The average life of a heating system is 12 to 14 years. As your system nears this age, you should:

• Keep multiple carbon monoxide detectors and smoke detectors in your home. This is the age where carbon monoxide is more likely to leak into your home.
• Watch for your furnace to short cycle (turn off and on more frequently than expected).
• Watch for any unusual spikes in your gas bill.
• Your furnace should always be checked annually, at this age, it is critical.

A lot of people are not aware that your furnace not only runs all winter to provide heat, it also runs all summer to drive your air conditioning system. This is the hardest working piece of equipment in your home.

When your furnace breaks, it’s best and safe to have it professionally checked. Trying to repair your furnace on your own can be very dangerous.