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Evaluating Your Furnace Efficiency

Should I Buy a New Furnace?

Unless your furnace goes completely ka-put, it can be difficult to determine just the right time to consider buying a new furnace. On one hand, you don’t want to spend money buying a new furnace when your existing furnace could last a few more years. However, you also don’t want to sink money into an old furnace that might leave you stranded in the frigid throws of a harsh Kansas City winter.

Asking yourself “Do I need a new furnace?” is a tough call for sure, which is why it’s so important to have a trusted Kansas City heating & cooling company you can rely on for honest, objective advice. Over the years, our experienced furnace technicians have helped homeowners make the right call when it comes time to decide between buying a new furnace and repairing an old one.

Winter Is Around the Corner

With winter coming, buying a new furnace is on the minds of many KC Metro homeowners. No heat in the middle of winter is never fun, and neither is buying a new furnace because of an emergency. You might face making a decision sooner than later if you run across any of the following issues:

Safety Issues

It’s definitely time to buy a new furnace if your technician finds something in the vent or heat exchanger that makes the furnace unsafe or completely unreliable. Often times, these problems can cause you to call for emergency furnace repair and that’s both expensive and stressful. That’s why we suggest routine furnace maintenance or service appointments. Finding out ahead of time saves you money, headaches and peace of mind.

Cost of Repairs

It could also be time to buy a new furnace if the cost of repairs is outweighing the cost of buying a new furnace. If your furnace is no longer under warranty, then you’re on the hook for the entire bill. Some furnace components are expensive to repair or replace, especially if they’re outdated or hard to find, which is why warranties are so important. Add up the money you’re spending on repairs, either at one time or spanning the next several winters. If the potential repairs outweigh the cost of replacement, it’s time to buy a new furnace. Even if the difference doesn’t add up to much, the energy savings and overall efficiency might make a new furnace the right decision.

Energy Efficient

There have been significant advances in furnace efficiency in the past 5 or 6 years. Buying a new furnace to replace one that’s more than 20 years old can make a huge difference on your utility bills. The savings are especially noticeable during really cold or extended winters.

Decrease in Functions

An aging system will show a decrease in function after time. Rooms that used to be cold are now no longer cold. Rooms where the heat would flow are now the coldest rooms in the building. The aging system can’t keep up with the demand anymore, therefore the house’s overall temperature will also change. Sometimes it helps to keep an actual thermometer in each room, not just use the thermostat.  A digital weather clock or other device that you can use indoors can help you to spot the temperature differences right away.

A Good Time to Replace It?

Fall and winter aren’t the only seasons to buy a new furnace. Let’s say you’re replacing your air conditioner. If furnace has some age on it, consider replacing both units at the same time. It’ll give you a price break and an entirely new system that gives you peace of mind. Plus, combining an older combination (new AC, old furnace) can bring down efficiency. New systems work best together. Variable speed blowers can turn at slow rates to move air, but older furnaces aren’t designed to handle variable speed blowers.

Rising Energy Costs

There comes a time when all furnace units start to need more energy to do the same job they’ve been doing all their lives. Buying a new furnace eliminates this energy drain, spreading out your savings over the next couple of years. Start by tracking your overall energy consumption. Your furnace is one of the larger expenses, especially in the colder months when it is running all the time. Don’t let your old unit run you into the ground. Instead, pay to buy a new furnace before it is too late.

In short, there’s a lot to consider before sinking a considerable amount of cash into your comfort system. Contact the professionals at United Heating, Cooling & Plumbing for a full furnace maintenance checkup. We will be happy to help you out with any questions or concerns. We will also be happy to figure out the best course of action for your aging system and make a recommendation for a newer and more efficient furnace replacement that will fit your needs. You just might be saving yourself (and your wallet) from hard times ahead!

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