New Year, New Furnace? Repair vs. Replacement

Home comfort systems, such as heaters and air conditioners, can pay for themselves quickly through cost savings. But beware: It's only sometimes necessary to replace an inefficient furnace; sometimes, it just needs some tweaks or a repair. Best Owner Direct HVAC put together this guide to help you make the best financial choice possible.

Reasons for furnace replacement

There are essentially three scenarios in which you'd want to replace your furnace:

1. It's quite old and inefficient

If you buy a house built in the 1960s or earlier, chances are it contains an antiquated boiler system or furnace. This doesn't mean you have to buy a new furnace, but you will need to upgrade your system to make it more energy efficient.

2. Heating load

A heating load of 65 watts is required to maintain that temperature continuously. Contacting your utility company to do an energy audit can help you determine your heating load, leading to more cost-effective upgrades to your home's heating and cooling systems, potentially saving you money. If, despite your best efforts, your furnace still doesn't work as well as it should, you may need to replace it.

3. The Exorbitant Expense Involved in Maintaining Your Heating System

Find out if gas or electricity is cheaper in your area, and then try to use whichever of those resources is less expensive for your system.

Reasons for repairing a furnace

Repairs, on the other hand, are sometimes a better alternative. If your furnace does not have any of the difficulties listed above but is still not running at its full potential, revitalizing it may still be feasible. Here are the top maintenance tasks that a professional HVAC technician may do to help you save money on operating costs and make your unit last longer:

1. Basic Adjustments and Greasing

A heating system can be compared to a car. A lot of little parts perform their functions inside your unit, and if even one of them stops operating right, everything will go south. If you want your HVAC components to survive as long as possible, have a professional check their placement and lubrication.

2. Ignition or pilot control problems

Your furnace may be unable to keep your home warm because its ignition control or other mechanical parts are broken. The gas burner is ignited by resistance heating elements (similar to the filament in an incandescent light bulb) that are electrically regulated in the hot surface ignition system; when the thermostat calls for heat, the high-voltage electrical spark of the intermittent pilot system lights the gas pilot and then the main burners.

3. Thermostat problems

The thermostat is the part of your heating system that controls the temperature and how it works. If your thermostat is malfunctioning, you may experience discomfort due to a lack of heat, a lack of a fan to circulate the hot air or a lack of consistent heat. Warner Service has certified technicians that can rapidly identify and repair these frequent problems.

Finally, a certified technician is here to help if you'd like to get your unit checked out and gain confidence that you're making the best investment possible for your home.

If you have any questions or would like us to come take a look at your current HVAC system, just give us a call or schedule an appointment. We look forward to hearing from you and making sure your heating and cooling systems are operating as smoothly as possible.