One of the most common questions we get from our customers is: how do I know when my furnace needs to be replaced? There’s no standard answer for every homeowner. There’s lot of factors to take into consideration.
There are some major indicators that you’re likely to need either a furnace replacement or furnace repair in Wayne, NJ. One of these indicators is the age of your furnace.
A gas furnace has an estimated lifespan of 10-15 years. An electric furnace has an estimated lifespan of 15-20 years. If your furnace is approaching or past this timeframe, this will help you learn the furnace red flags to watch out for.
Furnace Age
A furnace’s age is a big factor in determining longevity. Furnaces that are operating at the end of their lifespans will start to deteriorate rapidly. It’ll lose its efficiency and won’t heat your home as well as it has in the past. It could break down altogether without much warning.
At that point, you’ll need to consider repair or replacement. A good rule of thumb is if a repair costs more than half the price of a replacement, it’s better to go with a new model. Why throw good money away on a system that’s past its lifespan and will cost a lot to fix? Don’t pay for expensive repairs for a furnace that’s on its way out.
Safety Concerns
This is especially important if you have a gas furnace. An outdated gas furnace has the potential to be a safety hazard due to gas leaks. A cracked heat exchanger can allow carbon monoxide to seep into your home. Although most furnaces come equipped with carbon monoxide sensors, over time those sensors can fail.
Your furnace doesn’t need to suffer a major breakdown to still be considered dangerous. Because outdated heating equipment loses efficiency, it can emit small amounts of carbon monoxide due to incomplete combustion. These emissions might be too low for your carbon monoxide sensor to pick up but still high enough to be harmful to your health over time.
Efficiency is Down and Your Heating Bill is Up
Paying more money on a system that isn’t heating your home effectively is a frustrating situation. A furnace that is losing its efficiency can be due to a number of things in addition to the furnace’s age. If it hasn’t had annual maintenance or if its air filter hasn’t been changed regularly, all this neglect will make itself readily apparent.
It’s possible that a repair or a maintenance service will take care of efficiency problems in the short term, but for an older furnace, this could just be a band-aid fix. There aren’t many repairs or maintenance inspections that can really fix it since wear and tear and diminished efficiency are normal for old systems. Why continue to invest in a furnace that only keeps giving you diminishing returns?
Find Peace of Mind
Sometimes it’s best to replace a struggling system with a new, robust unit that’ll ensure your home comfort for years to come.
Contact MarGo Plumbing Heating Cooling Inc. today to discuss whether it’s time to schedule furnace repair or replacement.