When its cold outside, 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’s in your best interests to repair or replace your furnace. There are several factors that will decide upon which option is best for you. Your Grand Island area HVAC technician can help you evaluate your needs and your broken HVAC system to determine whether furnace repair or replacement is the ideal short- and long-term answer for your Grand Island home.
When Repair Is Best
More often than not, furnace issues can be easily sourced 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 has can be solved through repair. On top of that, if your furnace is still heating your Grand Island area home efficiently (your HVAC professional can help you determine 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 regular usage and your home is not having issues with uneven heating, your furnace is deemed operationally sound. Our recommendation regarding furnace repairs is that if the repairs you must get are less than one-third of the cost of a new heating system and your furnace is in the first half of its predicted 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 Grand Island home’s ductwork to see if he thinks these solutions could advance the efficiency of your furnace. Talk to McElroy Service Experts about scheduling regular furnace maintenance, which will ensure your furnace is in top condition 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 expected lifetime of most furnaces is 15-20 years; after this point, the heating system will start to fail more and more often. Accordingly, if your furnace is nearing or passed the 15 year mark, 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 heating system is failing and needs to be replaced. Although repairs may seem like an easy fix, if they aren’t keeping your furnace running for years at a time, these frequent smaller charges can add up quickly and cost you more in the long run. 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. A furnace is only as good as its installation, making proper installation essential. In addition, your furnace may be struggling if it’s not sized according to specs for your Grand Island 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 Grand Island home’s heating system is right for you, contact McElroy Service Experts today.