You might think that it’s a tough call, deciding whether to repair or replace your furnace. Actually however, there’s a fairly reliable guideline you can use to make the most intelligent choice when faced with this decision. To begin with, if your furnace is older than 12 years old, it’s probably time to start thinking of buying a new one. Even if you have maintained your furnace well throughout the years, its life expectancy will only be somewhere between 12 and 16 years.
TopCare HVAC Furnace repair in Hamilton contractors go to great lengths to explain to our customers on how they could save more on replacing or getting their furnace fixed. Other than this, there are some performance indicators which will tell you it’s time to replace, and in all other cases you might get by with doing some simple repairs.
Our Furnace installation technicians has setup Furnace Heating units near Kirkendall South, Kirkendal North, Landsdale, McQuesten West, Mount Hope, Nashdale, Normanhurst in Hamilton Ontario. Contact our team at Topcare Hvac in Hamilton Ontario to learn more about New Furnace Units.
WHEN SHOULD I REPAIR MY RESIDENTIAL OR COMMERCIAL FURNACE IN HAMILTON?
If you have taken good care of your furnace all throughout its lifecycle, you should know that it is performing well, and that it’s doing the job it was made for. However, even the best-made furnaces will eventually develop some operating issues, and that’s when you have to use your best judgment. The two things you need to consider most strongly are the age of your furnace and the cost of the repairs.
For instance, if you have a major problem with your furnace when it’s six years old, and the repair bill comes in at $1,200, you should probably still pay that amount, because you will likely have another 8 to 10 years of service left in your furnace. However, if you need $300 worth of repairs on your 15-year-old furnace, that is a much tougher call, and you should probably invest in a new furnace rather than continue repairing one which will soon die of natural causes.
This is what you have to balance whenever you’re considering whether to buy new or repair – is it worth paying the amount of the repair bill for a furnace which is as old as mine? The really difficult decisions are those which are right in the middle of the age versus cost continuum. For example should you pay $700 for repairs on a furnace which is 10 or 11 years old?
The answer to this could go either way, and if you find yourself in a situation like this, you should use your judgment based on how well the furnace has performed thus far. If it has performed very well with minimal repairs necessary, you would probably be justified in paying the $700. On the other hand, if you have had a spotty performance history from your furnace, it might be time to retire it altogether and simply purchase a newer, more efficient model.
WHEN SHOULD I REPLACE MY FURNACE?
There are a number of factors which might indicate that it’s time for you to purchase a new furnace, starting of course with its age. If your furnace is 12 years old or younger, then you should consider performance history. If your furnace has required relatively frequent repairs, and they have been fairly costly, this is probably an indication that it’s time to purchase a new one.
Another sign that your furnace may be losing its effectiveness is when you start to notice that your heating bills are beginning to climb each month. That’s a sure sign that your furnace is not performing as efficiently as it once did, and that it is probably working harder to maintain the level of heat you desire in your household. When a furnace has to work harder, it draws more energy from its power source, and that causes an increase in utility bills.
The next thing you should look for is a bit more subtle than age or high utility bills, and it will require you to pay close attention to the air quality in your home. If you notice that household members are becoming more irritated in their breathing, it could be a sign that your furnace isn’t filtering out all the debris that it should.
In that same vein, when the humidity within your household starts to dwindle away, and the interior air becomes dry and stuffy, that can also indicate that your furnace is slowly losing its capabilities. After a number of years, all furnaces will begin to lose their humidity control and filtration capability, but when it really becomes noticeable, that’s when you should consider replacing your furnace.
ONE LAST FACTOR
If you’re confronted with a situation where there is no clear answer about repair versus replacement, you might want to consider the fact that rebates and tax credits are often available when purchasing a new furnace. Your state or province may offer tax credits on energy-efficient units, and there are many dealers who will also provide rebates to customers who purchase furnaces during specified time frames. Keep an eye peeled for any of these rebate offerings, and when the time is right, take advantage of it and save yourself a significant amount of money.
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