Whether you use a gas or electric furnace to provide heat to your house for winter, at some point it will need to be replaced with a new heater. The best time to have this heating replacement done is during the fall, so you\u2019ll be ready to handle the first day of cold with a new system that\u2019s ready to go.<\/p>\n
But how can you tell if this particular fall is the right one to put the old furnace out to pasture (or the landfill)? It\u2019s a good question, one that people often don\u2019t answer until the furnace suffers a complete breakdown. If you watch for warning signs, you can catch a furnace that\u2019s starting to fail and have a new one installed in time.<\/p>\n
The first way to see if a furnace is nearing the end of its service life is to check how long that service life is supposed to be. A natural gas furnace can last between 15 to 20 years. When a furnace is older than 20 years, it\u2019s close to the point where even the best maintenance won\u2019t keep it running at peak levels and the risk of an abrupt failure climbs. Get ahead of these problems with a new furnace.<\/p>\n
Is the furnace a noisy nuisance when it runs? If this is a recent development, call for technicians to see if it needs repairs. If the problem is general wear and tear, these noises usually mean it\u2019s time to replace the furnace.<\/p>\n
So how much is \u201ctoo much\u201d when it comes to repairs? Calling for repairs more than twice a season is too much. Annual repair bills higher than $500 is too much. Any repair that would cost half the price of getting a new furnace is too much.<\/p>\n
Are you paying more to run your furnace than in previous years? If the heating costs are rising and it isn\u2019t because of using the furnace more than usual, it probably means the system is declining. If maintenance or repairs don\u2019t change this trend, consider replacing the furnace.<\/p>\n