Five Signs You Need a New Furnace

Few things are as important to your comfort and safety within your own home as your furnace. The average furnace can be expected to last about 20 years, but furnace maintenance is absolutely crucial to attaining that kind of lifespan. HVAC experts report that as many as 75% of the calls they receive in the winter complaining of no heat can be traced back directly to a lack of furnace maintenance. Furthermore, studies show that regular furnace maintenance or HVAC maintenance can lower the risk of an unexpected breakdown by 70% to 75%. Furnace maintenance is crucial, but even the most conscientious furnace maintenance cannot guarantee your furnace will never have a problem. A gas furnace that needs to be replaced can be unsafe, so if you see any of these warning signs, you want to call heating repair services to take a look. If you’ve been skipping furnace maintenance, or if your furnace is reaching the end of its lifespan, it’s even more important to be on the lookout for these issues.

1. Are your electric bills going sky high? If prices haven’t been raised recently and yet your electric bills seem high, it could be down to your furnace. As they get older, even units that have undergone regular furnace maintenance become less and less efficient, especially if you have neglected furnace maintenance, An inefficient furnace must run a lot longer in order to provide you with the same amount of heat, and this will show up on your electric bill.
2. Are you comfortable? If you feel that some rooms in your home are constantly too cold while others are too hot, this could indicate a problem with the furnace. If you always find yourself adjusting the thermostat to make yourself more comfortable, this could mean the furnace is no longer able to distribute air properly. In that case, it’s time to have the system inspected and possibly replaced.
3. Do you hear any strange sounds? If your furnace suddenly starts making odd noises, this is always a bad sign. Listen for banging, rattling, or squealing. Notice if your furnace blower seems to be running all the time or if it turns on and off constantly. These are good signs that your furnace needs to be replaced.
4. Have you needed furnace repair recently? As your furnace reaches the end of its useful life, you can expect the parts to start going. The more repairs you make, the more likely it is the furnace is dying. During the last two years of its life, your furnace will probably break down regularly, and even the best furnace tune up can only do so much in this situation. Regular furnace maintenance will help you avoid breakdowns until the very end, but when the end comes there’s very little that can stop it.
5. What color is your pilot light? The very fact that you have a pilot light at all indicates that your furnace is quite old. As you look at the light, the flame should be blue. If you see a yellow or a flickering flame, your furnace may be creating poisonous carbon monoxide gas. Other signs of carbon monoxide include streaks of soot, excessive moisture on windows, walls, and cold surfaces, or lots of rusting on pipe connections. If you see any of these signs, or if your family has been experiencing frequent headaches, a burning feeling in the nose or eyes, or flu-like symptoms when you’re not sick, open the windows and get a furnace maintenance expert in to take a look.

These are a few warning signs to help you know when it’s time to get a new furnace. It’s always better to plan for a new furnace and save for it rather than to suddenly have to buy it in a panic when the old one dies. Look for these warning signs that your furnace is getting ready to go, and contact HVAC contractors in your area to find out what your options are when it needs to be replaced.