How Old Is My Furnace?
Curious if your furnace is nearing its end? Knowing your furnace’s age can help you determine whether you need to start prepping your budget for replacement or if a more efficient unit would be a better fit for your home. But for many people, finding the exact age of their furnace can be difficult if the unit was part of their home purchase. Find out how to determine furnace age with these simple steps.
Average Age of a Home Furnace
Most home furnaces will last between 15–20 years—that is, if you keep up with necessary repairs and regular maintenance. In some cases, a furnace may last even longer than this average lifespan depending on the brand, use, and efficiency. Regardless, it’s always a good idea to keep up with maintenance needs such as filter changing, safety testing, and unit and air vent cleaning. Not to mention, regular maintenance can help you validate your warranty and stay up to date on furnace age.
How to Determine the Age of a Furnace
There are a few ways you can figure out the age of your furnace depending on whether you purchased the unit yourself or acquired it along with your home purchase.
Installation Date
If you purchased the furnace yourself, you can locate your service paperwork, which should list the date of installation. With that, you can calculate the age of your furnace. Or see if you can locate a sticker on your furnace that indicates the last date of service. This sticker may include an installation date or at least provide you with an estimate of your furnace’s age.
If you didn’t purchase your furnace, or you can’t locate the installation paperwork, you can determine your furnace age by serial number by following these steps:
- Locate the sticker that lists the model and serial number of the unit. This sticker should either be on the exterior or inside the removable door on the front of the unit.
- Identify the manufacturer of the unit, and search the serial number decoder for that brand to find the correct serial description style that will determine the date, location, and format.
- Look at the first four digits in the listed serial number. Most manufacturers will list the month of production as the first two digits, and the year as the third and fourth digits (e.g., a four-digit number of 0401 indicates a production date of April 2001). Some older models or various manufacturers, however, may instead indicate the week of production in the first two digits or list the production date at the end of the serial number rather than the beginning.
Ask the Experts
If you’re unable to locate any serial number or information providing an age estimate for your furnace, you can always count on the experts for help. If you know the manufacturer of your unit, you can give them a call and they may be able to estimate your furnace’s age by looking at an image of it.
However, the best way to find an accurate age for your furnace is by scheduling services with your local HVAC specialist. They’ll be able to look at your unit in person and determine whether your furnace is a good fit for repair or replacement depending on its age.
Furnace Due for an Upgrade? Call CunninghamÂ
Whether you need help identifying the age of your furnace or have discovered your unit is far beyond its life expectancy, the professionals at Cunningham Associates can help. Our certified experts will inspect your unit and strategize the right furnace maintenance or replacement solution fit for your home heating needs. Call us at (770) 343-7565[A8], or request service online to get started.