During the winter heating season, the condition of your home’s furnace is obviously vital to your comfort. If you’re experiencing furnace problems, you probably are wondering whether it makes sense to repair or replace your furnace. There are multiple factors that will help you resolve which option is best for you. Your Albany area HVAC technician can help you evaluate your needs and your current HVAC system to determine whether furnace repair or replacement is the appropriate short- and long-term answer for your Albany home.
When Repair Is Best
Oftentimes, furnace issues can be easily sourced and repaired by a ACE-certified, HVAC professional. If your furnace is new—i.e., less than 10 years of system life — chances are very good that any issues it experiences can be solved through repair. On top of that, if your furnace is still heating your Albany area home efficiently (your HVAC professional can help you determine this), then it is still likely and more affordable to repair it. Usually, as long as you are not seeing a continuous increase in your heating bills with regular usage and your home is not having issues with uneven heating, your furnace is considered in good shape. A good general rule of thumb relating to furnace repairs is that as long as the repairs you need are less than one-third of the cost of a new heating system and your furnace is in the first half of its expected lifetime, repair is likely your best decision. Keep in mind that even if you are experiencing a drop in heating efficiency, there are other paths you can explore before considering replacing your furnace. Talk to your HVAC service advisor about upgrading your thermostat or checking the integrity of your Albany home’s ductwork to see if he thinks these solutions could advance the efficiency of your furnace. Talk to Roland J. Down Service Experts about scheduling regular furnace maintenance, which will keep your furnace functioning its best and help you minimize further repairs or drops in efficiency.
When Replacement Is Best
Sometimes, repair is not your best option to restore your furnace to optimal function. The anticipated lifetime of most furnaces is 15-20 years; after this point, the heating system will start to fail more and more often. Thus, if your furnace is nearing or passed the 15 year mark, it is time to think about replacement. Regardless of the age of your furnace, if you need 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 a simple fix, if they aren’t keeping your furnace functioning for years at a time, these frequent smaller charges will add up and cost you way more than buying new. 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. Also, your furnace may be struggling if it’s not sized properly for your Albany home size or heating needs. If your furnace isn’t sized or installed properly, you will probably need to consider a new unit instead of dealing with a heating system that lacks the capacity to properly heat your home.
If you have questions about whether repair or replacement of your Albany home’s heating system is right for you, contact Roland J. Down Service Experts today.