There is so much to contemplate when it comes to running your home.
- Should I get聽an alarm system?
- What types of聽fixtures聽meet my lighting needs but are聽still energy efficient?
- Should I install聽carpet聽or聽tile?
Of course聽if that’s not enough,聽go ahead and put one more thing on聽the list: When should I replace my聽heating unit?
Your聽heater聽shouldn’t require聽continuous聽attention, but it shouldn’t be taken for granted, either. Ignoring your system could result in indoor air that is loaded with dust or allergens (or worse!), or even an inefficient聽heater聽that is wasting energy and money with every聽energy聽bill.
But how聽should聽I know if it’s time to replace my聽heater?
The following warning signs can help you determine if you just need a quick聽tune-up聽or if it’s time to replace your current聽heater.
1. Frequent Repair Costs
It is聽common聽for a聽heater聽to eventually need a聽new blower聽or a little聽love聽once a year to make sure everything is running聽properly, but a well-maintained聽heater聽should work without much聽repairing聽along the way. A few聽indications聽that your system may be in need of replacing are below:
- Calling the service technician聽multiple times聽for the same聽concern;
- Needing聽multiple聽visits during the same heating season;
- Constantly聽accruing bills聽simply聽to keep your house comfortably warm.
A general rule to remember: if聽yearly聽repair costs reach聽50 percent聽of the present value of the聽heater,聽it's most聽likely time to replace your furnace.
2. Energy Efficiency
Are your聽heating聽are a little聽more expensive聽than聽this time last year? That may be a sign that some part of your聽heating system聽is weakening. Most companies can聽deliver聽a residential energy audit which can聽show you聽easily remedied inefficiencies like weather-stripping around your doors and windows or attic insulation. It may also be the first step in聽discovering聽if your heating unit is聽going out. Older聽heating units聽can be very inefficient, while newer聽products聽are much more efficient at heating your home. Also, upgrading to a high-efficiency聽system聽could mean tax credits or utility rebates and incentives to help you recoup the cost of聽the聽new system.
3. Old Age
Heating聽units聽were never designed to last聽as long as your home.聽Better, more efficient聽technology is聽coming out all the time. But how long should your聽system聽last? The magic number for a furnace or boiler is 15 years. But keep in mind many old聽heating units聽operate at an efficiency of just聽65 percent聽or聽worse! A replacement that’s been qualified with the Energy Star rating can be up to聽30 percent聽more efficient, and that’s a difference you’ll notice in your home and your聽wallet.
4. Excessive Noise
If you聽have聽to raise your voice to talk because your聽heating system聽is聽so聽loud, that could be a聽sign聽that your duct system is undersized and too much air is being pushed through too small an opening.
Other noises like squealing,聽shaking,聽clanking, or banging could be signs of a mechanical聽problem. It could be as聽straightforward聽as a worn belt, but it may mean an internal component of your unit has loosened or come completely聽separated.
Today’s latest聽products聽operate聽more聽quietly聽than ever. Often you’ll have to really聽play close attention聽to even know聽when聽they’re running. If noise pollution is聽a concern聽for you, that may be reason enough to upgrade to聽more modern聽equipment.
5. Temperature and Comfort Issues
If you are having to constantly聽jack up聽the聽furnace聽to keep things in the house聽cozy, that should be a major聽warning聽that it’s time to re-evaluate your furnace. There are several聽factors聽that could cause this issue – it may be聽rectified聽with a new thermostat that allows you more control Ð so before you assume that you’re in for a whole new聽heater, give some聽consideration聽to your thermostat.
6. Humidity Issues
In the winter, low humidity makes the air inside your home feel colder than it is, often tricking you into聽hiking up聽the聽thermostat. Common聽complaints聽when the humidity is too low are dry air,聽sinusitis, and chapped skin.聽Low聽humidity can even negatively impact聽wooden聽floors and furniture. Today’s best heating聽equipment helps聽to keep this聽precious聽balance right where it should be, adding or removing moisture before it ever enters the聽heating unit.
7. Air Quality Issues
A number of聽issues that don’t directly relate to temperature can be improved significantly with an expertly designed and properly installed聽heating unit. If you are experiencing issues with household odors, airborne allergens, such as pollen聽or聽pet dander,聽germs, ozone, and even plain old dust, consulting聽an experienced聽heating system contractor can start you on the road聽to fixing them.
So you do all your聽investigating聽and decide you do need a new聽heating system, or you want to upgrade your furnace to聽high-efficiency聽technology, replace your home’s ductwork, or do a total聽rebuild聽of the entire system, call 黑料社区 today for a free, no-obligation Home Comfort Analysis.
