How can you tell when you need a new furnace in Sacramento? There are many answers to that question, but we want to begin by saying that age is one of the best determining factors … But only in conjunction with other symptoms!
The average lifespan for a modern furnace is anywhere between 16 and 20 years. You may have even heard other furnace owners tell you that they’ve had theirs longer than 20 years. Just because your furnace is over 16 years old doesn’t mean it needs to be immediately replaced. Likewise, some furnaces may even need replacement before that 16-year mark.
If your aim is to be proactive about replacement, the best approach is to start paying attention to your furnace after it turns 12 years old. That’s when you should keep a closer watch on symptoms like:
No Longer Keeping You Comfortable
Does it feel like you’re constantly turning up the heat just to stay warm this season? It’s not just you—a furnace near the end of its life will fail to distribute air through the home properly. Along with a general dissatisfaction for your furnace, you may also notice uneven heating through rooms across the home.
Gradually Rising Heating Bill
An aging furnace will simply fail to perform as efficiently as it once did. That means increased running time, increased energy expenditure, and increased wear-and-tear on the parts. When you combine all of those factors, you can anticipate a much higher heating bill.
Increased Need for Repairs
It’s generally observed that the last two years of the furnace’s life is when it demands the most amount of repairs. If you suddenly find that you’re having to call in for your furnace more than once during the same year, that could be a sign that your furnace is nearing replacement. You can always bring up your concerns to your HVAC technician so they can take a closer look.
Common repair issues you might start experiencing include:
- Noises: Screeching, grinding, clunking, vibrating … A furnace can make many odd noises, and they’re almost always due to a repair issue. Call it in and get an opinion instead of hoping it will pass.
- Airflow issues: Feeling cold or room-temperature air from your furnace—or no airflow at all—may indicate a serious repair issue.
- Not starting: Several components are responsible for starting the furnace, such as the pilot light or hot surface igniter, gas burners, thermopiles and thermocouples. Even one of them falling into disrepair can mean a furnace that refuses to start.
Experiencing Issues Soon After Maintenance
When any of the above issues happen while your furnace is young, we always encourage you to get a maintenance check. A general tune-up will help fix inefficiencies, as well as allowing us to prevent any repair problems. But if your furnace is too old, you’ll find that the usual tune-up just isn’t enough anymore.