Winter is coming! To combat the army of White Walkers headed your way (or just the cold temperatures if you’re living around New Jersey and not The Wall), you’re going to want to put your furnace to work. However, Game of Thrones references aside, the last thing you want to do is head into winter with a furnace that’s on its last legs. Trust us, you’d rather replace your furnace now than wait until it’s below zero out. So how exactly can you tell if you need to replace your furnace? Pay attention to the following three signs:
- Your furnace is over 10 years old
Although the lifespan of a typical furnace is around 12-15 years, you should consider replacing it around the 15-year mark. It’s at this point that it will start exhibiting issues if it hasn’t already, and you might as well invest in a new, more energy-efficient furnace that’s rated by Energy Star instead of trying to ride out your old furnace as repair costs begin to pile up. As in all situations, you always need to weigh the cost of repair against the cost of replacement. Sometimes it does make more sense to change a part, but often, a full replacement is the better option in the long run.
- Your heating bill has jumped significantly
The cost of heating may go up because of other reasons—but if you’ve had your air ducts properly sealed and you’ve had your furnace recently inspected or repaired by a reputable heating company, then there’s a good chance it’s just your furnace exerting its dying breath to heat your home. The internal parts of your furnace are probably wearing out, which means your furnace is requiring more energy to pump out heat, which in turn is what’s putting the hurt on your wallet.
- Your home just isn’t being heated properly
If you find yourself adjusting the thermostat over and over because parts of your home are too cold and parts of your home are too hot, it’s because your furnace is probably sputtering over the finish line, no longer able to distribute heat evenly throughout your house.
If you notice any of these three signs, then it’s probably time to replace your furnace. Be sure to contact your local HVAC contractor today.