The components that make up your heating and cooling system are both costly and critical for your family’s comfort and well-being, so it’s important to know their expected lifespan. In general, an HVAC lifespan can range between 10 and 35 years, depending on the specific type of equipment:
Gas and oil furnaces have a life expectancy of up to 30 years, while boilers can last up to 35 years. Most often, heating equipment needs replacement when the heat exchanger develops cracks or becomes corroded.
Air conditioners typically last 15 to 20 years, and it’s usually a serious issue that ends their service life, such as a badly-leaking condenser coil or failed compressor.
Ductless mini-splits and heat pumps heat and cool, so they get year-round use that gives them a service life ranging from 10 – 20 years.
Other Factors That Affect HVAC Equipment Lifespan
The type of equipment can tell you approximately how long an HVAC component might last, but these additional factors also play a large role in whether yours reach their full lifespan:
Equipment quality.
Higher-quality equipment is generally built more durably to last longer, while low-end “bargain” models may have design or construction flaws that cause an early failure.
Accurate sizing and skilled installation.
HVAC systems that are properly sized and installed to the manufacturer’s specifications are more likely to provide reliable, long-term service.
Regular professional maintenance.
HVAC components are like any other type of mechanical equipment: they perform better and reach or even exceed their expected lifespan when they’re well maintained.
Way to Maximize Your HVAC Components’ Lifespan
Whether you’re planning to invest in new HVAC equipment, or you want to extend the lifespan of your home’s existing system components, you’ll avoid life-shortening problems by:
Hiring a fully-qualified HVAC contractor who’ll perform a detailed load calculation to size new equipment correctly and follow the latest industry best practices during an installation.
Keeping your HVAC components in the best possible condition with twice-yearly preventive maintenance.
To schedule expert installations or preventive maintenance that can maximize HVAC lifespan in your Dayton home, contact us at Ace Hardware Home Services.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Dayton, Ohio about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).
