share of the power bill, and a new furnace would start paying itself off immediately in savings.
- Frequent (Yearly+) Furnace Repairs: The same is true if your furnace needs to be repaired once a year or even more frequently. Repeated repairs indicate that the parts inside your furnace are wearing out quickly and at the same time.
- Your Home Isn’t Warm Enough: If your furnace can’t keep up with heating demands after you have cleaned the filter and had a maintenance service, the furnace is no longer able. A furnace that can’t heat your home must be replaced before it goes out at the worst possible time.
- It’s Abnormally Dusty in Your Home: A failing furnace may also eject a lot more dust into your home. Furnaces release soot or other types of dust as the parts fail.
- Strange Smells, Sounds, or Behavior: Trust your senses to tell you when something is wrong with your furnace. Have you smelt unusual scorchy or moldy smells when the furnace turns on? Do you hear clanging, banking, or the sound of a machine struggling to keep up? Do you see lights flicker when the furnace starts up or other signs that something is wrong? Call for repairs. But if your furnace is old, plan for a replacement. If you smell burning – especially the smell of hot metal or plastic – turn off your furnace and call a pro immediately.
- Your Furnace Isn’t Cycling Properly: Power cycling is always a bad sign for a furnace. If your furnace switches on and off all the time, won’t switch on, or won’t switch off, this can be a sign that the electrical system is going. When there are power issues, plan for a furnace replacement before a disaster occurs.
Professional Air Conditioning Installation, Repair, & Maintenance Services in Apache Junction
Does your Apache Junction home need a new furnace? Don’t worry. We are prepared to help you out. Here at Superstition Cooling, we know that even AZ furnaces don’t last forever.
If your furnace is costing you money, making strange sounds or smells, or leaving your household vulnerable to cold temperatures during the winter. Contact us today for an estimate. Let Superstition Cooling assist you in selecting the appropriate furnace and arranging a suitable time for your furnace replacement and installation.
Image Credit / Shutterstock / Dmitry Naumov