Big-ticket items like furnaces are usually built to last. But then, nothing lasts forever, either. If you’ve gotten more than 20 years’ worth of dutiful service from your furnace, a furnace replacement may be in your immediate future.
While the age of your furnace is one factor you should consider, your furnace may be exhibiting some common telltale signs that it’s facing its final days. At this point, it’s up to you to listen to the tale it’s trying to tell. The U.S. Department of Energy urges you to consider whether:
- Your furnace’s burner flame has changed from blue to yellow, which often signifies the presence of carbon monoxide. This poisonous gas is good reason to call your favorite heating and air conditioning technician immediately.
- Your furnace is spewing dirt, dust or soot particles and/or shows visible signs of rust.
- Your furnace has become a noise-maker by regularly emitting hums, buzzes, rattles, vibrations, squeals or any other unusual noise that usually signals it is working harder than it should.
- Your home is plagued by humidity problems, uneven temperatures from room to room or unusual dryness, stuffiness or stale air – any of which could mean that your furnace can no longer sufficiently distribute or clean the air in your home.
- Your gas or electric bills have grown bigger while your consumption has remained mostly constant. Inefficient furnaces cost more money to operate.
- Your furnace has required frequent repairs, which generally come with more regularity during the last two years of a furnace’s life span.
- Your furnace is cycling on and off more frequently.
Furnace replacement is a major endeavor that should be entrusted to seasoned professionals who will evaluate your home and determine the correct furnace size for your needs. After all, today’s Energy Star furnaces can be up to 98 percent efficient, but if your furnace is either too small or too large for your home, you will not capitalize on the energy savings it is intended to deliver.
Call Meyer’s and we’ll ensure that your new furnace is properly sized and installed to give you the 20-plus years of faithful service you deserve.