Throughout the years, your furnace has served you well, keeping your home comfortable, particularly during winter. While there might have been times when it needed repairs, it still managed to keep your home warm during cold days.
However, no matter how reliable your furnace might be, there comes a point when it needed to be replaced. If you are a keen observer, your furnace will provide some hints and signs that it is due for replacement.
Here are some signs to help you decide whether your furnace just needs a repair or already needs a replacement.
1. You are Spending on Frequent Furnace Repairs
It might not be a big deal to get your furnace repaired if it is not working, let's say once during the course of several years. However, when it starts malfunctioning frequently or when you noticed that you're calling the technician to check on it almost every year, you might seriously consider replacing it.
While it may cost less to repair a furnace than to buy a new one, having frequent repairs will cost you more than actually investing in a new one. Check the price of your repair bills. You should consider replacing your old furnace if the repair bill costs around 10 or 20 percent of the price, as per SMO Energy.
2. There is a Drastic Increase in Your Heating Bills
To produce heat, furnaces work by burning fuel such as heating oil or propane gas. However, as your furnace gets older, it becomes less energy-efficient due to two factors. First, older models are not designed to be as efficient as newer furnaces. Second, due to wear and tear on their parts, furnaces become less energy-efficient as they age.
The increase in your energy bills is one of the signs that your furnace is losing energy efficiency. If you are heating your home to the same temperature as in past years and you noticed that need to refill your oil or propane tank more frequently, you should check your furnace. It might need complex repairs to bring back its previous efficiency. But if your furnace is older, consider replacing it with a newer, more energy-efficient model.
Read Also: Get Ready for the Winter Season: Here Are 7 Signs You Need a New Furnace
3. Your Furnace Is Old
The life expectancy of a furnace is often 20-30 years. But when it hits the 10 or 15-year mark, consider getting a replacement as older furnaces tend to use more energy than newer models. Moreover, older furnaces are more prone to malfunction and require costly repair. If you find yourself frequently spending on furnace repair, maybe it's just best to get a new one.
4. Your Furnace is Making Different Noises
When your furnace operates, it usually makes some noise. It is normal to hear it hum as the burner turns on and ignites the fuel. A whooshing sound is also normal as the air travels through the ducts in your home.
However, if you suddenly hear popping, rattling, humming, clicking, and more, pay attention. According to CNET, these kinds of sounds could be signs that your furnace is no longer working properly.
5. Your Furnace Heats Your Home Unevenly
Your furnace is supposed to heat your home evenly. But as your furnace gets older, it might have difficulty pushing the same amount of warm air to all parts of the house. If your notice that some areas of your home are colder than others, it is possible that your furnace is heating your home unevenly. This is a sign that you need to replace your old furnace.
Related Article: Which Heating System Should You Choose: Heat Pump or Furnace?
