The cold weather is here, which means it is time to ensure that your furnace can keep you warm this winter. The cold weather can bring unpredictable weather, and the most you can do is have a functional furnace to keep your home warm and safe. As with other appliances in your home, furnaces are not made to last forever. You can check out this checklist to identify the signs you need to replace your furnace.
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Your Furnace Is More Than 15 Years Old
Furnaces usually have a lifespan of about two decades. Most gas furnaces have a life expectancy of 18 years. However, experts advise homeowners to replace more than 15-year-old furnaces with an energy-efficient furnace. The best part about replacing an old furnace with a new one is that you can install the latest furnaces that are energy efficient with a good rating. Old furnaces were made with obsolete technology that makes them consume a lot of energy, spiking up energy bills.
Increasing Energy Bills
The furnace is often one of the biggest consumers of energy in modern homes. Therefore, the efficiency level of a furnace affects your energy bills. Ensure that you pay attention to your monthly energy bills when the winter season is underway to understand the furnace’s state. You could require a furnace replacement if you pay more for your energy bills than in previous years, yet the rates have not increased. A newer and well-maintained furnace performs at peak levels, but older furnaces don’t. Therefore, it could be time to replace an old furnace with a new one that performs efficiently without hiking energy bills.
Your Furnace Has Been Repaired Frequently
Furnaces experience most repairs during their last two years. Too many repairs on an old furnace are not worth the cost because it is likely to break down sooner than you think. You may consider adding up the cost of repairs to your furnace over the last two years to determine whether or not you need a new unit. It is probably time you considered replacing your old furnace if you have had over two furnace repairs in one year. You can tell that it’s time to replace a furnace if the repair costs constitute more than 50% of a new unit’s cost.
Your Home Has Soot Around the Registers
You can open and close a furnace register, which is a ventilation cover. Registers have dampers that enable them to control airflow within the ductwork. Dust, soot, or rust around the registers is an indication that furnaces have too much carbon dioxide. That shows that the furnace is unable to keep your house clean. It can also cause excessive dryness that potentially damages plants, furniture, and flooring. Soot around the registers can also cause dry eyes, respiratory issues, and itchy throats. These are reasons enough to replace the furnace with a new one that is efficient enough to keep your home clean and safe.
Your Furnace Fails to Cycle Properly
Furnaces usually cycle on and off as they operate. The furnace kicks on to bring back temperatures when your home dips below the temperature set on a thermostat. The furnace turns off, and cycles continue from there once the thermostat attains the right temperature. It’s time to replace the furnace if the furnace cycles on and off frequently or runs throughout the day or night. Hire a qualified technician to inspect your old furnace and replace it with a new one.
Your Home Is Not Warm Enough
Feeling cold even when the furnace is on is one of the telltale signs a replacement is inevitable. Newly formed air leaks or a malfunctioning thermostat could be the cause of the cold in your home. However, if there is no other explanation, it is a sign you need a new furnace. This is even more so if you frequently notice a significant difference in temperatures in different rooms in the house. Increasingly outmoded technology is a major cause of uneven heating in homes.
Your Furnace Is Extra Noisy
Furnaces are a bit noisy. However, you may need a replacement if the noise gets louder over time. Possible warning signs of an old furnace that needs replacement could be in the form of humming, popping, screeching, and rattling noises. Hire a qualified technician as soon as you notice this sign for inspection and furnace replacement.
Brampton’s residents ought to consult with us if they notice a combination of these signs. Don’t wait until the furnace fails. If you would like furnace replacement, fireplace installation, air conditioning services, consult our team of qualified technicians. Give Pinnacle Group a call today to learn more about furnaces and red flags when they are due for replacement.