How You Can Help Your Furnace Live Longer

Father and daughter wrapped in blanket

Your furnace works tirelessly to keep your home warm and comfortable all winter long. Still, just like with other mechanical systems, it should be given routine care from trained technicians to ensure it performs its best and to reduce the risk of any inconvenient breakdowns. Maintaining your furnace ensures it lasts years longer, especially compared to one left alone. It also means more affordable energy use!

1. Tidy Up Around the Furnace

Keeping the space around your furnace clean encourages airflow and safe operation. Make sure the area is clean and not near any hazardous materials. This avoids any safety issues, ensuring your furnace circulates more effectively.

2. Schedule Annual Preventative Maintenance

Annual maintenance from a certified HVAC professional ensures your furnace’s long-term performance. During the appointment, a technician checks, cleans and otherwise tunes up the system for best performance. This regular preventive maintenance spots small issues sooner rather than later, avoiding costly repairs. Regular maintenance also improves efficiency, lowering your monthly energy bills.

3. Invest in Your Home’s Energy Efficiency

Another way to minimize your furnace’s overall workload is to take what steps you can to enhance your home’s energy efficiency. Proper insulation and sealing around windows and doors will reduce heat loss, allowing your furnace to hold a comfortable temperature. Whenever your furnace doesn’t have to work as hard, it undergoes less wear and tear, prolonging its lifespan.

4. Fix Problems as Soon as You Notice

If you start noticing strange sounds, temperature inconsistencies or unexpected utility spikes, don’t wait to check out these concerns. Even small issues can quickly become more severe situations. If left ignored, it could shorten the lifespan of your furnace. Prompt furnace repairs stop further damage and keep your system better protected.

5. Choose Energy-Efficient Temperature Settings

Setting your thermostat too high forces your furnace to run constantly, putting excess stress on the entire system. This constant demand causes extra wear and tear. To minimize this kind of gradual damage, set your thermostat to a seasonally appropriate temperature—for example between 68 and 72 degrees F. You can alternatively adjust the temperature by a few degrees while you’re asleep or on a trip. These adjustments reduce total heating expenses and reduce further stress on your furnace. 

6. Replace the Filter Regularly

The filter traps debris, fur and other airborne allergens to prevent them from entering the system’s more delicate components. Over time, the filter fills up with debris, limiting air circulation and forcing your furnace to operate less efficiently. This added strain may cause more problems and sometimes permanent system damage.

To keep things running smoothly, don’t forget to check and change the filter on a regular basis, depending on total usage and the type of filter you use.

7. Invest in a Modern Furnace When the Time Is Right

When your furnace is old and breaks down more often, it may be time to consider a new model. Modern furnaces offer improved performance while still reducing total power use. Although the initial investment may be higher than a repair, the smaller utility bills and increased efficiency make it a cost-effective, practical solution.

8. Install a Programmable Thermostat

A smart thermostat gives you more control than ever in your home, with features like scheduling automatic setbacks when you’re not home or sleeping. This cuts back on run time, cutting costs and minimizing strain.

9. Maintain Proper Circulation

Your furnace will only perform at its peak when the circulation between supply and return vents is evenly distributed. Blocking or closing more than 80% of your supply registers can result in excess strain or force your furnace to work harder. To help maintain good performance, regularly check that your air vents are open and free from being blocked by any furniture. This enables your furnace to circulate warmth properly. 

Choose Sure Temp Air Conditioning to Keep Your Furnace Running

Maintaining your furnace prevents breakdowns, maximizes efficiency and can even ensures a long service life. Sure Temp Air Conditioning is committed to helping you enjoy a complete sense of comfort. Our experienced technicians offer prompt, trustworthy service.

If it’s been a while since your last maintenance visit or if you’re looking for more personalized advice to optimize your furnace, please contact us today!