We realize that not everyone may need a new furnace right now, but it’s wise to learn the keys that can drive your decision when that time comes. Below are the top 5 considerations that Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning advises our customers to think about during their evaluation:
1. Heating Repair Frequency
Just like any appliance, as furnaces age, the likeliness of heating repairs increase. If your furnace is over 15 years old, those repairs can become significant. More common and costly repairs include blower motor failures, ignition control failures and heat exchanger failures.
2. Operational Cost
The efficiency of gas furnaces in Ocala area homes today vary significantly and their efficiency directly influences your utility bills. Furnaces older than 15 years can be terribly inefficient, with up to 40% of your heating dollars going out the window (in a manner of speaking). Even newer furnaces can waste up to 20%.
3. System Maintenance
A well maintained furnace will run more efficiently, lower the likelihood of expensive repairs and most of all ensure your safety. Don’t forget, these are gas-fired appliances. Another point to mention is a properly maintained furnace will last longer before replacement is needed.
4. Tune-up Checks
Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning hears many questions concerning what truly can be done to tune-up or maintain a furnace and there are actually many vital checks and calibrations in the process:
- Gas Pressure and gas valve calibration
- Cleaning and checking safety switches
- Cleaning the heat exchanger
- Inspecting the heat exchanger for dangerous conditions
- Cleaning the blower system
- Cleaning and replacement of worn ignition sensors
- Much more...
5. HVAC Maintenance Interval
A trained and certified HVAC specialist who has the skill and hands-on experience to perform a tune-up should maintain heating equipment once a year. Simply put, without routine maintenance, frequent repairs combined with dated equipment are some of the more obvious signals of a need to replace your furnace.
Excessive energy costs and the need to reduce energy consumption are also strong reasons to contemplate replacement of your furnace. In fact, an independent study by Decision Analyst stated that nearly 20% of homeowners who recently replaced their furnace specifically did so to lower their utility bills.
Ocala area homeowners seeking more information are urged to call Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning at 352-414-4006.