Your furnace has been working hard to keep you warm all winter. Unfortunately, nothing lasts forever. Learn if it’s time to replace your furnace or not by going over this list:
Is It Time to Replace Your Furnace?
1. AGE
The average lifespan of gas furnace is around 15-20 years, so if your furnace is 15 years or older, it’s time to start considering replacement options. Older equipment has parts that are sometimes hard to find, increasing the repair costs.
Older systems also have a significantly reduced energy efficiency. You may have bought your furnace when it had an AFUE (annual fuel efficiency ratio) of around 90%, but after a decade, that number has dropped considerably. This means that you are paying far more in energy costs every month than you need.
The lifespan of your furnace depends on several factors, including how it was installed in the first place and how it has been maintained after the installation.
2. MAINTENANCE
Ask yourself how often you have maintained your furnace. While it’s highly recommended that you schedule professional furnace maintenance every year, many homeowners sadly neglect this yearly maintenance ‘chore’.
Yearly maintenance can double the lifespan of your furnace and provide you with lower energy bills and cleaner indoor air. A furnace that is well-maintained lasts a lot longer than one that isn’t.
By scheduling yearly maintenance, you’ll also be fully aware of any developing problems that you may have, such as malfunctioning blower fans, dirty coils, and leaky air ducts.
3. USE
Another critical factor in the lifespan of your furnace is how it is used and how often it is used. If you live in an area with brutal winters, then your furnace gets quite the work out. Using your furnace more often will lead to greater wear and tear that results in a shorter lifespan.
So, while the average lifespan of a gas furnace may be 15-20 years, you may find that your furnace is good for less or more depending on how often you need it.
Don’t Get Burned! Get a Quality Installation
According to ENERGY STAR, over half of all new HVAC systems are improperly installed! If you have a furnace or heat pump that has been incorrectly sized or improperly installed, your lifespan and energy efficiency will drop considerably.
If you do decide to replace your furnace in the near future, make sure you do your due diligence in hiring the right contractor for the job. Be wary of extremely low prices. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
Make sure the contractor measures and inspects your entire home before recommending a replacement. If the HVAC contractor in question doesn’t measure the entire home in order to correctly size your new HVAC system, they are doing it wrong. Often, HVAC technicians will simply replace your existing unit with a similarly sized one. This can be a tragic mistake since your existing unit may be too large or too small for your needs.
Get written proposals outlining everything that will and won’t be done. He should also write down the exact make and model of the recommended replacement.
“Stick with the major brands or one of their subsidiaries. If you don’t recognize the brand, don’t trust what the contractor says about it. Do your own checking online before you buy.”
In addition to a quality installation, make sure the technician installs the thermostat and teaches you how to use it. Programmable and smart thermostats are getting more and more complicated to install—leave it to the professionals.
Use this Heating & Air Conditioning Installation Bid Comparison Checklist from ENERGY STAR when vetting your contractors.
HEATING SAFETY
Make sure you are testing your CO and smoke alarms every 30 days to alert you to this fatal gas that is also colorless, tasteless, and odorless (that’s why they call it the “silent killer”).
If you have any questions about your furnace, don’t hesitate to contact the professionals at OnTime Service. We’ll send a highly trained technician out to inspect your home and current HVAC system and provide suggestions for repair or replacement. If you want to compare the costs of repair versus replacement, we’ll be able to show you all the numbers you need to make the best decisions for you and your family.
Additional Resources
WINTER ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS & HOW TO AVOID THEM
WHY YOU NEED A FALL FURNACE TUNE-UP NOW
THE DANGERS OF DO-IT-YOURSELF (DIY) FURNACE REPAIR
Give us a call at (205) 872-1944 or contact us online.
SERVICE ON TIME OR WE PAY YOU $59!
Call OnTime Service to schedule your annual heating inspection at (205) 872-1944 .
Our experienced team of technicians is fully trained to handle any heating system. As always, we will troubleshoot your home and give you straightforward pricing options before any work begins.
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