During the winter heating season, the condition of your home’s furnace is obviously critical to your comfort. If you’re experiencing furnace difficulties, you probably are wondering whether it makes sense to repair or replace your furnace. There are several factors that will help you resolve which option is best for you. Your Longmont area HVAC technician can help you assess your needs and your struggling HVAC system to determine whether furnace repair or replacement is the ideal short- and long-term answer for your Longmont home.
When Repair Is Best
Oftentimes, furnace problems can be easily pinpointed and repaired by a ACE-certified, HVAC professional. If your furnace is new—i.e., less than 10 years of system life — it stands a very good chance that any issues it experiences can be solved through repair. Furthermore, if your furnace is still heating your Longmont area home efficiently (your HVAC professional can help you confirm this), then it is still likely and more affordable to repair it. Commonly, as long as you are not seeing a continuous increase in your heating bills with continual usage and your home is not having issues with uneven heating, your furnace is considered in good shape. Conventional wisdom regarding furnace repairs is that as long as the repairs you need are less than one-third of the cost of a new heating system and your furnace is in the first half of its predicted lifetime, repair is likely your best decision. Don’t forget that even if you are experiencing a decrease in heating efficiency, there are other avenues you can explore before considering replacing your furnace. Talk to your HVAC technician about upgrading your thermostat or checking the integrity of your Longmont home’s ductwork to see if he thinks these enhancement could improve the efficiency of your furnace. Talk to Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning about scheduling regular furnace maintenance, which will ensure your furnace is in top condition and help you prevent further repairs or drops in efficiency.
When Replacement Is Best
At times, repair is not your best option to restore your furnace to optimal function. The estimated lifetime of most furnaces is 15-20 years; thereafter, the heating system will begin to fail more and more often. Accordingly, if your furnace is approaching or past 15 years old, it is time to consider replacement. Regardless of the age of your furnace, if you require your HVAC service provider for repairs on a regular basis, this could also be a sign that your furnace is beyond help and requires a replacement. Although repairs may seem like a basic fix, if they aren’t keeping your furnace functioning for years at a time, these frequent smaller charges can add up quickly and cost you more in the long run. There are several things that may determine whether replacement is appropriate for you including the quality of your original furnace installation and the capacity of your furnace. A furnace is only as good as its installation, making proper installation essential. In addition, your furnace may be struggling if it’s not sized according to specs for your Longmont home size or heating needs. If your furnace isn’t sized or installed properly, you will probably need to consider a new unit instead of dealing with a heating system that lacks the capacity to properly heat your home.
If you have questions about whether repair or replacement of your Longmont home’s heating system is right for you, contact Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning today.