While almost all home heating equipment is made to perform well for a long time, sooner or later every furnace gets to the end of its rope.
If you suspect your furnace is approaching its final days of use, maybe it’s not running as well as it used to and your heating costs are on the rise — you might be wondering if it’s time to cut your losses and get a new system, before your current system becomes too much of a money pit.
If this is the case, you can rest assured you are in the right place. Our certified HVAC technicians here at Delaware Heating & Air present the following.
Should I continue making repairs to my furnace or replace it?
Despite the fact that there is no magical formula that indicates exactly when a home heating system should be replaced, the following is a list of factors to look at to help you make the best decision.
Furnace Age & Frequency of Maintenance
Although most furnaces usually run well for 15 to 20 years, these numbers are based solely on averages. Whether your furnace has been maintained consistently over the years by a professional is something you need to take into consideration when looking at its age. This is because seasonal maintenance has a profound impact on the actual number of years it’ll last. In any case, if your furnace is between 15 and 20 years old or if it’s older, it’s a good idea to start to plan ahead at least and think about replacement. If your furnace hasn’t had maintenance performed as recommended or if you aren’t sure, you should take replacement a little more seriously.
Performance, Efficiency & Heating Costs
In addition to age and maintenance history, next you’ll want to look at the furnace’s overall performance ability and record in addition to evaluating your heating costs over time. Often people with older furnaces are surprised by the advancements made in furnace technology since they last bought a furnace. Because these newer furnaces that we sell and install now are far more efficient (in addition to being built to last a long time), it’s not uncommon for a new one to cut home heating bills in half. As such, customers who are proactive with furnace replacement usually end up saving money overall, in addition to avoiding the headaches that come with keeping an outdated unit in use.
Rises in heating costs are usually a reliable indication the unit isn’t performing the way it was designed to. If you take the repair costs, add it to the increases in heating costs and compound that number over time and a new picture will emerge, a picture that demonstrates why it always pays off in the end to be proactive with HVAC equipment, and not merely reactive.
Regularity of Repairs & Repair Costs
Next, we look at how often you’ve had to pay for repairs and whether the severity of those repairs seems to have increased in recent heating seasons.
If repair work has been infrequent, minor and inexpensive, you’re in good shape, especially if they solve the problems long-term. If this is the case replacement might not be as pressing an issue. However, if the repairs have been regularly needed and/or expensive (especially if they were merely temporary solutions), it’s a good idea to start to at least plan on getting a new one.
When facing expensive furnace repairs, ask yourself whether your hard-earned money would be better spent on new heating equipment. You want to avoid putting an expensive bandaid on a model that’s old and outdated. Additionally, some experts use the following formula to help make this decision:
Take the cost of the repair and multiply it by the age of the furnace. If the number you get is higher than the cost of a new furnace, experts recommend getting the new furnace.
Considering Home Comfort is Crucial
Your home’s comfort level and consistency is another important consideration to look at when deciding whether to replace or repair HVAC equipment. If your current system has been struggling to keep your entire residence warm in recent years, if it’s colder in certain areas of the home or if your heating equipment has been making loud noises, it could spell trouble in the near future. To prevent that problem from becoming more expensive, it’s a good idea to have one of our friendly certified HVAC technicians come over to inspect your furnace. They can perform diagnostics and give you a more detailed, accurate picture to help you decide whether it’s better to replace your furnace or repair it without any sort of sales pressure.
Check out our money-saving furnace models today!
No matter what type of furnace problems you’re dealing with, we at Delaware Heating & Air offer fast and affordable solutions year-round to all your HVAC related needs year-round. Regardless of whether you want to repair your heating unit, or if you are thinking about replacement, we have honest, reliable, trustworthy HVAC technicians who are fully-insured, state certified and more than happy to come to your home and help.
We service, repair and install on all types of home heating systems.
To schedule service, request an estimate, or have your furnace inspected by a professional, call us today at 740-227-8302, or schedule an appointment now by clicking here!
