The majority of homes in America stay comfortably heated with the help of a gas fired, forced air furnace — in fact, it’s been found that 60% of homes across the country use gas furnaces.
But many homeowners don’t know when to replace their furnaces — or that they should be replacing these furnaces at least once every 15 to 20 years. If you don’t know how to tell when you need a gas furnace repair or replcement, it might be a good time to learn the signs before next winter comes around.
To keep your home reliably warm all year long, make sure you know these three indicators that you need to seek out a gas furnace replacement in the near future:
Your furnace regularly needs repairs
If you noticed that you had to call in a gas furnace repair specialist multiple times throughout this past winter, it’s a sign that your furnace is nearing the end of its lifespan. Typically, a furnace will incur the most gas furnace repairs during the last two years of its life, similarly to an old car that constantly requires repairs. In this case, it’s costing more than it’s worth to keep your old furnace — and it’s probably cheaper to just replace it.
Your energy bills are rising
Older furnaces are much less energy-efficient than those manufactured recently under the current, more stringent energy regulations placed on furnaces. And if you noticed your heating bill continuously going up throughout the winter, your furnace is likely using much more energy to heat your home than it should. By replacing your old gas furnace with an Energy Star-certified gas furnace, you can cut your energy costs by as much as 15% — that’s about $94 saved each year.
You see, hear or smell something wrong
If your furnace needs replacing, it might let you know through a number of sensory cues. If you’re hearing rattling, buzzing or humming; seeing dust, soot or rust particles being expelled from your furnace; or seeing signs of rust or corrosion on the exterior of your furnace, it’s time for a replacement.
Have any other questions for us about seeking out a local furnace repair service or where to find the right replacement furnace? Or do you have even more things to look for when your furnace needs repair? Share your thoughts with us and your fellow readers in the comments below.
