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Surprising as it may seem, with cold winter weather this unpredictable, it’s important to take every precaution possible to be as prepared for the low temperatures as we can, as well as for all the potential challenges they might bring to your home.
Your house’s furnace may have gotten you through last winter, but if you don’t stay vigilant, you may not know your furnace needs replaced until it’s too late. It might already be time to buy a new furnace, and there are several surefire signs that the model you currently have might be on its last legs.
The average lifespan of a furnace is between roughly 15 and 30 years. Furnaces lose their efficiency over time, and according to the Department of Energy, a furnace that’s too old can only operate at efficiency in about the 56% to 70% range.
There might be a chance that you notice your furnace is running louder than usual, or you hear all manner of bumps, rattles, creaks, or banging sounds. From leaks to loose ducts to a damaged blower motor, the sounds can mean any number of things…none of them good.Some small causes, such as the clicking sound of a broken igniter, might be easy to repair, but the sounds more than likely mean it’s time for a new model.
As you walk through your house, do certain rooms feel very different from others? Is your living room toasty, but your upstairs bedroom frigid? Do you find yourself adjusting the thermostat, hoping that might fix the imbalance?As furnaces age past 15 years, they lose their ability to distribute heat throughout a home, especially over two stories. Such is a telltale sign that a furnace is far past its prime.
When you open your power bill, do you notice drastic differences compared to last month? No, you’re not going crazy, and no, you’re not being swindled.Coupled with the prior point, as furnaces lose their efficiency, they require more power to achieve the same temperatures. Thus, if your model already has trouble distributing heat through your house, it might be burning extra energy to chase a temperature it can’t quite reach. If this becomes a trend you begin to notice, then you know without a doubt you need to upgrade your furnace.
Sure, some furnace issues are simple fixes and can be repaired with a convenient appointment. But, the costs add up over time, and as we balance our busy lives, we might lose track of such expenses.
Understandably, most homeowners rarely find themselves venturing near their furnace. But if you notice excessive dust in your home, or vents that seem strangely dusty no matter how many times you clean them, then it could be a sign that your furnace isn’t eliminating airborne particles from the warm, rising air as it should be.Your furnace’s filter may require a replacement, but if the dust is particularly excessive, sooty, or develops an unusual, musty aroma, then it’s best to at least schedule a maintenance appointment right away.
As your furnace ages, its metal naturally corrodes. If you notice significant rusting on your furnace, then that’s perhaps the surest visual tell that it’s being pushed past its limits.
Reach out to the Airtegrity team today for all your comfort needs!
