Your furnace plays a crucial role in keeping your home cozy and warm, especially during those chilly months. However, just like any other appliance, furnaces have a limited lifespan. So, whether you’re moving into a new place or your current furnace has been around for a good couple of decades, it’s important to know its age for maintenance, repairs, and planning for replacements. In this blog, Fairfield-Hamilton Heating & Cooling will explore different methods to help you figure out how old your furnace is.
Do You Know Why It Matters?
- For Maintenance Reasons: Keeping up with regular maintenance is crucial to make sure your furnace runs smoothly and safely during the colder months. Plus, when you schedule your seasonal maintenance checks, it’s helpful for the HVAC technician to know the general age of your heating unit beforehand. By keeping track, you’ll stay two steps ahead of the game!
- For Repair Reasons: If your furnace starts acting up, knowing how old it is can help you decide if it’s better to fix it or get a new one.
- For Replacement Reasons: Furnaces usually last around 15-20 years. If your furnace is getting close to or has surpassed this age, it’s helpful to know beforehand so you can start setting aside some money for a new one.
- For Warranty Reasons: Most furnaces have manufacturer warranties that are good for a specific number of years. By knowing how old your unit is, you can figure out if any warranty coverage is still valid.
Have You Thought About Checking the Owner’s Manual?
To figure out how old your furnace is, one of the easiest ways is to check the owner’s manual. Usually, the manual has details about the installation date or manufacturing date of the furnace, which can give you an idea of its age. So, if you still have the manual that came with your furnace, start by looking for this info in the beginning or on a dedicated “Specifications” page.
Have You Thought About Looking for the Manufacturer’s Label?
If, by any chance, you no longer have the owner’s manual or can’t find the date in it, your next bet is to find a manufacturer’s label on the furnace. You can usually locate this label on the inside of the furnace cabinet or on the side. This label typically has a bunch of useful info, like the model number, serial number, and manufacturing date.
- To figure out when it was made, just check the serial number for letters or numbers that stand for the date. Keep in mind, though, each brand has its own coding system, so it might be different for each one.
- Just a heads up, some manufacturers may use a simpler format like “MFG Date: MM/YYYY” to indicate the specific date of manufacture.
Have You Thought About Contacting the Manufacturer?
If the serial number or manufacturer’s label doesn’t give you clear info about the furnace’s age, you can always try reaching out to the manufacturer directly. Most reliable furnace manufacturers have a customer service or support team line that can help you figure out the age of your unit based on the serial number or provide other helpful and identifying information.
Have You Thought About Scheduling an Appointment?
If you haven’t already had your seasonal furnace check done yet, bear in mind, you can always get a licensed HVAC technician to check your furnace during your next appointment. They can tell you how old it is as well as provide valuable information on your heating system’s current condition and how much longer it’s likely to last. It’s a great chance to keep your furnace in top shape for optimal performance!
It’s important to know how old your furnace is to keep your home cozy and comfortable throughout the cold season. You definitely don’t want it to give up on you when you need it the most. Luckily, there are a few ways to figure out its age as we discussed here today. Once you know the age, you can make an informed decision about your heating system. Stay warm!
Call Fairfield-Hamilton Heating & Cooling for all your heating and cooling needs at (513) 540-1716, or schedule an appointment online now by clicking here!
