Your furnace is the cornerstone of your HVAC system. The blower in your furnace allows for both heated and cooled air to flow through your home. It’s the component that gets used most often during the winter, and without a furnace, your home would be nigh unlivable during those cold months.
Furnaces don’t last forever, though. What’s more is that as the years go by, newer furnace models are invented that lower the cost of owning a furnace by a significant amount. If you’re concerned about energy usage and cost, getting a newer furnace installation might be right for you.
So how often should you replace your furnace, and what are the signs that you need to get it replaced?
How Long Does A Furnace Last?
Your average furnace in use today is expected to have a lifespan of between 15 and 25 years. There are outliers, of course; some furnaces may be faulty, and some furnace owners take very good care of them. This can decrease or increase lifespan, respectively.
Furnaces are some of the most long-lived components of your home’s HVAC system. However, not all homes have furnaces: some homes have heat pumps, and most high rise apartments have radiators for heating.
When Should I Replace My Furnace?
There are generally two rules when it comes to replacing your furnace. The first rule to follow is if you keep having to repair your furnace, you should replace it to avoid additional repair headaches. The second rule is that after about 15 years of service, you should have your furnace assessed every year to see if it would make sense to replace it.
It makes sense to replace your furnace when you can save money and energy doing so. Although furnace installation is expensive, they last for a long time and getting a new one can help you save thousands of dollars down the line.
Not only that, you can get rebates and other incentives from the government for upgrading to a high-efficiency unit. So not only do you save on monthly operating costs, you can save on installation costs as well. Ask us at Unique Indoor Comfort about rebates available to Illinois residents!
What Are The Signs That I Should Replace My Furnace?
Repair costs keep mounting.
If you seem to have to do a new furnace repair every year, you should think about replacing the entire thing altogether. Eventually, it will break down and cause a major headache, so it’s important to keep that in mind.
Your energy costs keep going up.
A faulty or inefficient HVAC component is one of the most common causes of unexpectedly high energy bills. Check your energy usage with your energy provider. If you have a gas furnace, and you notice your gas bill is going up, it’s likely because your furnace is becoming less efficient.
