As the winter months start to approach, your furnace becomes one of the most important appliances in your household. When your furnace is functioning properly, your home can remain cozy and comfortable all winter long, keeping your family safe and warm. However, when your furnace isn’t working as it should, you may find yourself dressing for a cold day even when you’re staying inside-which you shouldn’t have to do.
Furnace Repair and Energy Costs: You May Be Paying More Than You Need To
Whether your home is heated by natural gas, electric, or oil furnace, the heating costs accrued by the average home make up around 42% of the monthly energy bill, which is a sizable chunk of your energy expenditure. If your furnace is in need of a replacement and isn’t functioning at proper capacity, it may be taking up even more of your energy bill, causing your costs to spike dramatically.
If your energy bills are unusually high or your heating system is working inconsistently, you should call a furnace repair specialist immediately to diagnose the problem. Depending on the issue, you may be able to remedy your heating problems with a simple furnace tune-up; however, there’s a chance that a furnace replacement may be in order.
New Furnace Installation: How Do I Know When It’s Time?
It can often be hard to tell whether your home heating issues warrant a brand-new furnace installation or if a furnace repair will do the trick. Here are some of the most consistent signs that it’s time to replace your furnace entirely:
Your furnace is reaching the end of its typical lifespan. If you’ve been living in your current home for less than two decades, it’s likely that you weren’t there to witness your home’s furnace installation and may not even know quite how old your furnace is. However, if you know that your furnace is approaching the 20-year mark or has likely passed 20 years, it may be time for a furnace replacement.
Annual or biannual HVAC repair can extend the lifespan of your furnace by several years at least, especially if you stay consistent with your tune-ups from the day of installation. However, after a certain point, constant furnace repair can only do so much if the system itself is outdated or degraded past the point of being reasonably fixable.
Contact your local HVAC specialist to determine whether your furnace has aged past its usable lifespan. In the meantime, one common way to determine the approximate age range of your furnace is to check whether the machine has a real pilot light or an electronic one. Most models made within the last two decades have electronic pilot lights, so if your furnace is burning actual pilot light, it may be too old to function properly.
It seems like you’re constantly making repairs. Maybe you’ve prioritized regular furnace repair and have been good about scheduling tune-up appointments annually, only to find that your HVAC specialists seem to find a significant malfunction or broken part every time. If this is the case for you, you’re likely spending a good amount of money on furnace repair once or even twice a year. If you think this is out of the ordinary, your right-a fully functional furnace receiving regular tune-ups shouldn’t need a new in-depth repair at every appointment.
If an HVAC company cares more about their paycheck than the health of your system, they will happily continue to fix a machine that is past the point of repair. However, an honorable company will let you know that your machine is simply too old to take to the repairs and will just continue to break down or even be a danger to your home with excessive carbon monoxide buildup. Once your machine has reached this point, a furnace replacement is truly the only option.
Your furnace is making strange noises or turning on and off. The general consensus with electrical appliances is that loud, unusual noises coming from inside the machine can’t mean anything good. Sometimes, a furnace repair appointment will determine that the source of the noise is simply a moving part that comes loose, and a quick fix will get rid of the strange sound for good. However, unusual noises coming from the furnace could also mean that the machine needs replacing.
Some common noises that homeowners will notice include popping, rattling, and squeaking when the furnace is in use. Additionally, if your furnace’s blower seems to kick on and off frequently while the system is on, similar issues may be occurring within the machine.
Your home feels more dusty or dry than usual. HVAC systems do more than just heat and cool your home; they act as a large-scale air filtration system and humidifier for each room. If your furnace is old, it won’t be able to filter and humidify your home’s airflow as well as it used to, which can lead to the air within your home feeling dryer or even noticing excessive dust buildup on your furniture.
A perpetual layer of dust on your sofa, bookshelves, and windowsills isn’t only unsightly—it can cause uncomfortable allergy symptoms for your family members in addition to exacerbating the symptoms of any preexisting respiratory conditions you or your family members may have. Replacing your furnace can drastically improve the air quality in your home and keep you and your family safe and healthy.
The temperature in your home is inconsistent. When a furnace is functioning as it should and your home is properly ventilated, all of the rooms should be heated to an equal temperature. If one area of your house is reaching the desired temperature set on the thermostat and another area is ice cold, you’ll know that a problem is occurring.
During your regular furnace tune-up, your HVAC specialist will be able to determine whether the improper heating issue can be fixed by a furnace repair or if an entire replacement is in order.
Your heating bills are spiking out of nowhere. During the cold winter months, it can be easy to rack up higher energy bills than you would throughout the rest of the year. However, if you notice that your heating costs are higher than last winter, your furnace is most likely to blame.
You may find during your next HVAC repair appointment that the issue can be fixed by a filter change or general tune-up. However, if your furnace expert recommends a system replacement, don’t panic-it may seem costly at the time of installation, but you will most likely save money on energy costs throughout the years to come as newer HVAC systems are much more energy-efficient than older models.
Get Your Furnace Replaced by the Best in HVAC Repair
Furnace replacement can seem like a hassle, especially among all the hustle and bustle of getting ready for winter. However, with Castle Home Comfort Heating & Cooling, the job will be done so quickly and efficiently that you’ll barely notice a difference-although your future heating bills certainly will. All of our technicians are screened and certified, so you can rest assured knowing that any HVAC repair or replacement you receive from us will be nothing but top-notch.
Need an emergency furnace repair or replacement? We’re available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to make sure your family remains safe and comfortable. If it’s time for your next HVAC tune-up or a replacement is in order, don’t wait to call Castle Home Comfort Heating & Cooling today.