Furnaces are easy to ignore. They last a long time and are tucked out of sight, humming away in the background. No homeowner wants to think about replacing a furnace. Besides, who looks forward to such a major expense? It’s easier just to patch any issues and limp along.
Sometimes, though, furnace replacement is the only option. How can you know when your furnace just needs a little TLC and when you need to call a furnace replacement company pronto? Here are six signs that will tell you whether heating replacement is in your immediate future.
1. Your Furnace Is Too Old
Once your furnace hits a certain age, no amount of repair or maintenance will bring it back to life. Furnaces last only about 15 years, although 20 is possible with high-quality units that receive meticulous care.
Check the date of your furnace installation to see whether it’s worth repairing. If the unit is particularly old, repairs will be more like bandages than corrective surgery.
2. Your Furnace Makes Odd Noises
Wear on crucial parts manifests through strange sounds. Booming and popping can be a sign that fuel is burning poorly, for example. Clicking is usually the igniter going bad.
Blower motors that go bad emit a steady hum. Worn or damaged belts and pulleys can screech. Rattling is the result of loose parts or ducts. Before you start pricing a furnace replacement, however, call a repair company.
3. You Experience Inconsistent Heating
When a furnace struggles to heat a home, it’s either because the unit is too small for the space or because it’s getting too old. If your furnace has been heating your home just fine until recently, it’s probably the latter.
4. Your Power Bills Are Getting Higher
Aging furnaces need to run more often to generate the same amount of heat. This loss of efficiency makes itself known by eating up electricity. If you’ve made no changes in your lifestyle but your power bills are higher than ever, your old furnace could be the culprit.
5. Your Furnace Needs More and More Repairs
Needing an occasional repair every few years is normal. Calling an HVAC technician weekly is not. As your furnace ages, it will run less efficiently and require more frequent repairs until it feels like you’ve replaced every single component. At that point, it makes more financial sense to get a heater replacement.
6. Your Furnace Puts Out Dangerous Gases
If you or your family members are experiencing headaches, lightheadedness, itchy eyes, or nausea, your furnace could be emitting carbon monoxide. While you should have carbon monoxide detectors to warn you before you feel the effects, this is a clear sign to shut off the heat and call a furnace replacement company immediately.
Call Conway Comfort Heating Cooling for Your Furnace Replacement
Don’t let an old furnace freeze you out of your home. Reach out to Conway Comfort Heating & Cooling to ask about a replacement. Our expert techs will assess your current system and help you find the right furnace to take its place. You can trust our experienced team to keep your home toasty and cozy. Contact us today!