Knowing When To Replace Your Heating System

heating systemMany homeowners want to know when they should either repair or replace their furnace. They’re hung up on heating system replacement cost instead of considering why doing so is advantageous to them. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) says the typical heating system only lasts for about 20 years. When you’re heater gets that old, it’s time for an upgrade. Although this is expensive, you’ll reap a lot of benefits from it.

When you replace your old, outdated furnace…

you’ll benefit in three main ways:

  • You’ll pay less for your home’s heating costs
  • Your home feels more comfortable
  • Your furnace won’t break down in the middle of winter

R.F. Ohl is here to help by offering affordable and trusted heating system replacements in Lehighton PA and surrounding areas. There are some homeowners who say they’re unaware of when they should replace their furnace. They also claim that they don’t realize it until it’s too late. Instead, their furnace completely malfunctions in midwinter. Fortunately, you can avoid having this happen to you. This is because your furnace shows some clear signs it needs to be replaced before the time actually occurs. In this article, we will discuss some heater replacement signs you should watch for.

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Needing Frequent Repairs

high heating costsWhen you find yourself frequently repairing your furnace, you know it’s time to replace it. Any time the repairs cost 50% or more than what it’d cost to replace the unit, you should upgrade your furnace. Make sure that whether your repairing or replacing your furnace you have a reputable HVAC company handling the work for you.

If you’re like most homeowners, you’ll continually repair your furnace. When you start spending more money than it would cost to upgrade to a new furnace, it’s no longer worth the cost to repair your furnace. Instead, it’s time to start shopping for a new one. This is something a reputable, honest HVAC company should talk to you about once they realize you’ve been repeatedly contacting them.

Costing More For Heating Your Home

When you question “How efficient is a 20 year old furnace?”, you’ll surprisingly discover that over the course of time, furnaces start losing their energy efficiency. The US Department of Energy (DOE) created a system known as the annual energy utilization efficiency (AFUE), which is a system they use to measure a furnace’s efficiency. According to the DOE, a heater’s AFUE drops to 78% or less after your furnace is two decades old. This is true even if you’ve provided routine maintenance for your furnace. This means that your furnace is only able to use 78% of the energy it consumes to heat your home. As such, they waste 22% of the energy.

The more your furnace’s AFUE drops, the more your heating costs will rise.

If you want to keep your heating costs in check, have a professional HVAC technician install a new, high-efficiency furnace with a 93-97% AFUE. Until you reach this point with your heating system, make sure that you schedule tune-ups on a yearly basis. This is the only way to make sure your heater is running at optimal, energy-efficient performance.

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Old Age

Heater Replacement In Lehighton PennsylvaniaAccording to a study that the National Association of Home Builders and the Bank of America conducted in 2007, your typical heater only lasts 15 – 20 years. This same study also found that the baseboards for hot water radiators only last 13-21 years. There are a few different ways in which you can find your heating unit’s age. Sometimes the technicians who install the unit will actually write the date they installed the unit directly on it. If they didn’t do this, you can still figure out your unit’s age by contacting the unit’s manufacturer and providing them with the model and serial numbers.

Showing Signs Of Carbon Monoxide

Properly working gas furnaces will have a blue flame with yellow at the tip of its inner core. However, when a heating system isn’t working efficiently, it will produce a lot of carbon monoxide. This is important because carbon monoxide poisoning is dangerous. When you feel there’s a problem, make sure you call a professional HVAC technician immediately so they can inspect your furnace right away.

Some of the other common signs of carbon monoxide include:

  • Corroded pipes
  • Leaking water
  • A lot of condensation in cold places
  • Soot streaks left around your furnace

The best way to watch for higher carbon monoxide levels in your home is by installing a carbon monoxide detector inside of your home. You must install them within 10 feet of each of your home’s bedrooms. You’ll also want to make sure you keep your furnace in good working order by scheduling annual furnace maintenance each fall.

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Uneven Temperatures

when to replace a furnaceWhen you find yourself continually adjusting your thermostat so you’re comfortable, there’s probably something wrong with your furnace. This is especially true if you have an older furnace, which is a good time to upgrade your furnace.

Sometimes the problem is with the thermostat. However, temperature issues are definitely one of the signs that indicate that you need a new furnace.

The best way to find out is by contacting a reputable HVAC contractor in your area. They will be able to decipher whether or not the temperature issues in your home are attributed to a malfunctioning thermostat or a malfunctioning heating system.

Either way, they will have the ability to repair your thermostat or offer alternative solutions to repair this issue.

Heating System Replacement Lehighton PA

As soon as your heating system begins displaying any of the signs mentioned in this article, you’ll want to contact a HVAC professional as soon as possible. This will save you a lot of money on your heating bills and make you feel a lot more comfortable throughout the cold winter months. Let the NATE certified contractors at R.F. Ohl fulfill all of your HVAC needs, including replacing your furnace for you.

Our HVAC contractors will find the best furnace for your home.

This will make your home more energy-efficient, more comfortable, and it will improve the air quality in your home. All it takes is one call and one of our home comfort specialists will help you.

Some of the areas we service include: Ashfield, Jim Thorpe, Lehighton, Parryville, and these zip codes: 18212, 18229, 18235, 18244 as well as all surrounding areas in the Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania.

R. F. Ohl is an authorized dealer for Bryant HVAC systems. Although we have the knowledge and experience to service all makes and models of heating and cooling equipment, this designation signifies that we have partnered with this high quality brand and passed a rigorous set of standards that they have set forth in order to offer superior services to our customers. We believe that Bryant has stood out from most other heating and cooling equipment manufacturers and therefore, we are glad to represent them. To learn more about Bryant systems, click here.

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Contact us today or give us a call at (610) 377-1098 if you have any questions.