Yes, this is Louisiana, and for much of the year, our weather is hot and steamy. We don’t need our heating systems up and running from September through May like they might in the northern reaches of the US. But we do need them! Average low temperatures in January are in the upper 30s, which means it often gets significantly colder than that. It’s not just a matter of comfort, it’s a matter of safety, and not having frozen pipes burst in the night!
We simply can’t do without reliable heat. When a furnace is getting on in years, needs a costly repair, or doesn’t ever seem to work as effectively or efficiently as it used to, it needs to be replaced. Do you need a new furnace installed? Or is the old one still worth repairing? Let’s take a closer look and figure it out.
Furnace Factors to Consider
A heating system is complex, with a lot of components. Many things can go wrong. Many things need to be going right for the whole thing to work properly. So there’s no single, straightforward answer to when it needs to be replaced. Instead, there are a variety of things you should include in your thought process.
- Type: Electric furnaces last significantly longer than gas furnaces.
- Age: While an electric furnace will often last 20 years, you shouldn’t expect more than 15 from a gas furnace.
- Condition: These life expectancies can only be reached with regular maintenance. Receiving service only occasionally will shorten the life of the furnace. No maintenance at all can result in a furnace lifetime only half as long as it should be.
- Efficiency: As long as maintenance is performed annually, the furnace’s efficiency should stay steady for many years. If your utility bills are climbing despite maintenance, the furnace may be on its way out.
- Effectiveness: Likewise, maintenance will keep a furnace performing reliably. Ineffective heating despite maintenance or repairs is a sign that the furnace is getting ready to retire.
- Repair Frequency: As your furnace ages, it experiences more and more wear and tear. Small components may need to be replaced, or things may require repair, more and more often.
- Repair Cost: If your furnace requires repair right now, how expensive do you expect that repair to be?
Weighing the Factors
A furnace that is under ten years old and well-maintained is unlikely to experience inefficiency and ineffectiveness that can’t be repaired. It’s more likely to be worth fixing, because that repair could ensure several more winters of heating.
A furnace that is reaching the outer limits of those life expectancies, or has been poorly maintained and is already struggling with efficiency and performance issues, might not be worth investing in. No amount of money or service will make your old furnace new again, and the issues are only likely to worsen.
Whether you need maintenance, repair, or heater replacement in Bossier City, LA, we’ve got you covered.
Contact us today to discuss your new heating system options or any other HVAC needs.