Benefits of a New Furnace

There’s a monster in your house eating all of your extra income! No, it’s not Frankenstein’s Monster or Dracula — it’s the old furnace in your basement! While it’s not a monster in the traditional sense of the word, it’s good at causing fear when that energy bill comes every month. We deal with a lot of people wondering how to lower their monthly energy bills. New furnaces are a surefire way to do that. The efficacy of new furnaces today surpasses those made even ten years ago! Here are some of the benefits you can expect from a new furnace. So far, fuel costs have gone up this winter, leaving little room for old equipment.

The Energy Savings

Every year your old, worn-out furnace is working overtime trying to heat your home, which means it’s always running. The more energy-efficient your gas furnace, the less money you will spend on heating during the winter.

The Upgraded Comfort

A new system means upgraded technology. Features on new furnaces include:

• Zoned Heating — Heat only the areas of your home that need it.
• Variable-Speed Blowers — They deliver air more slowly, making less noise when less heat is needed.
• Ignition Systems — No pilot light waiting for a command to ignite the burners.
• Warranty — Even basic furnaces come with a warranty.

No Breakdowns

Getting a new system takes the guesswork out of unexpected breakdowns. Older systems are unpredictable, so bring in a tune-up yearly to ensure the health of your system and avoid unnecessary breakdowns. And just like every horror film, a breakdown usually occurs at the worst possible time!

Repair or Replace?

Professional help is always available to assist you in deciding whether replacement is the best option for you. If your furnace is less than ten years old and you’re noticing a decline in performance, check some small issues first. If you notice a lack of airflow or your furnace running longer than usual, check your filter. Changing your filter is something that is usually needed twice or more a year depending on what size filter you have. After that, make sure your thermostat is working correctly — check for any loose wires and verify that the batteries are working.

Try it: Look at your filter to see how dirty it is, then take a look at your thermostat.

Furnaces typically last an average of 15 to 20 years. The older your furnace is, the less energy-efficient it’s going to be. Today’s gas furnaces are more energy-efficient, resulting in substantial fuel savings compared to older models. With that improved efficiency, depending on the repair, it may still be more cost-effective to repair your furnace if it’s in the 10–15-year range. However, if your heat exchanger or control module fails, you’re better off replacing it than spending money on the repair. Certain parts that fail on your furnace are simply not logical to replace.

Overall

At the end of the day, the best thing for your home is a safe, reliable, warm furnace. Older furnaces are something you should seriously consider replacing, but if they’re working fine and are around 10–15 years old, make sure you’re keeping up on routine maintenance to not only prolong the life of the unit but also maximize its efficacy. If you’re new to your home or unsure how to get information on your furnace, a trained, professional All Seasons Heating & Cooling technician is here to help you find all of those answers and more.