Signs To Look Out for That Indicate Your Heater Needs Replaced
Homeowners shouldn't wait until the middle of a cold dark winter’s night to discover that their heater is broken or simply can’t keep up. It’s always better to try and predict and prevent problems than deal with them as they happen. A home’s heater is no different. When a heater stops working in the middle of winter, it can be stressful having to make all of those big financial decisions out of necessity. Instead, it is easy to prevent the emergency altogether by replacing a heater before it fails at the worst time possible.
Fortunately, there are some warning signs that homeowners can look out for so that they aren’t blindsided in the middle of winter by having to make big decisions about heater replacement.
Old Age
Old age is one of the leading indicators that encourage people to update their furnace or heater. Most manufacturers expect their equipment to last between 15 and 20 years. Once a furnace hits the 15-year mark, it is likely to have more breakdowns and a loss of efficiency. Operating costs will continue to rise, and reliability will worsen as the system grows older. Deciding to replace a heater around the 15 to 20-year mark will likely save money in the long run because it will prevent unnecessary losses of efficiency and high emergency repair costs.
Another point in favor of preemptive heater replacement is the technological advancements that have been made in heating technology in the last two decades. With more stringent EPA requirements, heaters and furnaces boast much higher efficiency ratings than were previously even possible. By updating a heater early, homeowners can earn back the cost of a new heater over a few years by installing more efficient models.
Frequent Repairs
Emergency repairs can be very costly since most heater repair companies charge extra for overtime or emergency calls. As the unit ages, more repairs will become necessary, and each malfunction has a greater chance of causing more damage to other components within the system. The higher repair bills get, the more sense it makes to replace the heater entirely.
Skyrocketing Energy Bills
Tracking a home’s energy bills over the years can tell an expensive tale. As furnaces age, they naturally lose efficiency as a consequence of operation. By looking at past energy bills, a homeowner can see that efficiency will decline by a few percentage points every couple of years. This can add up to major costs as a furnace enters its twilight years.
As energy costs continue to rise, it is wise to switch to the cheapest fuel source that can be used for the greatest efficiency. A diligent homeowner can examine their options and decide if gas or electric heating makes more sense in their situation.
By deciding beforehand, a heater replacement can be performed. Then, the utility of the homeowner's choice can be installed instead of having to make a difficult decision during the cold of winter.
About Swick Home Services
Swick Home Services has been helping heat homes in Marquette since 1977. Their commitment is to the highest levels of customer satisfaction. Hard work and dedication to craftsmanship is what has kept them in business for all of these years. Give them a call today to learn more about their Marquette furnace replacement services.
