On average the lifespan for furnaces in the Alton, IL ranges from 15 to 20 years. This can vary based on the quality and type of furnace that your home uses. However, ensuring that your furnace is properly maintained can help ensure a longer life for your furnace. Here are several tips that can help you get the longest life out of your home’s furnace.
Most homes in Alton, IL have an HVAC system that is designed to circulate a precise volume of air that meets the set temperature on the thermostat. When there are blockages or other problems that can throw off the air balance, your system can become stressed. This causes the system to increase its energy usage and can speed up wear and tear. Ensuring that you maintain adequate airflow can help decrease cycle times which reduces any damage to your blower.
The most common issue with airflow that can occur in your system is a clogged filter. The filter should be properly cleaned and replaced about once a month. If this is not the issue, try checking around your outdoor condenser. The problem out here could be vegetation which should be properly trimmed away from your unit. This was your unit fans can properly function. Finally, if there is still an issue, check your vent registers to ensure that they arenāt blocked by furniture or have been accidentally closed.
Maintain Proper Airflow

Avoid Using the āOnā Setting for Your Furnace
Thermostats in the Alton, IL area usually have two fan settings which are āAutoā and āOnā. These settings directly control the blower inside of your furnace’s air handler. The āOnā setting makes your blower run constantly while the āAutoā setting only allows it to run when your HVAC system is in use. In almost every instance, the āAutoā setting should be used over the āOnā setting. When you leave your home’s thermostat fan control set to āOnā, you are using more energy than you should. Besides wasting energy, it also can cause the fan bearings to wear out faster as the fan is constantly going. An example of an appropriate time for this setting to be used is when you have a whole-house air purifier.