How long do they last? (SE)

thp_8

The industry is marketing planned replacement.
You buy it, then buy a extended warranty and just about get it paid for. Unit craps out and then industry offers a free furnace as change out program. Of course no labor allowance. Industry also hedges that only a few percent will collect.
Only in America. Don't get the wrong idea here because in most cases you have to start this saying I sold it.

S Ebels

How long

How long does a typical 90% gas furnace last? We have been changing out a BUNCH of them this year with failed heat exchangers. Most are decent installs, not oversized, duct system is adequate, correct gas pressure, nothing that would lead a person to believe that the installation is at fault. Brand doesn't matter either as we've seen Luxaire, Bryant, Amana, York and Carrier all in the last 10 days. All of these furnaces are between 9-13 years old and the HO's are ticked off or at least a little puzzled because the old one was 20-30 years old and still working fine when it was replaced.

Anyone have industry figures on life expectancy for newer style gas furnaces?

Glenn Harrison_2

If it helps any...

I have lost count of the number of failed secondary Carrier/Bryant heat exchangers I have replaced, all within 10 to 15 year old range. I have had a couple of York (Luxaire) 90% units with failed primary Heat exchangers also. And I know of a couple of friends that have had Lennox non Pulse units that have failed, that are 10 to 12 years old.

My feeling is a life of 10 to 15 years. Obviously the manufacturers are expecting a twenty year life, as that is what the fine print in their heat exchanger warranties show (ignore the Lifetime part and read the whole warranty).

S Ebels

20 Years,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,right

How many customers are willing to pay the labor ($800+) for a heat exchanger changeout and still be sitting with a furnace full of parts that are 10-15 years old? Not very many and the manufacturers all know it. Their twenty year, or lifetime warranty's for that matter, are nothing more than a calculated risk, worth about as much to the customer as the paper they are printed on.

Constantin

... but how is that different from most warranties?

... I had a hoot reading the various roofing material warranties out there while I was researching what to put on our roof. I concluded that with the exception of one manufacturer of concrete-based roof tiles that every warranty I had read was probably of best use by being recycled into cellulose for wall insulation.

Like life, equipment, etc. insurance is an actuarial game. I don't attach much importance to an insurance, the actual build quality is much more important to me.

Considering how many failed air-to-air HX's I've seen online, I am surprised that there are not more CO-deaths recorded annually in the US. Misdiagnosis is a very probable reason.

Boilerpro_3

I believe I read

in one of the trade piblications that the average life expectancy of forced air furnaces is now at 11 years, with the predicted life of the best units from manufacturers at 14. Pretty sad, but with a market segment driven chiefly by price, you get what you pay for when buying most hot air furnaces.

Boilerpro

Steamhead (in transit)

That's why we call them

FurNasties!

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Marty

15 years

Thats the number I have heard from 2 engineers from different manufactures. Pleated filters can really do a number on them. Most 5 ton drives need to have either both sides or the bottom used for the return its amazing how many don't. In my exparience the majority of cracked heat exchangers on 90% ones that have no obvious reason usually are single side returns. I wonder with how much they have shrunk the blower compartments both sides or bottom return should be required on all 90% ones.

Will Smith_6

The only things that lasts as long as they used to

-Are taxes and caskets. Not sure abou the latter!

Mark Hunt

Ahh yes!


100% correct!

Of course if people were actually TESTING the equipment they install, they would see the HUGE temperature rise and realize that the unit was starving for air. Never happens!

15 years tops. Then buy a new one.

Mark H

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