When is it Worth Fixing an Older Furnace?
When is it Worth Fixing an Older Furnace?
A furnace is a major investment, probably one of the most expensive appliances in your home. It’s natural that you’d want to get the most from that investment, and keep the furnace running as long as possible. That means calling a furnace repair service whenever it breaks down.
But what happens as the years go on, and breakdowns become more frequent? When is it time to start seriously think about buying a new furnace? These are some of the key considerations.
Repairing vs Replacing: Is it Time for a New Furnace?
1 – Repair Frequency
Perhaps the best metric for deciding if it’s time to replace your furnace is how often you’re calling for repair jobs. Furnaces are designed to run for long periods of time, with only occasional maintenance like changing the filters. You should go years between furnace repair service calls. If you’re having to call for help multiple times a year, the furnace is probably too broken-down to keep going for long.
2 – Age
How old is your furnace?
A properly-installed, well-maintained furnace can be expected to last at least a decade, and probably more like 15-20 years. Electric furnaces tend to last longer than gas-burners, but either way, consider 15 years the baseline for a good furnace lifespan.
If your furnace is older than that, then your repairs are going to be doing less and less good, adding maybe a year or two to its overall life.
3 – Comparing Costs
If you’re on the fence about whether to repair or replace, start comparing costs. Call a few shops and get an idea of what it would cost to replace your furnace. Then look at your repair calls as a percentage of the replacement cost. If its a cheap repair, that’s not a big issue. But once repairs start costing 25-50% as much as a replacement, that means you’re spending a lot of money keeping the old furnace running. At that point, a new furnace would probably be a better investment.
4 – Energy Efficiency
Another factor to consider is the operating costs of your furnace. Modern furnaces – especially those based on heat pump technology – run much cleaner and more efficiently than furnaces from 10-20 years ago.
So compare the energy efficiency of your current furnace against new models on the market. If there’s a substantial difference, you could end up saving money in the long run with an upgrade.
Think Before Repairing an Older Furnace
At Melton’s Heating and Air Conditioning, we’re always happy to provide furnace repair services whenever you need – but we don’t want you wasting money on a furnace which is past its prime. We carry a wide range of modern furnaces with excellent energy efficiency, compared to older models, which can provide better heating at lower operating costs.
If you aren’t sure if it’s time to upgrade, we’re here to help. Just contact us for a service call, and our repair crew would be happy to discuss your options while they’re there.
