For the Pacific Northwest, this winter has been especially long and tough. With longer bouts of cold weather, you’ve probably been running your furnace more this year than others. As we approach spring, the idea of cleaning our homes springs in mind. Now is also a good time to think about whether furnace replacement or some maintenance work makes sense. Maintaining a furnace is one of the aspects of homeownership that translates into lower yearly maintenance and energy costs when it’s done right. Furnace replacement in Edmonds, WA doesn’t have to be tough.
1st Response HVAC has experience helping many customers weigh out the options between keeping an older furnace running longer or replacing it. Much of the decision depends on your lifestyle, how long you plan to stay in your current home, your home insulation levels, and how much you run your furnace.
Thinking through Choices
Not everyone thinks about heating replacement Marysville, especially if they aren’t a homeowner. Owning your own property means you have to stay on top of everything. Since heating and cooling make up almost 44% of your annual energy costs, it makes sense to spend time paying attention to your heating system.
Two Sides to the Coin: Repairing or Replacing
If your furnace makes a few noises and seems a little less efficient, is it worth replacing? You don’t want it to die on you unexpectedly, but you might find repairing it to make it last longer worth it. A general rule of thumb when it comes to repairing or replacing is this:
If it will cost more than $500 to fix, it’s a better investment to spend that money on a replacement.
We have some customers with furnaces almost 20 years old that are still working well, and we help keep them going with regular maintenance. It’s important to tell you though, these customers are paying much more every month to heat their homes. The majority of our customers who have newer, more efficient furnaces are paying less because their furnaces use less energy to convert into heat. These newer models run up to 90% efficiency as an AFUE rating (Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency). we also provide services for furnace installation in Lynnwood.
Making the Choice
To see if you’ll save money by replacing an older furnace, you should spend some time fact-gathering to make the right choice. First, find out your annual cost to heat your home. See what the difference in the AFUE rating on your current system and a newer model will be and multiply the difference between these two by your annual cost.
This will let you know how much you’ll save each year on energy costs. From there, you can divide the cost of your replacement furnace by the amount you’ll save each year to see how many years it will take to break even on your investment.
Even if it will take a few years, remember in terms of lifestyle, you’ll have fewer worries about breakdowns and lower monthly bills. Contact us if you’re searching for a furnace service near you.
Call 1st Response HVAC for help with furnace replacement in Edmonds, WA at 206-643-1525 today. We also offer a water heater service in Marysville to your doorstep.
View Comments (5)
What if the furnace is new and already has problems will it be better to replace it even though their is wears and tears?
Can regularly maintenancing your furnace bring your yearly cost of heating down?
I had no idea the cost of heating was 44% of annual energy costs! What an interesting and helpful article, I'm definitely going to be paying more attention to my heating equipment, including maintenancing it more often.
Definitely saving this article for when my furnace starts showing serious signs of wear!
You say if a repair is more than $500 it is a better idea to buy a replacement, but is this always the case? I know furnaces can vastly vary in price.