3 Signs That It’s Time to Replace a Gas Furnace

After a certain amount of time, a gas furnace becomes a central part of a home, and homeowners indeed might feel a sense of attachment to it. However, that attachment will be quick to fade if the furnace isn’t performing its functions properly. Here are three signs that might indicate that a gas furnace needs replacing.

It’s an Old Furnace

Heating and AC service Leesburg professionals know that the average life expectancy of a natural gas furnace is between 16 and 20 years. Once a furnace begins to approach this age, it’s time to start looking around for a new one. Some homeowners might be tempted to prolong the replacement as much as possible, though this is generally ill-advised.

Sure, homeowners can get the most out of their furnace by waiting until the very last minute before they malfunction entirely to replace it; however, if the furnace ends up failing completely before a homeowner arranges to have it replaced, they will be rushed to find a new system and might end up spending a significant amount more than they otherwise would have. A new furnace is certainly expensive, but it’s an important investment to make for homeowners looking to keep their house toasty and warm year-round.

The Energy Bills Keep Increasing

General inflation will naturally lead energy bills to gradually rise over time; however, if the spike in cost of monthly energy bills is alarming and consistent, this might be reflective of a gas furnace that needs quick replacing. As a furnace ages, it invariably decreases in efficiency, particularly if the homeowner hasn’t taken the proper maintenance measures throughout the years.

An old furnace will run for longer in order to produce the same amount of heat, which directly equals to a higher energy bill. A quick fix for this issue is investing in new air filters (which should ideally be changed once every 1-3 months depending on how quickly they wear out). Homeowners can test whether their air filter needs replacing by holding the filter up to the light - if the light cannot be seen passing through, the filter likely needs immediate replacement.

Regular Repairs are Needed

Heating and air conditioning services are necessary every so often in order to keep the HVAC system running smoothly. However, if the homeowner becomes overly acquainted with a furnace service person due to them being over for a repair so often, the issue might be better resolved by simply investing in a new gas furnace. Although these frequent repairs tend to fix the issue immediately, the solutions will invariably be brief in nature if the furnace is past its time. The brand new furnace certainly costs more upfront, but the savings that homeowners will experience by not having to call a serviceperson every months is largely worth the initial investment.