Furnaces are a sort of unsung hero of the modern home. Year after year, they pump out heat faithfully, day and night throughout Central Ohio’s coldest weather.
And although HVAC systems are built to last, sooner or later there comes a point in which a homeowner has to decide whether to replace their home heating system, or continue making repairs. This time comes a lot sooner when they aren’t properly cared for by a professional each year.
In any case, if you’re facing this complex question, you’re in the right place.
Our expert HVAC technicians here at Columbus Premier Heating & Cooling present the following to help you make the right decision. Should I replace my furnace or keep making repairs?
For starters, we should point out that there is no magical formula or crystal ball to tell you precisely when you should have your furnace replaced. Nevertheless, when making a big and expensive decision like this, it’s a good idea to consider the following:
System’s Age & Maintenance Record
Most HVAC experts agree the average useful lifespan of a furnace is usually between 15 and 20 years. Because the actual numbers vary from system to system, it’s important to look at whether or not the system in question has been maintained properly over the years by a state-licensed HVAC technician. Having a professional regularly conduct maintenance greatly increases the actual number of years the equipment will operate in a productive, efficient and useful way. With this in mind, when your furnace gets up there in age it’s wise to plan ahead to prepare for replacement, especially if it hasn’t been maintained consistently. Other factors affecting its lifespan include how well it was installed and how well repairs have been handled.
Frequency & Cost of Repairs
The next factor to take into consideration is the frequency of repairs needed and their associated costs. Have there been more problems in recent years?
If the need for repairs hasn’t been a major recurring issue, or if they haven’t been expensive and they seem to be long term solutions, you probably don’t need to replace your system just yet.
On the other hand, if repairs have been a recurrent thing and the costs for parts and labor have been expensive, replacement might be the way to go — and more so if the repairs being made seem more like temporary solutions.
Heating Costs
Next, you want to evaluate the system’s overall performance record in reference to your overall heating costs over time. Sometimes, people with older units are surprised by the advancements made in furnace technology since they last purchased a furnace. Our newer furnace models are far more efficient. It’s not uncommon for a new system to cut home heating bills in half. Because of this, homeowners who are proactive and replace their unit before it takes a turn for the worse end up saving a lot more money overall — in addition to avoiding the headaches that come with keeping an outdated system in use. Dumpster rental in Dayton, Ohio.
Increases in heating costs are usually a sure sign the unit isn’t performing the way it should. If you take the repair costs, add it to the increases in heating costs and compound that number over time — a new picture will emerge.
Quick formulas
To further simplify things, we offer a couple formulas we’ve come across in the HVAC industry over the years:
In the first formula, you take the number of years you’ve had the furnace and you multiply that number by the dollar amount of the cost of the repair needed. Then, you take the number you got from that multiplication and compare it to the cost of a new furnace. If the first number is more than the cost of the new furnace, they recommend you replace the furnace.
Alternatively, you could also compare the cost of the repair alone to the cost of a new furnace. If the repair cost is one-third the cost of the new furnace, many experts suggest getting the new furnace. To determine if it’s more than a third, you divide the cost of the new furnace by three.
Home Comfort Considerations
Whenever a furnace has trouble sustaining desired temperature levels evenly throughout the home, it’s usually a sign of trouble on the horizon. If this is a problem in your home, give us a call right away! We’d be happy to quickly send over one of our highly-skilled HVAC technicians for a closer look. Using the latest technology, they can quickly perform advanced diagnostics on the unit and give you a comprehensive and accurate assessment of precisely what’s going wrong. The men and women we recruit as technicians are among the best in the industry. They are customer-focused and committed to giving each and every customer completely honest evaluations according to their best interests, which is always our highest priority. Moreover, they can talk candidly with you about your furnace, answer questions and advise you whether it’s better to repair it or install a new one. Regardless of what you decide, we have your back 100 percent and guarantee your satisfaction as our customer.
We always have your back and best interest at heart! At Columbus Premier Heating & Cooling, it’s our mission to offer our fellow community members throughout Central Ohio the most affordable HVAC solutions all year long — always using the highest quality products and most superior level of service you can find in this industry. Regardless of whether you are leaning towards replacing your furnace, or whether you are only wanting to have it repaired, we are always more than happy to come to your home and assist while keeping your best interest and needs as our highest priority.
To schedule an appointment, request an estimate, learn more or speak with an expert, give us a call today at 614-490-7508.
