How Often You Should Replace Your Furnace?
You may know when it’s time to replace most things in our home. For example, your heating and air conditioning system air filter needs to be replaced monthly. Your pillows need to be replaced every two years. Your smoke detectors need to be replaced every ten years. But what about your furnace?
If your furnace has yearly maintenance and is kept in good shape, it can last 15-20 years. Once your furnace reaches 15 years of age , it’s probably a good time to start thinking about replacing your heating system with upgraded, more energy-efficient heating equipment. Installed correctly, these high-efficiency heating units can save up to 20% on heating costs. Even if your furnace still seems to be running fine, it’s better to start doing your research now instead of waiting until your system breaks down in the middle of a deep freeze and you’re so desperate you can’t properly look into your options. When considering new furnace options it’s also important to consider your home’s air duct system. Leaking and undersized ducts can dramatically affect your home’s overall comfort and energy efficiency. A new furnace is only as good as the duct system that it’s installed in.
Another reason to research ahead of time is to see what tax credits and manufacturer rebates are available to you. Currently, you can earn U.S. government tax credits of up to $500 for qualifying HVAC equipment – but it’s only through the end of 2016 and hasn’t been confirmed past 12/31/16. Use this link to help find local rebates available in your area : https://www.energystar.gov/rebate-finder.
One thing to consider if your system isn’t quite 20 years old and you’re on the fence about replacement is how much you’re spending on repairs. You can usually repair a furnace – replace a part here, fix a component there – but at some point the cost of repairing your furnace will outweigh the cost of replacing it and then you really need to consider long-term spending. If you are repairing your furnace on an annual basis, it’s probably time to look into replacement.
If you aren’t sure about your furnace’s ability to get you through the winter safe and warm, give Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing a call and we’d be happy to come out and inspect your system and provide any recommendations. Starting December 1st, Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing is providing discounts on qualifying home comfort systems so give us a call and find out how much you can save!
