During the winter heating season, the health and operation of your home’s furnace is obviously vital to your comfort. If you’re experiencing furnace problems, you might be wondering whether it is ultimately more sensible to repair or replace your furnace. There are several factors that will determine which option is best for you. Your Pierre area HVAC service advisor can help you judge your needs and your broken HVAC system to determine whether furnace repair or replacement is the best short- and long-term answer for your Pierre 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 10 years of system life — it stands a very good chance that any issues it experiences can be solved through repair. On top of that, if your furnace is still heating your Pierre 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 trending increase in your heating bills with constant usage and your home is not having issues with uneven heating, your furnace is deemed operationally sound. Our recommendation regarding furnace repairs is that as long as 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 predicted lifetime, repair is likely your best option. Remember that even if you are experiencing a drop in heating efficiency, there are other paths you can explore before considering replacing your furnace. Talk to your HVAC technician about upgrading your thermostat or checking the integrity of your Pierre home’s ductwork to see if he thinks these HVAC products could improve the efficiency of your furnace. Talk to Peitz Service Experts about scheduling regular furnace maintenance, which will ensure your furnace is in top condition and help you avoid further repairs or drops in efficiency.
When Replacement Is Best
In some cases, repair will not be able to affordably resolve your issues. The estimated lifetime of most furnaces is 15-20 years; after which, the heating system will begin to fail more and more often. Accordingly, if your furnace is nearing or passed the 15 year mark, it is time to discuss replacement. Irregardless of equipment age, if you need your HVAC service provider for repairs too often, this could also be a sign that it’s time to consider replacement. Although repairs may seem like an easy fix, if they aren’t keeping your furnace operating for years at a time, these frequent smaller charges can add up quickly and cost you more in the long run. 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. A furnace is only as good as its installation, making proper installation essential. Furthermore, your furnace may be struggling if it’s not sized properly for your Pierre 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 Pierre home’s heating system is right for you, contact Peitz Service Experts today.