How Often You Should Replace Your Furnace?
You probably know when you need to replace most products in our home. For example, your heating and air conditioning system air filter needs to be replaced monthly. Your pillows should be replaced every couple years. Your smoke detectors need to be replaced every decade. But what about your furnace?
If your heating equipment has seasonal maintenance and is kept in good working order, it can last 12-20 years. Once your furnace reaches 15 years of age , it’s likely a good time to start contemplating replacing your heating equipment with an upgraded, more energy efficient heating system. Installed properly, these high-efficiency heating systems can save up to 20% on utility costs. Even if your heating equipment still seems to be running fine, it’s better to start looking into your options now instead of waiting until your furnace breaks down in the middle of a terrible freeze and you’re so desperate you don’t have the luxury of time and research. When contemplating new furnace options it’s also crucial to think about your home’s air duct system. Leaking and undersized ducts can seriously affect your home’s overall comfort and effectiveness. New heating equipment is only as good as the air duct equipment that it’s installed in.
Another reason you need to research beforehand is to see what manufacturer rebates and tax credits are available to you. Currently, you can get U.S. government tax credits of up to $500 for certain heating and cooling equipment – but it’s only before the end of 2016 and hasn’t been verified past 12/31/16. Visit this link to help discover local rebates available in your area : https://www.energystar.gov/rebate-finder.
Something to take under advisement if your furnace isn’t quite 20 years old and you’re debating replacement is how much you’re spending on repairing your current system. You can typically repair heating equipment – change a part here, fix a section there – but in the end the cost of repairing your furnace will be greater than the cost of replacing it and at that point you really need to examine long-term spending. If you are paying for furnace repairs on a yearly basis, it’s probably time to consider replacement.
If you aren’t confident about your heating equipment’s ability to get you through the cold season safe and toasty, give Midway Services a call and we’d be happy to go out and inspect your furnace and provide any recommendations. Starting December 1st, Midway Services is providing discounts on qualifying HVAC systems so call us and find out how much you can save!