When winter is approaching, the last thing you want is to worry that your aging furnace won’t last until spring. If you notice several signs your furnace needs to be replaced, contact an HVAC professional to discuss all your options. Some older heaters simply need a thorough tune-up to return to normal performance, while others may require replacement.
Poor Heating Performance
When your furnace cannot heat the house to match the thermostat’s temperature setting, or if you have cold spots in the home, the furnace may be near the end of its lifespan. For example, poor heating performance in a natural gas furnace might indicate the older system is no longer efficiently converting gas to heat.
Annual maintenance work should keep a furnace running in top condition for many years. However, an older furnace will eventually struggle to deliver the desired level of heat, even with regular maintenance. A trusted HVAC professional can inspect the furnace and advise you on whether it can regain its expected level of performance through a tune-up.
Constantly Requiring Repairs
One of the clearest signs your furnace needs to be replaced is when you must call for frequent furnace repairs. A furnace that runs poorly, makes loud noises, or refuses to turn on requires a repair call. If you find that you’re making more than one repair call each winter on an older furnace, it’s a sign that you should consider installing a new system.
The cost of needing frequent repairs accumulates over a few winters, so it might be a better financial decision to stop paying for repairs and apply that money toward a new furnace.
Additionally, when you need regular repairs, your home is without heat for several hours or longer, creating discomfort. HVAC professionals can explain the financial pros and cons of continuing to pay for repairs and how these costs compare to installing a new furnace.
Your Furnace Is 15-Plus Years Old
If your furnace’s age is over 15 years, you should understand that it’s probably going to need replacement in the near future.
A yellow or flickering pilot light in an older unit may indicate that the heating unit is near the end of its lifespan. Professionals can often fix the pilot light problem, but it may also indicate that the older unit is struggling to convert natural gas efficiently.
Age alone doesn’t mean your furnace needs replacing. Different types of HVAC systems last longer than others. Some furnaces may be near the end of their lifespans at around 10 or 12 years, while other units may run smoothly until they’re 20 years old. However, if you’re seeing multiple signs your furnace needs to be replaced in an older unit, it’s worth considering installing a new unit.
The Unit Has Physical Damage
Although it’s not common, an older furnace might have signs of damage. Someone may have damaged it with tools while fixing nearby drywall. Excessive humidity and moisture in your basement might cause rust on the furnace’s metal casing.
Such damage might cause the unit to run inefficiently. If the damage is near where the natural gas line enters the furnace or where the combustion occurs, you could end up with hazardous fumes seeping throughout your home.
During a furnace inspection, an HVAC repair person might find signs of a cracked heat exchanger. Operating the heating system with a crack in this area can be dangerous. The unit might leak carbon monoxide into your home, exposing your family to CO poisoning.
Most professionals recommend replacing a furnace with a cracked heat exchanger. Any repairs to this section require welding and aren’t guaranteed to hold. If your furnace is at least 10 years old when you discover the cracked heat exchanger, installing a new unit is the safer choice.
New Noises or Odors Are Present
If you’re hearing strange noises from the furnace or noticing strange odors, these may be signs that your furnace needs to be replaced. When running normally, a furnace should generate minimal noise and no odors.
However, loud noises might indicate serious problems with the heating system. Banging or booming sounds may indicate delayed ignition. Grinding noises can be early signs that the bearings in the system’s motor are failing. Not repairing these problems soon enough could cause the furnace to fail or may lead to additional damage, increasing the cost of repairs.
Don’t ignore odd odors that the furnace suddenly starts making, either. If you smell rotten eggs near the furnace, you could have a gas leak, which requires an immediate call for help. If you smell burning plastic, one of the components in the furnace might be failing. A circuit board that has suffered heat damage may also emit this odor. Such odors might indicate that your older furnace is failing, meaning you should consider a replacement.
Your Heating Bills Are Rising
Older furnaces struggle to use energy efficiently. They may require more natural gas or electricity to generate the same amount of heat they did when they were newer. An increase in your utility bills is a sign that your furnace is not running efficiently.
HVAC professionals can often reduce your energy costs by performing repairs and regular maintenance on the heating system. However, as the furnace ages, even these efforts will be unable to keep your energy costs from rising.
New furnaces have the latest technologies and energy-efficient designs, helping you save significantly on heating costs compared to an older, inefficient unit.
Trust Cooper’s Plumbing & Air for Advice on Whether You Need a New Furnace
If the furnace is blowing cold air and delivering uneven heating at the same time you notice rising energy bills, you’re likely seeing signs your furnace needs to be replaced. The trusted professionals at Cooper’s Plumbing & Air will inspect your furnace and give you an honest opinion on whether continued repairs or a replacement is the better financial choice.
Our team has been helping clients throughout our service areas for almost 30 years. They know they can trust us for fair treatment and honest assessments. For an appointment, call us today at (866) 464-7132.