5 Key Signs You Need a Furnace Replacement ASAP

With colder months around the corner, it becomes vital to ensure your home’s furnace system works correctly. A reliable furnace ensures your house remains warm and livable, but every system will exhaust its efficiency in time. Understanding when to replace the furnace saves one from expensive repairs, ineffective heating, and shivers during the day or night.

Heating systems are indispensable units in households, especially during the winter season. Russell Heating and Air specializes in providing well-functioning, reliable furnace replacements that Canton, GA, and surrounding areas need. Below, we will explain the top indicators of furnace replacement and how you can carry on with such a situation.

5 Key Signs You Need a Furnace Replacement

With furnaces and any other types of appliances in the home, a conceptual life cycle curve is observed. Most gas furnaces can last up to 20 years or more, depending on factors like the make and model and the maintenance given to the unit over time. As your unit ages, the furnace breaks down, translating into vast energy costs, patchy heating of the structure, and an increase in the frequency of the unit repairs.

A furnace replacement may be expensive, but the advantages of having a new and energy-efficient model make sense in the long run. Today’s technological advances include making energy-efficient heating systems that help reduce carbon emissions and allow better control of the system’s temperature. It’s also evident that a new furnace will incur fewer headaches for the owner, so there are no worries during the winter season.

Furnaces offer warmth and comfort, but there comes a time when a homeowner may find it’s time to toss the old gas furnace. Here are five signs that it is time to search for a new furnace and not just repair the existing one:

1. Needing More Maintenance.

We can all agree that constant repairs will need attention, which occurs more often as your furnace ages. If you constantly need an HVAC technician to fix breakdowns or malfunctions, forget to take it easy advice and replace the furnace instead of a constant repair cycle. A furnace nearing the end of its lifespan will, in most cases, have parts with continuous malfunctions. These repairs will reach the price of buying a new furnace.

The cost-benefit ratio tilts towards replacement at a certain point, especially when the system keeps giving headaches. If your furnace has several breakdowns, you should start considering replacement as an option,

2. High Energy Bills

Another sign that your furnace is already breaking down is the increase in your energy bill. This is because furnaces use energy to operate, and over time, energy efficiency decreases. Sooner or later, your furnace will need more energy to heat the same amount, increasing your energy bill. This is quite an inconvenience as more energy is consumed, which in most instances can be seen in winter when the furnace is in use.

By checking today’s energy bills and those from a few years ago, you can also explain why your energy costs have risen and whether your furnace is to blame. When your furnace begins using more energy than in the past, and without a change in the heater’s regular use, it is the right time to upgrade it to an energy-efficient one. Newer furnaces are constructed to utilize less energy, so monthly bills will be cut considerably.

3. Uneven Heating

Do you constantly observe temperature variations in certain rooms, some warmer than others while some cooler? Hot and cold spots can also be unpleasant and indicate that you must have problems with your furnace. Most homes have gas-fired forced air heating systems because of their effectiveness and low maintenance, but over time, parts go bad, which aren’t easily replaced, causing temperature differences.

This inconsistency in temperature has often proven quite a bane. For instance, the owners of such homes have complained that they’re continually trying to adjust their thermostats, optimistically hoping in vain that cold spots will finally be banished from their lives. This is not a long-term solution,  for a furnace replacement is needed.

4. Old Age

Indeed, age is one consideration that will not help one hesitate to waste any more time… It was established earlier that the average lifespan of a furnace lasts about 15 to 20 years based on its maintenance history. However, this is within the range of age where the furnace may not have started developing problems; nonetheless, it is good practice to consider getting a new one.

Furnaces in basements and attics can get very old, becoming inefficient and more likely to break down. By determining the life of an old furnace before it ceases to perform, one can avoid nasty surprises in the dead of winter and enjoy indoors in comfort. Apart from the guarantee that a new furnace will do a good job keeping the home comfortable, it will eventually pay for itself, avoiding high repair work and energy bills.

• Abnormal Sound Emission

Ever wonder about those weird noises coming from your furnace? If you notice clear thuds, banging, zapping, or high-pitched sounds, something is not right. It is not unusual for people to hear some sound when the furnace turns on or off. However, continued or strange sounds might indicate something else, such as the internal parts being replaced.

These noises can occur because of many factors, including faulty blower motors, loose parts, and cracked heat exchangers. Most pertinent repairs needed on your furnace indicate that the unit is at the end of its useful life. Fixing parts rather than the entire system may not be ideal on many occasions where a breakdown would have otherwise been avoided.

Why Consider a Furnace Replacement?

It is worth understanding the key signs indicating you must replace your furnace. Let us now shift our attention to the factors that make installing a new furnace in your home appealing and the benefits of replacing your furnace in the long run.

• Improved Energy Efficiency: Modern furnace designers are also energy efficient. Most furnaces contain two-stage heating and have modern appliances that reduce energy consumption through variable-speed blowers and smart thermostats. The benefits of a new furnace include less energy consumption, low monthly energy bills, and environmental issues such as lower carbon emissions.
•  Increased Efficiency: The new furnace will provide even heating without cold spots in every room and location. It is more advanced and thus able to maintain even temperatures throughout the home without problems, even when there are freezing temperatures outside.
•  Low Maintenance and Servicing: When you purchase a new furnace to replace your old, worn-out furnace,  you no longer incur unnecessary repair costs. Newer furnaces mean fewer repairs as they are brand new.
• Enhanced Property Marketability: Another advantage of installing a new furnace is that it will help increase the value of your house. Many potential buyers want to purchase a home with an up-to-date energy efficiency system, and when the time comes to shift, a new furnace will be a good selling point.

• Better Air Purification: Older furnaces could disperse dust particles, debris, and allergenic substances throughout your home. A new furnace not only improves the overall furnace operation but also, with the help of installed filters or a whole-house air purifier, further improves the air quality in the house.

Choose Russell Heating and Air!

Russell Heating and Air knows a heating system is essential during the winter. If you have spotted any signs listed above, a furnace replacement may be necessary. Our HVAC professionals in Canton, GA, and surrounding areas specialize in furnace replacement and maintenance, ensuring you are comfortable in your house throughout all the seasons.

We will help you find the best furnace for your house based on your size and requirements. Thanks to our experts, you can rest assured that your new furnace will operate efficiently and serve its purpose for a long time.

It can be challenging to determine when to replace your furnace; however, being aware of these five signs will help you make that determination more confidently. Whether it is time for your furnace to retire or you simply want to make a switch to a more efficient furnace, the professionals at Russell Heating and Air are here to help. Get in touch today to arrange an inspection and take the first step in ensuring your home is warmer this winter.