When Do I Need a New Furnace?

A new furnace is a big investment and can be a heavy cost for any homeowner. It can be hard to make the decision replace your current furnace, every furnace will need to be replaced at some point in a home’s life. How do you know when it is time to say good bye to the furnace in your home?

A typical furnace can last up to 15-20 years. This is heavily dependent on how well you have maintained it during its life and if you have had professional maintenance performed on a regular basis.

A telltale sign of a furnace in need of replacement is the increased cost and frequency of repairs. As a furnace nears the end of its life, the frequency of which it needs repairing will increase, sometimes exponentially. The cost of each repair will also begin to climb. A good rule of thumb is that if the cost of repair nears or exceeded 50% of the cost to replace the furnace, it is time to replace it. However even if the repair is only 10% of the replacement cost and your furnace is on the older side you should talk to one of the professionals in our office about whether or not it is worth the repair or a replacement.

One of the experts in our office can give you a detailed cost vs. performance assessment of the current heating system.

Another sign of being in need of a new furnace is that your heating bills have risen dramatically. Furnace and HVAC systems have gotten more and more efficient over the years, particularly in the last 5-10 years. If your furnace is more than a decade old, even though it may have a number of years left in it, it probably is no where near the efficiency of some of the newer models out there. The fact is that older furnaces simply cannot heat as effectively as their newer counterparts. Its just like cars. A car built in the early 2000s lacks the fuel efficiency to compete with cars built in recent years.

Talk to one of our certified technicians about the AFUE rating for you furnace and how upgrading to a new model furnace can save you money on your heating bill.

Contact us today if you have any further questions about repairing or replacing your furnace.

We proudly serve Rochester, Rochester Hills, Troy, Utica and all the surrounding communities. Check our service area page for more information or call our office if you are unsure if you are covered by us.