HVAC systems are quite expensive to buy and install and can create a significant dent in your pocket. So when you’re buying an HVAC system, you might want to know how long your AC system will last! After all, as with any other asset, you need to have stability and peace of mind that the asset you’re investing into will take care of you for quite a few years.
A new HVAC system can last anywhere between fifteen and twenty years, although the exact age may depend on quite a few factors. Some HVAC systems may even give up the ghost within ten years, if specific factors such as maintenance are neglected. As a rule of thumb, the higher the maintenance provided, the longer your HVAC is home to stay.
Within HVAC systems, furnaces and heat pumps tend to have longer lifetimes as compared to air conditioners. This is because furnaces may have lesser moving parts than air conditioners. Also, furnaces tend to be heavy-duty items whereas air conditioners are more precision than heavy-duty.
What are the other factors that determine the life-span of a normal HVAC system?
Factors That Affect Your HVAC System’s Age
A few of the factors that affect HVAC systems are:
AC Maintenance
When it comes to HVAC systems, it’s easy to ensure yours lasts as long as you want it to if you maintain it well! Most HVAC systems do well with a bi-annual tune-up where moving components are lubricated, filters are changed and drainage systems are cleaned. When you maintain your HVAC system by cleaning all the debris surrounding the outdoor unit of your air conditioner or furnace and clean the fins, you’re helping to ensure that your HVAC system lasts long!
HVAC Installation
When it comes to installation, an HVAC system shows how it’s worth its weight in gold! A properly installed HVAC system can go on for years and years, whereas a poorly installed HVAC system may well give up within a few years of its entry into your home. Poor installation can cause the components of the HVAC system to give up faster, which will require you to replace it earlier than its lifespan would otherwise be. This is why you have to buy your HVAC system from a proper, licensed dealer and then ensure that you find a licensed technician with great HVAC testimonials to come in and install it for you!
Size of Load
When you have an HVAC system which doesn’t fit your needs, it may end up either over-compensating or leading to higher losses in power, thus reducing its lifespan by quite a few years. For example: If you have a small air conditioner which you use to provide cooling for the whole house, the air conditioner is likely to run down within a few years, thus not reaching its life expectancy. On the other hand, if you have a central HVAC which is quite large and is installed into a smaller house which doesn’t require all of its power, the air conditioner is likely to over-compensate and switch on and off as per the thermostat readings, thus wearing out the compressor within faster. Once the compressor is worn out, the air conditioner will have to either be replaced or you’ll be faced with changing the compressor, which is a very costly repair venture.
Operating Conditions
The operating condition is one of the biggest factors that affects the life of HVAC systems. In general, cooler climates with lower humidity help air conditioners last longer and needing less maintenance than hot climates with high levels of humidity. Hotter, humid climates require greater power inputs and regular air filter changes. The condensing coils also perform at higher power thus leading to the compressor wearing out faster.
Ways to Make Your HVAC System Last Longer
If you want your HVAC system to last past its prime, it’s time to treat it like the baby in the house! Just like a baby, your HVAC system requires continuous attention in the form of regular maintenance and general cleanups. Your HVAC system lasts longer if you give it time between utilization.
If it’s winter, your furnace will keep running for days at a stretch which may affect its heat pump. For optimization, it may help to turn it off when you’re not in the house. The same is true for summer: air conditioners which are on full-time tend to have a decreased life span since power efficiency gradually lowers with time.
So all you need to do is maintain your HVAC system if you want it to go past its prime and serve you well! Call Armstrong Air today at 407-877-8090 to schedule maintenance for your air conditioning system.
