Although furnaces are tough and built to last, even the most expensive home heating system won’t last forever. As such, when a homeowner decides to keep an older model that’s outdated in use it almost always means higher heating costs as the need for repairs becomes more frequent. In the long run, this can easily end up costing more than replacement, which is inevitable.
To make matters worse, outdated furnaces can pose significant safety threats — threats that are compounded when maintenance isn’t performed regularly over the years.
To help you understand a few of the hidden dangers of an old furnace, as well as which warning signs to watch out for, our team here at Delaware Heating & Air put together the following:
3 Major Hazards of Old Heating Equipment
- Fire Hazards
Although home heating systems are designed to endure, to provide our homes with heat safely and efficiently around the clock, their built-in fire prevention features can become compromised over time. Because of this, homeowners using furnaces that have outlived their estimated lifespan should at least have their safety features tested by a certified HVAC technician. Testing safety features on heating systems is actually a part of a seasonal maintenance visit and seasonal maintenance should be performed prior to every heating season
- Carbon Monoxide Leakage
As we touched on above, after years of faithful operation, the safety features in our systems intended to prevent carbon monoxide from becoming a problem start to become unreliable. If this happens and carbon monoxide were ever to form and leak out, it could put everyone in the home in harm’s way. Similarly, because old furnaces lose efficiency in their later years, smaller levels of carbon monoxide can easily leak and not be detected by safety sensors that might still function otherwise. If this happens, these smaller levels could cause health problems over time..
- Gas Leaks
Did you know natural gas furnaces are far more likely to develop gas leaks when they are older — as opposed to some of the newer, more improved, models that are far safer and use far more efficient technology? Gas furnace equipment corrodes over time, making smaller leaks much more likely to develop. Like all furnaces, gas furnaces come with safety features designed to warn residents. However, these features become more and more unreliable in older systems as they become outdated. Homeowners using oil furnaces aren’t exempt from fuel leakage either, as oil furnaces have certain dangers of their own. Oil furnaces are prone to oil leakages that can damage the home and become fire hazards as these furnaces age.
Top 4 Warning Signs
Now that we’ve covered the top three hidden dangers of old heating equipment, we will discuss our top four warning signs to watch out for. When it comes to any sort of furnace or heating equipment, being proactive and practicing caution is a reward of its own. Safety should always come first, especially during the winter months when furnace problems are a leading cause of home fires. A few of the more common warning signs of trouble include:
- Flu-Like Symptoms: An invisible gas that has no odor, carbon monoxide is rarely discernable when it leaks. However, if you or your loved ones start having flu-like symptoms, this could be a sign of carbon monoxide or gas. Knowing this, flu-like symptoms should be taken seriously, and this possibility should be considered.
- Yellow Flame: Our furnace’s burner and pilot light flame should always be blue and it should never be flickering. If you see a flickering flame, or if it is yellow, call us immediately because there could be a carbon monoxide or gas leak.
- Unusual Noises: If you are hearing pounding, rattling, grinding, whistling, popping, or squealing noises arising from your heating system or out of your air ducts, this is another sign your system is heading for trouble. Moreover, you should also listen for the sound of your blower running constantly.
- Rising Heating Costs: If your heating costs are on the rise or if it seems like you’re paying more for heating than normal, you might have a furnace problem. Moving forward, as such, it’s a good idea to keep an eye on the amount of money you are spending on heating costs on a month to month basis as this is often a sign of some kind of problem.
You can avoid these dangers by . . .
The best way to avoid the hidden dangers of an old furnace is to stay ahead of the curve and have a newer, more efficient model installed that can save you up to half of your overall heating costs all the while keeping you and your loved ones safe.
Keep in mind, we offer fast and easy finance options that include the first 60 months interest free with approved credit. Having said that, if you aren’t ready to have a new system installed, having a professional HVAC technician perform seasonal maintenance is essential.
Preventative maintenance not only enables one of our certified technicians to catch these types of problems common in older systems early on, but it also gives us the chance to prevent them from causing further problems down the road. Meanwhile, you get to save hard-earned money on energy costs while prolonging the lifespan of your heating equipment.
For more information or to schedule an appointment, call Delaware Heating & Air today at 740-227-8302, or schedule an appointment online now by clicking here!
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Have a Merry Christmas!
