Deciding to repair or replace your furnace can mean a difference between a few hundred and a few thousand dollars. Of course, you want your equipment to last as long as possible, but when things start to go wrong, how do you know when it’s time to upgrade? Follow these pointers for help making the important decision to repair or replace your furnace.
Symptoms of a dying furnace:
Noisy equipment: Do you notice an unusual amount of noise coming from your furnace when it kicks on? How about when it’s running? Noise coming from the unit could indicate a problem with a crucial component, such as the blower.
Uncomfortable home: Are things just not the way they used to be? Have you noticed that it’s harder to warm up rooms and keep them at a comfortable temperature, there’s more dust in your home, or you have humidity problems? These are all symptoms of an ailing furnace.
When to repair or replace your furnace:
Old Age: Is your furnace more than 15 years old? Most furnaces typically last 12-20 years, so if your equipment is at the end of its expected lifetime, it may make more financial sense to replace it with a new, more energy-efficient model.
Unexplained energy bills: Have the last few winters been more expensive, in regards to your heating bills? If you haven’t made any changes in your habits, your aging furnace may be to blame. For each year of use, your furnace’s efficiency decreases. If your furnace is older, this could explain the increase in energy usage and spending. Consider investing in a new high-efficiency furnace that will significantly reduce your energy bills and eventually defray the cost of your new furnace.
Recent repairs: Have you made repairs in recent years? If your furnace is over 10 years old, experts say any repairs over $500 probably aren’t worth it. When considering making repairs to an older unit, keep in mind that money being used to repair this furnace could go toward investing in a new model.
Need help deciding whether to repair or replace your furnace? Call Mowery Heating, Air Conditioning and Plumbing for help with this and other home heating and cooling needs. We provide quality HVAC services to the greater Indianapolis area.
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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