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The expected service life of your furnace is directly related to how certain components are operated. One of these is the pilot light, which ignites the main burner when your thermostat signals for heat. All pilot lights incorporate a safety device, called a thermocouple, to continuously sense the heat of the pilot flame. If the pilot light is out or not producing a properly adjusted flame, the thermocouple shuts off gas to the furnace burner.

A gas furnace has an average service life of more than 15 years. About 20 percent of gas furnaces are still working at the 20-year mark. However, “service life” simply means the span of time during which the unit still starts up and generates heat. Many homeowners may wonder whether an aging furnace that’s still technically functioning should be kept on the job or replaced. Here are some considerations to help you make that call:

If you bought an old house anywhere in Minnesota, you may be surprised to learn that the place has no heating, ventilation, and airconditioning (HVAC) system– or at least it used to. This will prompt you to invest in a new HVAC system for the place, but before you do, you’ll have to consider how it’ll be set up. Scott Gibson of Old House Web says this may be true of houses that used to have a hot-water based heating system.

Many homeowners take their gas furnace for granted. They might adjust their thermostat occasionally, or reprogram a programmable model, but otherwise, the heat kicks on every day, and they don’t worry about it until the gas bill arrives at the end of the month. Fortunately, even with your current gas furnace, there are some simple ways you can make your furnace perform more efficiently and inexpensively.

Winter may finally be giving way to springtime blues, but does that mean you can break out the less-cumbersome clothing the second the mercury climbs? No. Your house’s trusty heating ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems need this time to be better attuned to the warmer months that are about to come.

If your home contains a central heating or cooling system, mold may be a particularly insidious threat. Central HVAC systems – including furnaces – use a powerful fan to circulate conditioned air through ductwork to every room in your home. If your furnace is contaminated with mold, those spores may catch a ride with heated or conditioned air.

If your home’s furnace is malfunctioning – either it’s not providing sufficient heat or it’s not turning on at all – the problem may be something simple you can address without calling in a professional. Learning some simple furnace fixes can save you a lot of time and money, while making you better at assessing when to call a professional for help.

High humidity makes most people feel uncomfortable, but humidity in your home can lead to problems beyond physical discomfort. Excess moisture can contribute to poor indoor air quality, as well as damage to your home’s structure and appearance. Learning more about humidity damage can help you avoid foundation problems.

Improving your indoor air quality can make your home healthier, and following an air purifier buying guide can help you sort through the options available. The air inside your home may contain surprisingly high levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), dust, mold spores and other harmful biological contaminants.

Most of us take our air conditioners for granted. However, as with any other mechanical device, maintenance is necessary on a regular basis to keep your A/C running properly. One key maintenance step is cleaning your central A/C’s condensate drain system.