As first-time homeowners, many of us realize that when we sign the mortgage papers, the lender doesn’t hand over an instruction booklet on how to maintain and upkeep our home. This leaves it to each individual homeowner to figure it out on their own. From plumbing and electrical to HVAC and appliances, home maintenance is an adventure for new homeowners.
Although it’s important to ensure that such a huge financial asset is well-maintained, it can take some time to learn the ins and outs of exactly what it means to uphold a home’s integrity successfully. As they say, just take it one step at a time. Here we’ll cover a very important piece of your home: heating. Keep reading to learn 5 signs it’s probably time to replace your furnace.
Keep an Eye on Your Bills
Do you feel like your gas and electric bills have been creeping up over time? Sometimes it can be caused by your own furnace’s low efficiency, not your utility company. As your furnace gets older, it begins to wear down, needing more energy to create the same output. An average furnace can last up to 20 years, but that doesn’t mean you should wait that long. You can see a return on your investment fairly quickly if your furnace dates back to the days of pilot lights (which means it’s pushing 25 years old).
Has Your Furnace Required Repairs?
As your furnace gets older, more and more items begin to break down. If you feel like you’ve been replacing parts more and more often, consider it a warning sign. Most furnaces need little to no repairs in the first half of their life (assuming proper maintenance has been done). Consider shelling out the cash for a new furnace and you may save yourself more money than you expect on both efficiency and emergency repairs.
Does It Do A Good Job of Climate Control?
Does your house feel like both the Sahara Desert and Siberia depending on what room you are in? Furnaces that are old often begin to have a hard time maintaining a proper distribution of air in order to create a consistent temperature throughout the home. If you feel like you’re putting on a sweater in one room and wiping sweat off your brow in another, consider a furnace replacement and you’ll find yourself much more comfortable.
Does Your Home Feel Healthy?
A furnace can be responsible for more than you think when it comes to the comfort and health of your home and family. An old furnace may not be able to adequately moisturize the air in your home, leading to a dry, dusty existence. Cracks in the heat exchanger can also lead to carbon monoxide poisoning, creating flu-like symptoms or headaches. This type of issue is deadly. If you begin to feel awful when you hit home at the end of the day, turn to the furnace for answers.
Is Your Furnace Talking to You?
Furnaces have a tendency to make strange noises in their old age. If your furnace begins to squeal, bang, growl, or otherwise complain, it may be time to put it to rest.