You may know when you should replace most items in our home. For example, your heating and air conditioning system air filter requires monthly replacement. Your pillows need to be replaced every two years. Your smoke detectors need to be replaced every 8-10 years. But what about your heating system?
If your furnace has annual maintenance and is kept in good working order, it can last 15-20 years. Once your heating system reaches 15 years of age , it’s really a good time to start contemplating replacing your furnace with upgraded, more energy-efficient heating equipment. Installed correctly, these high-efficiency heating systems can save up to 20% on energy costs. Even if your heating equipment still seems to be running fine, it’s ideal to start looking into your options now instead of waiting until your system breaks down in the middle of a long freeze and you’re so desperate you don’t have time to look into your options. When thinking about new furnace options it’s also important to consider your home’s air duct system. Leaking and undersized ducts can seriously affect your home’s overall comfort and effectiveness. New heating equipment is only as good as the air duct system that it’s installed in.
Another reason you want to research beforehand is to see what manufacturer rebates and tax credits are available to you. Right now, you can get U.S. government tax credits of up to $500 for certain heating and cooling equipment – but it’s only before the end of 2016 and hasn’t been approved past 12/31/16. Follow this link to help discover local rebates available in your area : https://www.energystar.gov/rebate-finder.
Another thing to take under advisement if your furnace isn’t quite 20 years old and you’re debating replacement is how much you’re spending on repairs. You can normally repair a furnace – swap out a part here, fix a piece there – but in the end the cost of repairing your furnace will be greater than the cost of replacing it and at that point you really need to examine long-term spending. If you are repairing your furnace each season, it’s probably time to consider replacement.
If you aren’t sure about your heating system’s ability to get you through the cold season safe and toasty, give Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning a call and we’d be happy to go out and inspect your system and provide any recommendations. Starting December 1st, Service Experts is providing discounts on qualifying heating and cooling systems so give us a call and ask about how much you can save!