Every fall, going into winter, we encourage our customers to look for signs that they are in need of furnace repair in Edmond, OK. The reason for this is because we don’t want you to be stuck with a malfunctioning or broken down heater right when you need it the most! We also highly recommend that your heating maintenance is done in the fall, too, to prevent the worst of furnace repair needs.
But just like any other important appliance or piece of equipment, your furnace simply won’t last forever. So, at what point do you stop relying on maintenance and repairs, and instead opt for a full furnace replacement? That’s a question we’re going to answer today, and it’s probably the biggest question you’ll have to face with your furnace.
The good news is, you don’t have to make this decision on your own. Our expertly trained service technicians are here to help make sure you are well informed.
Is It Time for a New Furnace?
As we said above, we’ll help you make an educated decision on whether or not it is time to replace your furnace. Every home is different, and we may be able to help you get at least one more season out of yours with repairs if replacement simply isn’t in your budget this time around. However, we do encourage you to look for the following signs that it is, in fact, time.
- Old Age: This is the best measurement for finding out if you should replace your furnace. The average natural gas furnace is designed to last about 15 years, and electric systems may even go a few years more. But 20 years is definitely beyond the breaking point. We recommend that if your furnace is 15 years old or more, you have it inspected to see just how efficiently it’s actually operating, and how effective continued repairs would be compared to replacing the system.
- Frequent Repairs: It stands to reason that due to natural wear and tear, that even the most well-cared-for furnace will need repairs from time to time. But we’re talking about a repair every couple years or so. If you instead find yourself calling for furnace repairs every few months, then it’s time to ask yourself how economically wise of a decision this is—it may make more financial sense to replace your system rather than paying for repair after repair. A general rule of thumb is that if your next repair or set of repairs is going to cost half of what a new furnace would, you should go with the new system.
- Significant Drop in Efficiency: This is a major warning sign that your furnace is approaching the end of its lifespan. Take a look at your winter energy bills this year and how they compare to previous years. If the cost is going up even though you aren’t using the furnace any more than usual, and your furnace is also aging, then we highly recommend considering replacement.
