5 Signs it’s Time to Replace Your Furnace

Most people don’t even think about their furnace until they go to turn on the heat on a cold winter morning – only for nothing to happen. Here in Vancouver WA, the winter months can get surprisingly cold. That’s why it’s always a good idea to make sure your furnace is ready to handle it – but maintenance and repair can only take your furnace so far.

Eventually, every furnace will need to be replaced. But how do you know when that time has come? Read on to learn some of the signs that your furnace has reached the end of its useful life.

1. Noisy Operation

A worn-out furnace might make a lot of noise. You might hear clanging, grinding, or any number of noises. You might also notice rust, cracks, or corrosion on the furnace, which is a sure sign that (at least) a component needs replacing or (at most) the entire unit needs to be replaced. Visible (or audible) signs of wear are never a good sign, so if you notice these, get in touch with All Seasons Heating & Cooling, Inc. as soon as you can.

2. Uneven Heating

If some rooms are too hot while others are freezing cold, your furnace could need repair or replacement. Uneven heating is a sign that your furnace is having trouble pushing hot air through your home, which means its components are beginning to wear out with age.

3. Increased Energy Bills

A damaged furnace is an inefficient furnace. If you notice an unexpected increase in your heating bill, it could mean that your furnace has to work harder to heat your home. The harder your furnace has to work, the more power it has to draw – and up goes your electricity bill.

New furnaces are becoming more and more efficient each year, which is good news for your home – and your wallet.

4. More Frequent Repairs

Like any appliance, your furnace will need repairs more often as it gets older. More and more components will break down or wear out as time goes on, and you’ll have to pay to replace them. For a newer furnace, replacing a burnt-out component is a cost-effective way to keep it going. However, once your furnace reaches a certain age – we’ll get to that in the next section – these repairs will eventually stack so high that it simply makes more sense to replace it outright.

5. Your Furnace is Old

Finally, there’s the simple passage of time. Even a furnace that has been reliable for years – or decades – will eventually be too old to be worth repairing. The average useful lifespan of a gas furnace is about 15 years; for electric furnaces, it’s about 20-30 years. If your furnace is older than that and needs a repair, it’s probably time to replace it instead.

Keep Warm This Winter With a New Furnace From All Seasons Heating & Cooling, Inc.

The All Seasons Heating & Cooling, Inc. team is dedicated to honest service; we won’t tell you that you need a whole new furnace if a repair will fix your issue. Likewise, we’ll be transparent with you about the state of your current furnace; if it needs to be replaced, we’ll let you know. We can help you weigh the cost of future repairs against the cost of a new furnace.

Give us a call to set up an inspection of your current furnace system.