During the winter heating season, the health and operation of your home’s furnace is obviously fundamental to your comfort. If you’re experiencing furnace difficulties, you might be wondering whether it’s in your best interests to repair or replace your furnace. There are multiple factors that will determine which option is best for you. Your Oklahoma City area HVAC professional can help you assess your needs and your current HVAC system to determine whether furnace repair or replacement is the best short- and long-term answer for your Oklahoma City home.
When Repair Is Best
More often than not, furnace troubles can be easily pinpointed and repaired by a ACE-certified, HVAC professional. If your furnace is new—i.e., less than 10 years of system life — chances are very good that any issues it exhibits can be solved through repair. Furthermore, if your furnace is still heating your Oklahoma City area home efficiently (your HVAC professional can help you confirm 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. A good general rule of thumb about furnace repairs is that if the repairs you need are less than one-third of the expense of a new heating system and your furnace is in the first half of its anticipated lifetime, repair is likely your best choice. 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 professional about upgrading your thermostat or checking the integrity of your Oklahoma City home’s ductwork to see if he thinks these HVAC products could improve the efficiency of your furnace. Talk to Gordon's Service Experts about scheduling regular furnace maintenance, which will keep your furnace functioning its best and help you minimize further repairs or drops in efficiency.
When Replacement Is Best
In some cases, repair cannot restore your heating system to a minimally effective level. The anticipated lifetime of most furnaces is 15-20 years; thereafter, the heating system will deteriorate and fail more and more often. Accordingly, if your furnace is nearing or passed the 15 year mark, it is time to discuss replacement. Regardless of the age of your furnace, if you require your HVAC service provider for repairs frequently, this could also be a sign that your furnace is beyond help and requires a replacement. Although repairs may seem like an easy fix, if they aren’t keeping your furnace functioning 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 appropriate for you including the quality of your original furnace installation and the capacity of your furnace. A furnace is only as good as its installation, making proper installation essential. Also, your furnace may be struggling if it’s not sized according to specs for your Oklahoma City 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 Oklahoma City home’s heating system is right for you, contact Gordon's Service Experts today.