Is It Time To Replace Your Heater?

With every cold Illinois winter, it’s important to be on the ball when it comes to your home heating system. You don’t want to get stuck with a breakdown during the coldest time of the year. This is why it’s a good idea to have your heater serviced at least once annually, preferably before this cool weather arrives. An experienced technician will spot problems and fix them while they’re still small so you don’t have to risk a breakdown or malfunction when you need the heat most. But in some cases, your heater may be showing you signs it’s time to replace it. Look for these signs to decide if you should invest in a new heater for your home.

1. Age

Check the age of your furnace. The average lifespan is about 15 years but high-quality newer models can last as long as 20 when they are well maintained. A run of the mill heater may already show enough signs of wear and tear at 10 years to be worth replacing. Even if you’re fairly happy with your current furnace, remember you could be missing out on the energy savings of newer models.

Check the AFUE rating on your current model to see how much of the heat it uses actually goes to warm your home. A standard model runs at 80% AFUE, meaning 80% of that heat makes its way through your home while 20% goes up the chimney. The best rated furnaces are rated 98.5% AFUE but this will cost an extra $1,000 to $2,000.

2. Frequent Breakdowns

If you’re getting on a first name basis with your heating technician, your furnace is probably nearing the end of its lifespan. Frequent problems are common towards the final years. Do this simple test to see if a repair cost is worth it. If your furnace past more than three-quarters of it’s’ lifespan and the repair will cost more than one-third of a replacement option, your money is better spent getting a new furnace.

3. Rising Heating Costs

If your heating bills are rising despite no changes in your normal habits around using the heat in your home, your furnace is working harder to heat the home than it did in the past. This could be a sign of improper maintenance over the years, like missing your annual maintenance appointments or waiting too long to change air filters, but it could just be a sign it’s time for a newer furnace. Even with regular maintenance, furnaces wear out over time. As your furnace ages, its efficiency will go down meaning bills will continue to rise some each year as this progresses. Instead of paying more and more for utilities, you could spend that money on a more efficient furnace.

With experience helping families like yours since 1973 and we’re ready to provide you heater replacement service in Warrenville, IL. Call us today for a free estimate at (630) 444-0860.