With winter in full swing, it’s not a bad idea for homeowners to evaluate their home heating systems to see how they’re holding up and how much life they have left before they absolutely need to be replaced in some worst-case scenario. While being proactive is the best way to be, for some homeowners, unfortunately, this isn’t an option.
Dealing with a breakdown or some other type of furnace problem, there comes a time in every heating system’s life in which the decision arises: Should I replace my furnace, or keep paying for expensive repairs?
If your heating system just doesn’t seem to be performing like it used to, if your heating bills seem excessively high, or if you are facing this question because of some other sort of concern, you are in the right place.
Our expert certified HVAC technicians here at Five Star Heating & Cooling Group presents the following: Deciding whether to repair a furnace, vs. replacement.
Unfortunately, no one has some magical formula that precisely indicates exactly when a furnace should be replaced or repaired.
When making a decision like this, however, it’s a good idea to look at the facts and consider how your furnace has been performing overall, especially in recent seasons. The following are some of these important factors to take into consideration when making a decision like this.
Timing is Essential
Usually gas furnaces have a productive, useful, service life expectancy of somewhere between 15 and 20 years. This is an average number. The actual lifespan of each individual furnace is influenced tremendously by how regularly it’s been maintained, whether it was serviced by a professional, and how much it has been used over the years. Having said that, if your furnace is near this age range or if it has surpassed it, you really should start thinking about replacing it.
Consider Efficiency
We’ll be the first to admit, it’s not uncommon for a furnace to last beyond the average lifespan of 15 to 20 years. If this is the case with your furnace, we encourage you to take a closer look at its performance as well as your heating costs. The technology used in today’s home heating systems has improved by leaps and bounds, especially in recent years. Modern furnaces have energy efficiency features that you wouldn’t believe. Just consider how much cell phone technology has progressed in the last decade or so. Because of this, replacing an outdated furnace that is nearing the end of its life (sooner or later) can easily save you money in the long run. Furnace efficiency declines so much over the years that in all probability the AFUE rating your older model is no longer accurate. A lot of our customers are surprised by the amount of money they save on heating costs with their new furnaces. You should ask yourself: Have my heating bills gone up in recent years? If so, that’s a clear indication. It’s only going to get worse and get more expensive as time goes on. This isn’t even including the costs of repair parts and labor.
Consider Your Comfort
In addition to your home heating system’s age and efficiency, you should also consider comfort as a factor. If your furnace has been struggling to keep your home warm in recent winters (if there are cold zones or if it’s making loud noises) failure might be on the horizon, unless it’s a minor problem that could be easily repaired. To get a better idea, it’s smart to have one of our professionals inspect your furnace to give you a clearer, more detailed picture.
A trustworthy professional can also advise you on whether it’s smarter to repair or replace.
If you are hearing strange noises or if there are strange smells coming from your current furnace, it might be time to replace it. Also, keep in mind a crack in your heat exchanger can release carbon monoxide into a dwelling, in which case replacement is essential.
Consider Your Repair Budget
All homeowners know better than to continue throwing money at a furnace that’s dying. What’s hard to determine is when to draw the line, when to stop making repairs and decide to get a new heating system? In general, furnaces need repairs more frequently in their final couple years of service. As such, ask yourself whether you’ve had to call for repairs more often in the past few years, or if issues have gotten worse in the past couple years.
If the repairs are minor and they aren’t very expensive and they seem to solve the problem in a lasting way, it’s probably worth going ahead with the repair. However, if the repairs that are needed are costly, or if they only provide a temporary solution, replacement is probably the better option.
If you’re facing expensive furnace repairs, think about whether or not your money is better invested in a new unit than propping up an older one. A simple formula that can help you make your decision is this: multiply the cost of the repair times the age of the furnace. If the total repair costs are more than the cost of a new unit, choose a new furnace.
We do Furnace Repair and Furnace Replacement in Columbus, OH!
In any case, we have solutions to all your HVAC related needs. Whether you decide to repair your furnace, or if you are thinking about replacement, we have friendly, honest, certified HVAC technicians who are more than happy to help. We service, repair and install on all makes and models of home heating systems
Give us a call today to schedule service, request an estimate, or have your furnace inspected by a professional.
To learn more or to book an appointment with an expert technician from Five Star Heating & Cooling Group call (614) 490-7550, or schedule an appointment online now.
