Do You Need A New Furnace?
A furnace in good working condition is of utmost importance since it contributes to a healthy home, especially during winter. Apart from starting to operate less efficiently, furnaces often break down the more they age. Knowing when it is time to replace your furnace might save you from the unpleasant emergencies associated with a failing heater in the middle of winter. It could also keep you from spending a considerable amount to service a unit that you’ll have to replace soon. As such, knowing how to recognize the warning signs of a failing furnace is important for any homeowner.
It might be time to replace the unit if you have a furnace that causes constant problems, spent on repairs within the last two years, or your home heating system is more than 15 years old. To ensure you deal with this issue as soon as it occurs, check out the list below to see if your furnace may have issues.
- Strange noises emitting from the furnace
Old furnaces tend to emit strange sounds that should raise concern, particularly when they are near the end of their lifespan. It is, therefore, necessary to check whether your furnace is making any strange noise, often in the form of constant popping, banging, squealing, hissing, or tapping sounds. If you happen to hear such noises or excessive amounts of noise that are uncharacteristic of normal functions, it probably is time to bring in a new furnace since the old one might be close to the end of its life.
- Health issues
It could also be time to replace your furnace if anyone in your family complains of a burning sensation in their nose or eyes, frequent headaches, or nausea and disorientation. Older furnaces often develop holes or cracks in the heat exchanger. As a result, the unit emits carbon monoxide gas into your home. You probably know that the presence of carbon monoxide poses a serious health hazard and is life-threatening. As such, it is vital that you address the issue as soon as possible.
- A dry or dusty house
Insufficient provision of moisture or clean indoor air is another sign that your furnace requires replacing. Having insufficient amounts of moisture or clean air will result in a dry or dusty house. Excessive dryness often affects the furniture, walls, and plants in your home. In addition, an extremely dry or dusty house will most likely cause problems for you and your entire family, particularly if anyone is allergic to pollen or dust. As such, if your plants start to droop or the walls in your home start to peel, it is probably time you got a brand-new furnace.
- Uneven indoor temperatures
If some of the rooms in your house feel colder than the others or you keep changing your thermostat to feel more comfortable, than your current heating system might not be capable of distributing heat in an even manner through the house. Because uneven distribution of heat is the most likely reason for such problems, any of these signs mean that you probably have a faulty or old furnace that needs replacing.
- Increased heating bills
You need to find out whether your current heating bill is much higher than it was in the past. Contrary to popular belief, higher heating bills are not the result of the rising cost of electricity or gas alone. Your home’s heating system has to work a lot harder to provide adequate heat once it becomes less efficient. As a result, your energy bill is sure to rise, which is why spending the money to replace your furnace makes a lot of sense. In addition to the life of a brand-new furnace, you will definitely enjoy the benefits of a reduced energy bill.
