A new furnace is a major financial investment and requires an involved installation process. That means that getting even a few extra years of efficient operation from your current system can greatly reduce financial stress. Fortunately, extending your furnace’s lifespan is an achievable goal; all it requires is staying diligent, improving your household habits, and committing to a consistent upkeep routine.
1. Schedule Yearly Maintenance
To keep your furnace healthy and operating smoothly, you should schedule a professional maintenance tune-up at least once a year. The ideal time to do so is in the fall or early winter, just before you start heavily relying on it. When you hire one of our technicians at B.A.C. Systems Inc. for furnace maintenance, they’ll thoroughly clean your heating system and inspect it for potential problems. The inspection will give you a chance to catch upcoming breakdowns before they occur, and a clean furnace will always run more efficiently than a dirty one. As a result, you’ll not only save money on monthly heating costs, but you’ll also enjoy a longer, healthier lifespan from your heating system.
2. Replace the Air Filter
As mentioned, a clean furnace will operate more smoothly and efficiently than a dirty one, and that translates directly to how hard the system must work to do its job. When your heating unit doesn’t need to strain itself, it accumulates less wear and tear; this results in a longer life expectancy. One effective way to keep your furnace clean is regularly replacing its air filter. This air filter is the primary line of defense against dust, dirt, and other debris infiltrating the appliance.
Over time, this filter becomes clogged with those contaminants, which worsens its effectiveness and makes it harder for the furnace to circulate air. Sometimes, cleaning the filter will be effective, but replace it whenever necessary.
3. Install Attic Insulation
As you may know, warm air rises. If there’s no barrier in place, much of your home’s heat will float up through the attic and escape via your roofing. The more warm air seeps out, the harder your furnace must work to compensate for the loss. That extra effort will gradually wear the appliance down and increase the chances of a breakdown.
Installing high-quality attic insulation will provide a shield to keep your home’s heat from escaping. You’ll have more control over your comfort, and life will be easier for your furnace. Spray foam insulation, which requires professional installation, is one effective option to consider.
4. Have Your Ductwork Cleaned and Inspected
To distribute the heated air through the household, your furnace uses ductwork as its pathway. Over time, particles of dust, dirt, pollen, pet dander, and other contaminants will settle into the ducts, which can cause clogs that restrict your furnace’s airflow. As a result, the heating system must increase its air pressure to heat your home, and that saddles it with extra stress.
Alternatively, your ductwork can sometimes develop leaks. Whether it’s a crack or a loose joint, these leaks result in lost heat that your furnace is forced to make up for. Many American homes lose up to 30% of their heated and cooled air through ductwork breaches. In addition to worsening furnace health, these duct problems will impact your energy bills too. The best remedy is to schedule professional ductwork cleaning each year, especially at the start of winter.
5. Use a Programmable Thermostat
A primary cause of shortened furnace lifespans is keeping the system running more than necessary. Every time you leave the thermostat cranked up while you’re at work, or sleeping, or when you don’t really need the warmth, you’re putting mileage on your furnace. With a programmable thermostat, you can set it up to only turn the heat up when the temperature drops below a certain level. You can also program it to turn off during the hours when you know you won’t need it. That will significantly reduce the strain on your heating system and save you money on heating bills.
Your Local Heating Experts
We at B.A.C. Systems Inc. have been a trusted heating and cooling provider in the Farmingdale, NY, area since 2004. We offer quality HVAC services to residential and commercial customers, and some of the other items that we service and install include boilers, ductless systems, roofing, siding and windows, masonry, and gutters. Our locally owned and operated company is 90% referral-based, and we take pride in the reputation we’ve built. To learn more about our services, contact us at B.A.C. Systems Inc. today.
