As with any appliance or machine you have in your home, you need to perform regular maintenance checks to ensure they are working properly. One of those appliances is your heater.

Heaters average around 20 years, however, this number is compliant based on the homeowner’s due diligence in getting it inspected, parts repaired when needed, or having a new machine installed.

Other factors include the climate you live in and weather conditions that play a pivotal role in how well things do or do not perform.

For instance, you may need to have a new heater installation completed prior to the 20-year life expectancy if you live in an area that’s close to salt water, sulfur, and chemicals. Each of these elements can cause a heater to break sooner and/or rust.

The same can be said for areas that are highly polluted by dust and debris.

If maintenance is not completed every 6-months, your unit could collect so much gunk that parts break sooner than anticipated.

Heater installation costs

Normally, installing a new heater does take some financial planning as they are quite expensive. Ask your heating company how long they expect your machine to ask when they perform their maintenance check.

The technician should be able to tell you a realistic timeline on when you need to purchase a new unit so you can plan for it financially.

The typical cost of a new heater is $2,500 to $6,000. Pretty hefty!

How you can help

When you schedule your bi-annual heater maintenance appointment, as the technician if there’s anything you can do between their checks, so you keep your heater working in prime condition.

Most technicians will recommend for you to manually change the filter or dust/clean around your machine to ensure it stays clear of excess debris. They may also offer other items so be sure to ask.