Should I Repair or Replace My Furnace?
During the winter heating season, the health and operation of your home’s furnace is obviously fundamental to your comfort. If you’re experiencing furnace difficulties, you probably are wondering whether it is ultimately more sensible to repair or replace your furnace. There are many factors that will determine which option is best for you. Your Livermore area HVAC service advisor can help you judge your needs and your struggling HVAC system to determine whether furnace repair or replacement is the best short- and long-term answer for your Livermore home.
When Repair Is Best
More often than not, furnace problems can be easily identified and repaired by a ACE-certified, HVAC professional. If your furnace is new—i.e., less than ten years old — odds are highly likely that any issues it experiences can be solved through repair. On top of that, if your furnace is still heating your Livermore area home efficiently (your HVAC professional can help you confirm this), then it is still probable that you will repair it. Typically, as long as you are not seeing a continuous increase in your heating bills with constant usage and your home is not having issues with uneven heating, your furnace is deemed operationally sound. Conventional wisdom about furnace repairs is that assuming the repairs you must get are less than one-third of the expense of a new heating system and your furnace is in the first half of its expected lifetime, repair is likely your best option. Keep in mind that even if you are experiencing a reduction 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 Livermore home’s ductwork to see if he thinks these solutions could improve the efficiency of your furnace. Talk to Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning about scheduling regular furnace maintenance, which will keep your furnace functioning its best and help you prevent further repairs or drops in efficiency.
When Replacement Is Best
In some cases, repair is not your best option to restore your furnace to optimal function. The anticipated lifetime of most furnaces is 15-20 years; thereafter, the heating system will start to fail more and more often. Thus, if your furnace is already at least 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 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 running for years at a time, these frequent smaller charges ultimately cost you more money. There are many things that may determine whether replacement is appropriate 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. In addition, your furnace may be struggling if it’s not sized properly for your Livermore 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 Livermore home’s heating system is right for you, contact Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning today.
