When its cold outside, the health and function of your home’s furnace is obviously fundamental to your comfort. If you’re experiencing furnace difficulties, you may be wondering whether it’s in your best interests to repair or replace your furnace. There are multiple factors that will determine which option is best for you. Your Savannah area HVAC service advisor can help you judge your needs and your current HVAC system to determine whether furnace repair or replacement is the appropriate short- and long-term answer for your Savannah home.
When Repair Is Best
More often than not, furnace issues can be easily diagnosed and repaired by a ACE-certified, HVAC professional. If your furnace is new—i.e., under ten years — chances are very good that any issues it exhibits can be solved through repair. On top of that, if your furnace is still heating your Savannah area home efficiently (your HVAC professional can help you verify this), then it is still probable that you will 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 assuming the repairs you need are less than one-third of the expense of a new heating system and your furnace is in the first half of its anticipated lifetime, repair is likely your best decision. Keep in mind 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 professional about upgrading your thermostat or checking the integrity of your Savannah home’s ductwork to see if he thinks these solutions could advance the efficiency of your furnace. Talk to Coastal Service Experts about scheduling regular furnace maintenance, which will keep your furnace functioning its best and help you avoid further repairs or drops in efficiency.
When Replacement Is Best
At times, repair cannot restore your heating system to a minimally effective level. The expected lifetime of most furnaces is 15-20 years; after which, the heating system will start to fail more and more often. Accordingly, if your furnace is already at least 15 years old, it is time to think about replacement. Beyond the factor of the age of your equipment, if you’ve been calling your HVAC service provider for repairs frequently, 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 will add up and cost you way more than buying new. There are a variety of things that may determine whether replacement is ideal for you including the quality of your original furnace installation and the capacity of your furnace. Having your furnace installed properly is critical to the performance of the unit. Furthermore, your furnace may be struggling if it’s not sized according to specs for your Savannah home size or heating needs. If your furnace isn’t sized or installed properly, you should consider replacing the system and starting anew, rather than continually addressing breakdowns and poor function.
If you have questions about whether repair or replacement of your Savannah home’s heating system is right for you, contact Coastal Service Experts today.