"How long should this last?" is one of the first questions people ask about a system, whether they're buying a house or nursing an old one through another season. Here are typical ranges, and what moves a system toward the short or long end.
Typical lifespans
- Gas furnace: about 15 to 20 years, sometimes longer.
- Central air conditioner: about 12 to 15 years.
- Heat pump: about 12 to 15 years. It heats and cools, so it runs more of the year than an air conditioner.
- Ductless mini-split: about 12 to 20 years with regular cleaning.
- Ductwork: often 20 years or more, but older ducts frequently leak.
These are typical, not promises. Two identical systems in two different houses can have very different lives.
What shortens a system's life
- Skipped maintenance: dirty filters, coils and drains make every part work harder.
- Salt air: outdoor units near the ocean corrode faster. See coastal homes and salt air.
- The wrong size: a system too big turns on and off constantly; one too small never rests.
- A poor original installation: wrong refrigerant charge, undersized ducts, a unit set where it can't breathe.
- Hard use: long run times, a unit serving more space than it was meant to.
What helps it last
- A yearly tune-up, or two if it heats and cools. Our maintenance plan reminds you.
- Changing filters on time. See which filter, how often.
- Keeping the outdoor unit clear and rinsing salt and dust off its coil.
- Fixing small problems before they become big ones.
Signs a system is near the end
- It's in the upper part of its age range and needs a major repair
- Repairs are coming every season
- Energy bills are climbing without a change in how you use it
- Rooms that used to be comfortable aren't
- An older air conditioner or heat pump that uses R-22 refrigerant, which is no longer made
Not sure where yours stands? Look for the manufacture date on the unit's label, and see repair or replace. Quotes on new and replacement equipment are free: call 805-965-6326 or send us a message.
Related
- Repair or replace your air conditioner?
- Is it time to replace your furnace?
- Residential maintenance plan
More tips on costs & permits, heating, cooling.