How to Tell It’s Time to Upgrade Your Heating Unit

The signs of a failing furnace are not always apparent. While an issue could be something minor like a dirty air filter or loose connection, there’s a possibility that your furnace problem is major or more complex. Below are the most common signs that it’s time for a heating unit upgrade in Oklahoma City, OK:

• Unusual noises: Your heating system makes a sound when it turns on or off, typically quick clicks or beeps. This is the thermostat doing its job. Otherwise, you can hear air traveling through the ductwork while the heater is on, but most other sounds are not normal. If you notice unusual sounds coming from the heating unit, it may be trying to tell you that something is about to break. The sound might be caused by an old fan belt, loose blower fan, blocked ductwork or blocked gas or water line.
• Poor performance: A heating unit not working like it should is frustrating. When heater performance problems arise in newer systems, you have to act quickly to rule out the need for major repairs. Identifying increasingly poor heating performance is not all that difficult. The furnace may be coming on too frequently or not coming on often enough, not heating up your home or heating rooms unevenly. Hopefully, it’s something that can be fixed, such as a broken fan or thermostat or sealing on the ductwork.
• Higher than normal heating bills: Energy costs tend to fluctuate from season to season—you can expect to pay more to use your heater the colder it is outside. To figure out if it might be time to replace your heater, compare your most recent power bill to one from the same time last year. Although your heating system usage is not a separate bill, there may be something amiss if the dollar amount on your current bill is significantly higher.
• Old age: Older heaters are usually the culprit when it comes to performance problems. If they cannot be attributed to minor repair needs, then it’s likely your furnace is simply too old to function at optimal levels. Look at the date printed on the furnace. The average lifespan of a gas furnace is 18 years, but 15 years is the ideal time to replace it, preferably with an Energy Star-rated appliance. This type of heater replacement can improve efficiency while lowering energy bills.
• Needing repair after repair: Regular preventative maintenance is important for the health of your heating system. However, there may come a time when you need one major furnace repair after another. This is to be expected the older a heater gets. Parts will start to wear out and require replacement, or become loose and need maintenance. If you are forking over hefty sums of money to take care of large furnace repair bills every couple of months, the pros suggest getting a new unit.

Don’t get left out in the cold this winter! If you would like to schedule furnace installation or heating system maintenance in Oklahoma City, OK, call Dailey Heating & Air Conditioning today.

Categorised in: Heating System Installation

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