When its cold outside, the health and operation of your home’s furnace is obviously vital to your comfort. If you’re experiencing furnace problems, you may be wondering whether it’s in your best interests to repair or replace your furnace. There are many factors that will decide upon which option is best for you. Your Waldorf area HVAC service advisor can help you evaluate your needs and your struggling HVAC system to determine whether furnace repair or replacement is the best short- and long-term answer for your Waldorf home.
When Repair Is Best
Oftentimes, furnace problems can be easily pinpointed and repaired by a ACE-certified, HVAC professional. If your furnace is new—i.e., less than ten years old — it stands a very good chance that any issues it has can be solved through repair. Furthermore, if your furnace is still heating your Waldorf area home efficiently (your HVAC professional can help you determine this), then it is still probable that you will repair it. Usually, as long as you are not seeing a steady increase in your heating bills with constant usage and your home is not having issues with uneven heating, your furnace is considered in good shape. Our recommendation about furnace repairs is that as long as the repairs you need are less than one-third of the cost of a new heating system and your furnace is in the first half of its expected lifetime, repair is likely your best decision. Don’t forget that even if you are experiencing a decrease in heating efficiency, there are other avenues you can explore before considering replacing your furnace. Talk to your HVAC technician about upgrading your thermostat or checking the integrity of your Waldorf home’s ductwork to see if he thinks these solutions could improve the efficiency of your furnace. Talk to A-PLUS Service Experts about scheduling regular furnace maintenance, which will add years of quality service from your furnace and help you prevent further repairs or drops in efficiency.
When Replacement Is Best
Sometimes, repair is not your best option to restore your furnace to optimal function. The expected lifetime of most furnaces is 15-20 years; after which, the heating system will start to fail more and more often. Thus, if your furnace is approaching or past 15 years old, it is time to discuss replacement. Regardless of the age of your furnace, if you’ve been calling your HVAC service provider for repairs frequently, this could also be a sign that it’s time to consider replacement. Although repairs may seem like an easy fix, if they aren’t keeping your furnace operating for years at a time, these frequent smaller charges can add up quickly and cost you more in the long run. There are several things that may determine whether replacement is ideal for you including the quality of your original furnace installation and the capacity of your furnace. Installation means everything in terms of furnace effectiveness. Also, your furnace may be struggling if it’s not sized correctly for your Waldorf home size or heating needs. If your furnace isn’t sized or installed properly, you should consider replacing the system and starting anew, rather than continually addressing breakdowns and poor function.
If you have questions about whether repair or replacement of your Waldorf home’s heating system is right for you, contact A-PLUS Service Experts today.