When its cold outside, the condition of your home’s furnace is obviously vital to your comfort. If you’re experiencing furnace troubles, you probably are wondering whether it makes sense to repair or replace your furnace. There are several factors that will help you resolve which option is best for you. Your Boise area HVAC technician can help you evaluate your needs and your broken HVAC system to determine whether furnace repair or replacement is the appropriate short- and long-term answer for your Boise home.
When Repair Is Best
In most cases, furnace troubles can be easily identified and repaired by a ACE-certified, HVAC professional. If your furnace is new—i.e., less than ten years old — it stands a very good chance that any issues it has can be solved through repair. On top of that, if your furnace is still heating your Boise area home efficiently (your HVAC professional can help you confirm this), then it is still likely and more affordable to repair it. Typically, as long as you are not seeing a steady increase in your heating bills with constant usage and your home is not having issues with uneven heating, your furnace is functioning efficiently. A good general rule of thumb relating to furnace repairs is that if the repairs you must get are less than one-third of the investment 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 decrease in heating efficiency, there are other avenues you can explore before considering replacing your furnace. Talk to your HVAC technician about upgrading your thermostat or checking the integrity of your Boise home’s ductwork to see if he thinks these HVAC products could advance the efficiency of your furnace. Talk to TML Service Experts about scheduling regular furnace maintenance, which will ensure your furnace is in top condition and help you minimize further repairs or drops in efficiency.
When Replacement Is Best
At times, repair will not be able to affordably resolve your issues. The expected lifetime of most furnaces is 15-20 years; after which, the heating system will start to fail more and more often. Thus, if your furnace is already at least 15 years old, it is time to think about replacement. Regardless of the age of your furnace, if you require 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 a basic fix, if they aren’t keeping your furnace functioning for years at a time, these frequent smaller charges ultimately cost you more money. There are many 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. Also, your furnace may be struggling if it’s not sized according to specs for your Boise 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 Boise home’s heating system is right for you, contact TML Service Experts today.