One of the responsibilities that comes with home ownership is maintaining your furnace. The last thing that you and your loved ones need is to end up with the furnace breaking down in the middle of the night, during one of the coldest nights of the year. Aside from making it a point to get ongoing professional service, like tune-ups and regular maintenance, there are some red flags that you can be looking for.
Know These Warning Signs
Some of the indicators that could mean that you need to replace your furnace, or at least entrust an industry professional to come check it out, are:
- Your utility bills have spiked – While your heating costs always go up once the weather turns colder, you are probably familiar with what your average costs are. So make sure that if you notice a bigger bill than usual that you do not ignore this – call in an expert.
- Listen for noises – Another good indicator that your furnace is on its last leg comes down to listening for strange sounds. Once your system begins to make noises that it has never made before, you should act quickly in having it looked at.
- How dry and dusty is your home? As your furnace ages it produces heat but makes the home more arid and dry. This can be especially difficult for anyone with allergies, asthma or other breathing related health issues to deal with so don’t try to just live with it.
- The age is another consideration – The average lifespan of a furnace is about 10-15 years so if you are at that mark or past it, replacement may be a better option than sinking more money into repairs.
- Check the color of your burner flame – The burner flame should be stead and blue but if it should appear yellow or flickering, this is something that should prompt you to call in an expert, right away.
- Frequent repair needs – If you have had furnace repairs even within the last two years, it is probably time to start shopping around. By the time you continue to pay for costly repairs, you could simply replace your furnace.
- Even heating – If you set the thermostat to where it normally keeps your home comfortable but you notice that certain rooms are still cooler, this could mean that the work load is something your current furnace can no longer handle.
- Make sure that you and your family’s health is not a concern – Aging or malfunctioning furnaces can develop cracks which means carbon monoxide. If you or anyone in your household is showing signs of being sick, ensure that this is not the issue because it can make you sick or even lead to fatality.
- You are ready to upgrade – If you are still living with an outdated furnace that is an energy hog, it could just be time to switch to a new energy saving model instead of waiting for your current one to die.
- Your furnace has trouble starting or staying on – While this could just mean repairs, it is time to consider all the factors and decide if you are in need of a new furnace.
Don’t take chances when it comes to the safety, well-being and even comfort of your family. Contact the pros here at Neighborhood Plumbing Heating and Air Conditioning and let us provide you with the best furnace replacement options for your home.