It’s an inevitable moment of every homeowner’s life—finally replacing your furnace. But since buying a new furnace isn’t particularly cheap, it’s only natural to wonder whether it’s actually time to swap out the old for the new, or whether you could maybe go one or two more years with your current model. To help make your decision easier, we’ve got a few tips on how you can tell whether or not it is, in fact, time to get rid of that old clunker.
Your Furnace Is Getting to That Age
We’re not usually ones to disparage age, but when it comes to your furnace, it’s important to know how old your current unit is. Most gas furnaces last 15–20 years, and while that doesn’t mean that you have to replace your furnace once it hits 15 years (assuming it’s still running properly), it does mean that there are many newer models out there that are much more efficient and could reduce your energy bills each month.
If you’re not sure how old your furnace is, there are a few ways you can find out. See if you can find its brand, the year it was manufactured, and/or the serial number on the side of the unit or in the owner’s manual. You can then plug this information into Google to get a sense of how old your furnace might be. Or, if you see that your furnace has a pilot light, it’s safe to assume that your furnace is around that 15–20 year mark, since modern gas furnaces no longer have pilot lights and fire electronically instead.
Frequent Repairs
Another key way to tell whether it’s time to replace your furnace is to look back at how many repairs you’ve had to make recently. If you’ve only had an occasional repair here and there over the past couple of years, then chances are good your furnace still has some life left in it. But if your HVAC company is on your speed dial due to the number of issues you’ve had over the past year, it could be a sign that your furnace is on its last legs.
Most common furnace repairs can cost anywhere from under $100 to closer to $3,000 on the high end. If your repairs are starting to creep towards that $3,000 range and are happening more and more frequently—or if you’ve noticed signs of rust or cracks in or around your furnace—it’s probably time to ditch your current unit for a new one.
Abnormal Sounds, Smells, Dust, or Moisture
Your furnace may make sounds here and there as it heats up and cools down, and it might smell a little like burning dust every so often, but those are normal and not any cause for concern. If your furnace is starting to sound like the set of a haunted house with clanking, booming, or banging noises, or if it’s starting to smell like burning plastic, however, it’s time to call the professionals. They can tell you whether it’s time to swap out your old furnace for a new one. If you smell rotten eggs, this could be due to a natural gas leak, in which case you should leave your house and call the gas company immediately.
If you have the heat on and your home seems to have more dust, dander, soot, or dirt than normal building up, then chances are good your furnace isn’t able to filter the air as well as it used to. The same goes with excess levels of moisture in your home during the summer or a severe lack of moisture in your home during the winter—one of the potential causes is your furnace not being able to accurately control humidity levels anymore. Either of these can be a sign that it’s time to get a new furnace.
Your House Doesn’t Heat Up Like It Used to
If your house is starting to feel more and more like living in the icy tundra, even with your furnace on and the temperature set to what should be a comfortable temperature, it could be a sign that your unit is on its way out. Furnaces have a harder time evenly distributing heat throughout your home as they age, so if yours is just blowing cold air, even after you’ve changed out your air filters and had an HVAC professional check your ducts for leaks, it could be time to replace.
Energy Bills Keep Going Up, Despite the Weather
As we just mentioned, as gas furnaces age, they operate less and less efficiently. This means it takes more energy than when it was brand new to heat your house to the same temperature. So, if you’ve noticed that your gas bill has been steadily increasing year after year (without any drastic weather changes to justify the higher cost), and your furnace is an older model, it could be time to swap it out.
There are a lot of benefits to buying a new furnace. These days, furnace models are incredibly energy efficient—according to the US Department of Energy, older furnaces can have an annual fuel utilization efficiency (AFUE) rating of 56–70%, while modern, high-efficiency gas furnaces have AFUE ratings of 90–98.5%. This means that newer furnaces use less energy to heat your home and, therefore, help you spend less each month on your energy bills. New furnaces can also help improve the air circulation and filtration in your home, as well as more evenly distribute heat throughout each room, making your home healthier and more comfortable for everyone.
However, we do know that buying a new furnace can feel daunting, considering the cost and the number of furnace options out there, and that’s why our team is happy to help answer any questions you have throughout the process. Just give us a call and we’ll talk through whatever you want to know—whether it’s comparing energy efficient furnace models, getting a sense of equipment and installation costs, or just finding out how quickly we can get rid of your old furnace, we’re here to help! (And don’t forget to check our Monthly Offers page—we frequently have coupons you can use to take a bit of the sting out of purchasing new HVAC equipment.)