Considerations for Replacing a Furnace
If you are currently suffering from problems with your current furnace, or you are having problems with heating in general around your home, there are a few key factors to consider before purchasing a brand new furnace for your home. A furnace is an incredible source of heat, and when your furnace is not functioning as it properly should, it can be very difficult to heat your home over the cold months. This is an even bigger problem for people living in areas where it stays cold all year, so choosing the correct furnace for your needs will be incredibly important to keep you and your family warm and cozy all year round. This article will cover some of the basic considerations to take into account before buying your new furnace, as you will want make sure that you are not spending money that is not absolutely necessary, while still keeping in mind the cost-effectiveness of purchasing a new furnace over the price of having your current furnace repaired. Keeping your family warm and cozy is most definitely worth spending a few extra dollars when it comes to repairing or replacing your furnace.
First, when considering whether or not to replace your current furnace, consider the age of your furnace. If your furnace was made over 25 years ago, it is important that you replace it before it eventually burns out. A normal furnace has an overall life expectancy of 20 to 25 years, with maintenance, meaning that if you recently moved into a home or residential area and you do not know the history of the furnace, but you do know the age, then your furnace may have not been properly maintained. Even if your furnace is not currently having any major problems, and the furnace itself is simply not putting out as much heat as it did at one time, it may be time to replace it. Of course, do have a routine maintenance performed on your furnace before spending the money, but if anything major is found with the furnace, or if there is any recommendation that you may need to have a new furnace or have multiple new parts installed, it may be time to replace your furnace. A routine maintenance is usually relatively inexpensive, and may be able to squeeze a few more months or even a year out of your furnace, but if there is a higher cost that will need completed in order to do this, having the next 25 years of your family’s heating is worth the extra money that it will take to replace your furnace.
Second, if your furnace was not made close to 25 years ago, consider having a maintenance completed on all of the necessary components of your heating system, rather than just the furnace alone. This includes the furnace, the ducts in your home, any registers that are installed, the thermostat and a variety of other components that all work together to ensure that your home is properly heated. In order to ensure that the problem is not simply with your furnace, it is important to have all of your components checked, as a problem in another part of the home that is not necessarily linked directly to your furnace will cause you to be wasting money by replacing your furnace. When replacing any of these other parts, if the problem is still not fixed and your heating system in your home will still not function properly, see how much the repair bill for your furnace will be. Many times, the sum of the pieces that go into a furnace is much greater than the whole when you buy a furnace brand new, so purchasing a new furnace may not be much more than the cost would be to completely repair all of the problems that may be present in the current furnace that you are using. If this is the case, then once again it is time to replace your furnace.
Third, consider your current money situation. When deciding whether or not it is best to purchase a new furnace or have your current furnace repaired, your current budget is always very important. If your current furnace can be repaired and will have better heating than the new furnace that you could currently afford, definitely have your current furnace repaired. Although it may seem better to buy a brand new furnace, if you do not have enough money to purchase a furnace that rivals your current furnace in its heating capabilities, then having your current furnace repaired, if at all possible, is the way to go. Purchasing a furnace that is a downgrade from your current one when the overall life of your current furnace is not at its end would be a waste of money. Of course, purchase the new furnace if it will cost more to repair your current furnace than it will to purchase the new furnace, but if this is not the case, then having your furnace repaired is the best option at this point. Wait until you can afford a new furnace before spending your money, so that you will be able to purchase the best furnace for the price that you will be able to spend, and that your family deserves. Contact Tom Drexler Plumbing, Air, & Electric in Louisville, KY or a qualified local technician with any additional questions.
