After years of performing faithfully and providing us heat throughout Ohio’s coldest weather, there comes a point in every furnace’s lifespan in which a homeowner is faced with the question: Should I repair my home heating equipment, or would it be better to have it replaced?
If you find yourself faced with this challenging question (maybe your heating costs seem to be on the rise and your furnace isn’t performing like it used to), you can rest assured that you are in the right place.
Our highly-skilled certified HVAC technicians here at Upper Arlington Heating & Cooling present the following information to help guide you through this difficult decision:
Should I replace my furnace or continue making repairs?
While there isn’t any magic formula that can tell you precisely when you should replace your furnace instead of repairing it, there are several factors that can guide you in the right direction.
In addition to considering how well your furnace has been performing over the years, you should also consider:
Your Furnace’s Age
While gas furnaces have a service lifespan that usually runs between 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.
Your Furnace’s Performance and Efficiency
In addition to considering your furnace’s age and how well it’s been maintained over the years, you should also consider its performance level and track your heating costs over the years. In recent years, furnace technology has advanced by leaps and bounds making the models we install today far more efficient and durable. Often, these newer, high-efficiency furnaces cut home heating costs in half. Because of this and other factors, homeowners who are proactive and replace existing heating equipment that’s outdated end up saving money in the long run. If your home heating costs seem to have increased over the years, it’s often an indication the equipment isn’t performing like it should and it’s probably going to get worse. When you combine repair costs with increasing heating costs and stretch that out over time, it’s easy to realize why being proactive with HVAC equipment always pays off in the end.
Cost of Repairs
With most furnaces needing more frequent repairs near the end of their lifespan, the next thing you should consider is how frequently you’ve had to make repairs and whether they’ve become more of a problem in recent years.
If there haven’t been many repairs needed, or if repair costs aren’t expensive and they seem to be long-term fixes, furnace replacement usually isn’t necessary right away. On the other hand, however, if your repairs have been frequent and the costs have been expensive, and if they are more like temporary solutions to the problems, it’s a good idea to begin planning to replace your furnace.
To make this decision even easier, some experts give the following formula:
Take the cost of the repair you need and multiply it by the number of years you’ve had your furnace. If the number you get from multiplying those two numbers is more than the cost of a new furnace, experts advise replacing your furnace.
Home Comfort
Last but not least, home comfort is always an essential factor to look at whenever deciding to replace a home heating system or repair it — or any HVAC equipment for that matter. If your furnace has been having a hard time keeping your home warm in recent winters, (if it’s not reaching the temperature you set it to on the thermostat, if you have certain areas in your home that are cold, or if there are other comfort issues) you could have new problems lurking on the horizon. As such, it’s always a really good idea to have one of our highly-skilled HVAC technicians come out to your home to inspect your furnace, perform diagnostics and provide you with a better, more accurate picture of exactly what’s going on. The men and women we recruit as technicians are happy to come out to your home and give you an honest evaluation while keeping your best interest, as our customer, our highest priority. They can suggest whether it’s better to repair your furnace or replace it without any hidden motive or sales pressure. Plus your satisfaction is always guaranteed!
Ultimately, if they discover you have a crack in your heat exchanger, replacement is generally the best option because this is one of the most expensive parts to have to replace. Additionally, cracked heat exchangers are dangerous as they can release carbon monoxide into your home. Remember, safety should always come first when it comes to home heating equipment.
No Matter What the Problem, We are Happy to Help!
Our team at Upper Arlington Heating & Cooling offers affordable solutions to any and all HVAC-related problems around the clock, all year long. Whether you are wanting to repair your furnace or whether you’re looking to replace it, we have honest, trustworthy HVAC technicians who are state certified and fully insured and they are always more than happy to come to your home and help you out, all the while keeping your best interest as our customer at heart.
To schedule service, request an estimate, or have your furnace inspected by a professional, call us today at (614) 490-7507. You can also schedule an appointment online now by clicking here!
