The heating season is fast approaching for the majority of the country. Having your furnace break down now would be a very and thing and might be costly to repair or replace. This makes regular maintenance is so important and that’s why most professionals insist that it needs to be done at least once a year.
Unexpected breakdowns are really inconvenient, but there are some signs which might tell you that your furnace might need to be replaced even without an expert to tell you that. Here’s what air conditioning and heating professionals at Howell’s Air had to say.
Is Your Heating Bill Increasing?
If you’ve had your furnace for a while, chances are that you know how much heating costs you each year and each month. Regardless of the fuel it uses, the prices don’t deviate that much year over year.
So, if you see any distinct differences between what you expected and our actual bill, it might be that your furnace is losing efficiency and that it may need to be repaired or even replaced, depending on how old it is.
How Old Is Your Furnace?
Speaking of the age of your furnace, all of our devices and machines have their life expectancy. Simply put, their expiration date. After a while the material gets tired, and it cannot run as efficiently as it used to. Furnaces are no exception.
The older the system, the likelier it is that something will break on it or that it will just need to be replaced completely. Most commercially available furnaces are expected to run anywhere between 15 and 20 years, so if your furnace is within this time period or has exceeded it, you might want to start planning to replace it.
Uneven Performance
If your system is not functioning at a steady pace, if it heats up far too quickly and then stops working for extended periods of time, there might be something wrong. Have a professional HVAC technician look at it, before it breaks down completely and leaves you without heating in the high season.
Another thing that might happen is that the furnace doesn’t heat the whole house evenly. The rooms closer to the furnace might be warm enough, or too warm, whereas others might not get enough heat. Make sure to disclose that information to your HVAC technician.
Strange Sounds Coming from the Furnace
Once again, if you have had your furnace for a while, you likely know how it works and will probably be able to identify if something strange begins to happen. One of the most common things that happen when the furnace is on its last legs is the strange noises coming from it.
If you hear humming or buzzing, your problem might be electrical and you should probably turn it off and consult an expert as soon as possible. If, however, you hear banging or rattling, the problem is likely mechanical. Still, you should consult a technician and have the furnace inspected.
Corrosion or Physical Damage
This is probably the last sign that you really need to have your furnace replaced. Rust forms naturally over time, and so do cracks, especially on a furnace which often heats and cools.
However, once rust and/or cracks appear, the furnace is no longer safe or economical as it used to be and it makes more sense to replace it than to wait for it to fail completely.
Having a functional and economical furnace in your home makes sense financially and safety-wise, so look into investing in a new furnace with a better rating and modern design to save money in the long run.
