We know that buying a new furnace may not be a priority in the immediate future, but it’s wise to learn the keys that would impact your decision when you do need to buy a new one. Below are five important considerations that Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning advises our customers to think about during their evaluation:
1. Heating Repair Frequency
Similar to any other appliance, as furnaces age, the likeliness of heating repairs increase. If your furnace is over 15 years old, those repair can be especially expensive. Some of the typical repairs include blower motor failures, ignition control failures and heat exchanger failures.
2. Operational Cost
The efficiency of gas furnaces in Cleveland area homes today naturally influences your home energy bills, and the level of efficiency can vary tremendously depending upon the system you buy. Furnaces older than 15 years can be extremely inefficient, wasting up to 40% of the dollars you spend to heat your home. Even newer furnaces can waste up to 20%.
3. System Maintenance
A properly maintained furnace will run more efficiently, lower the likelihood of expensive repairs and above all ensure your safety. After all, these are gas-fired appliances. Another point worth mentioning is a properly serviced furnace will last longer before replacement is necessary.
4. Tune-up Checks
Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning hears many questions pertaining to what actually can be done to tune-up or maintain a furnace and there are actually many important checks and calibrations in the process:
- Gas Pressure and gas valve calibration
- Cleaning and checking safety switches
- Cleaning the heat exchanger
- Inspecting the heat exchanger for dangerous conditions
- Cleaning the blower system
- Cleaning and replacement of worn ignition sensors
- And many others...
5. HVAC Maintenance Interval
A trained and certified HVAC specialist who has the skill and hands-on experience to perform a tune-up should maintain heating equipment once a year. In short, without routine maintenance, frequent repairs combined with old equipment are a few of the more obvious indicators of a need to replace your furnace.
Out of control energy costs and the desire to reduce energy consumption are also strong reasons to weigh the replacement of your furnace. In fact, an independent study by Decision Analyst suggested nearly 20% of homeowners who recently replaced their furnace specifically did so to lower their utility bills.
Cleveland area homeowners seeking more information are urged to call Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning at 440-252-1375.