We understand that purchasing a furnace may not be an immediate need, but it’s important to learn the keys that would impact your decision when you do need to buy a new one. Below are five considerations that Boehmers/Cronin Emery Home Services by Enercare advises our customers to think about during their evaluation:
1. Heating Repair Frequency
Like any type of appliance, as furnaces age, the potential for frequent heating repairs increase. If your furnace is over 15 years old, those repair can be especially expensive. Some of the typical repairs include blower motor failures, ignition control failures and heat exchanger failures.
2. Operational Cost
The efficiency of gas furnaces in Kitchener area homes today naturally influences your home energy bills, and the level of efficiency can vary tremendously depending upon the system you buy. Furnaces older than 15 years can be terribly inefficient, with up to 40% of your heating dollars going out the window (in a manner of speaking). Even newer furnaces can waste up to 20%.
3. System Maintenance
A correctly maintained furnace will run more efficiently, reduce the likelihood of expensive repairs and most of all ensure your safety. After all, these are gas-fired appliances. Another point worth mentioning is a properly maintained furnace will last longer before replacement is necessary.
4. Tune-up Checks
Boehmers/Cronin Emery Home Services by Enercare often receives questions relating to what truly can be done to tune-up or maintain a furnace and there are actually many essential checks and calibrations in the process:
- Gas Pressure and gas valve calibration
- Cleaning and checking safety switches
- Cleaning the heat exchanger
- Inspecting the heat exchanger for dangerous conditions
- Cleaning the blower system
- Cleaning and replacement of worn ignition sensors
- And many others...
5. HVAC Maintenance Interval
A certified technician who has the skill and hands-on experience to perform a tune-up must maintain heating equipment each year. To put it bluntly, without routine maintenance, frequent repairs combined with old equipment are some of the more obvious signs of a need to replace your furnace.
High energy costs and the need to reduce energy consumption are also strong reasons to weigh the replacement of your furnace. In fact, an independent study by Decision Analyst suggested nearly 20% of homeowners who recently replaced their furnace specifically did so to lower their utility bills.
Kitchener area homeowners seeking more information are urged to call Boehmers/Cronin Emery Home Services by Enercare at 519-804-1617.