Is It Time To Have Your Furnace Repaired Or Replaced?

As fall turns to winter, your thermostat will turn from cool to heat. For many, this will come with the realization that it may be time to call the furnace repair person when their heater fails to start on that first cold morning. Even if your heater seems to be running fine, there are a few things you should look out for to see if perhaps a tech visit should be in your future as well.

How Old is Your Furnace?

New furnaces rarely, if ever, break down. For the first decade you own your heater, you should be able to sleep soundly in the knowledge that your heater will be ready for you when you need it. If not, the repairs should be under warranty, so you may not have to pay for the repairs. Of course, this does depend on the model of your particular furnace, so you should probably check with your documentation or the manufacturer before you rely on warranty repairs.

Finding out about your warranty may also clue you in on the expected life of your particular furnace. One that the manufacturer will only cover for five years may start to have serious trouble right around the ten year mark. If you have a high end model, it could come with up to a fifteen year warranty. In these cases you may be able to wait a little longer before serious issues start to arise. While an annual inspection is recommended, it becomes increasingly worthwhile as your system ages. It will cue you in to potential problems early, as well as giving you a clearer picture of how long you have before you need to replace it.

How Well Is Your Furnace Keeping Up?

As your furnace ages, it won't work as effectively as it used to. This results in the heater having to run longer and harder to heat your home the same amount, increasing your energy bills year after year. While this process is completely normal, it isn't normal to have your bills suddenly spike, the heater to run all the time (unless you are in the middle of a severe cold snap), or for the house to never really get warm. While this isn't a crisis situation, your wallet will thank you if you have a technician come out to your home in the near future. The repairs might not be cheap, but it is far better than the cost of your new, higher energy bills each month. Your technician should not only discuss the cost of the repair with you, they should also advise you on whether to repair or replace the unit. If the repair is expensive enough, the lower energy bills that come with a new unit will cover the additional cost of replacement rather than repair.

What Color is the Pilot Light?

If anyone in your family is suffering from mysterious headaches or allergies, take a peek at your pilot light and see what color it is. It should always be blue. If it is yellow, than there is something wrong with how the gases are getting mixed within your system. You should have your heater worked on as soon as possible. Not only does this mean that your heater will not run efficiently, it can start sending out dangerous gases, such as carbon monoxide, that can pose a serious threat to your health and safety.

You should really have your HVAC system inspected and maintained every year. This will help to ensure you never wake up to a cold house one morning. However, if you don't want to invest that much in your system, looking out for these signs of impending problems will be your best bet in avoiding an emergency repair visit.