If you've had trouble with your furnace in the past, you may be trying to decide if it's better to keep repairing it, or completely replacing your furnace this year. Here are five signs that can help you determine if repair or replacement is the best option:
- Furnace age: Furnaces usually last between 15 and 20 years. If your furnace is older than 15, replacement is an option to consider. Don't replace your furnace just because it's old; if it's in good shape, you can still get more service out of it. If your furnace is old and not working well, however, you'd be better off with a new one.
- Furnace reliability: If your furnace is breaking down frequently, it's close to the replacement point. Furnaces break down more often in the last two years of their functional lives. If the cost of fixing your furnace has reached half the price of a new system, replacing your furnace is the better choice.
- Inconsistent heating: A reliable furnace provides a consistent level of heating throughout your house. If there are spots in your home that are hotter or colder than they should be, the furnace is not properly distributing heat and is headed for failure.
- Furnace efficiency: If your heating expenses have increased substantially with no good explanation, your furnace efficiency is probably dropping. As heating demands increase, your bills will continue to spike and the furnace will have a greater chance of a major breakdown.
- Odd behavior or unusual noises: Increased amounts of noise, or noises you've never heard before, suggest major problems with your furnace. If the color of the flame in the burner has changed from blue to yellow, it could mean a potentially deadly carbon monoxide leak. Unexpected changes in furnace behavior could mean a pending breakdown and the need to replace.
Since our company was established in 1965, Joe Behr Plumbing and Heating, Inc. has been a reliable source of professional plumbing and HVAC services in the mid-Ohio area. Contact us today for expert help with assessing the condition of your furnace and deciding whether repairing or replacing your furnace is the better option.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Mid-Ohio area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about replacing your furnace and other HVAC topics, visit our website.
