If your home’s boiler has been properly maintained through an HVAC service agreement, it should last for many years. In fact, while it’s a good idea to consider replacement around 15 years after a boiler was first installed, many homes have boilers which have worked for decades. However, just because a boiler might last that long doesn’t mean it’s always in your best interests to keep it. Here are three things to consider if you think you might need to upgrade or replace your boiler:
- Is your boiler inefficient? While a boiler from 20 years ago may still heat your home, efficiency standards have changed a lot in that time. If you’re getting a 60 percent efficiency out of your old boiler, you may be interested to know that newer models can reach almost 99 percent efficiency, meaning that almost all of the fuel used goes toward heating your indoor environment. Depending on your home, the savings of a high-efficiency upgrade or replacement might pay for the upgrade itself.
- Does your boiler need frequent repairs? If you find yourself calling your local HVAC experts a few times a season, it could be a sign that your boiler is on its last legs. In particular, if any given repair costs more than a third of the cost of a new system, it’s a good sign that getting a new system will be more cost effective in the long run.
- Have you made significant efficiency upgrades to your home? Your boiler was size to take care of your home’s heating needs when it was installed. If you’ve improved the thermal envelope of your home through additional insulation or other upgrades, or if you’ve added onto your home in renovations, your boiler may not be sized correctly to heat and cool you efficiently.
If you have any questions about the boiler in your Indianapolis area home, contact Mowery Heating, Cooling and Plumbing! We’re happy to help with your home’s heating needs.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Brownsburg, Indiana and surrounding areas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).
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