This winter season has given most of us a hard time. As you can imagine, your heater has had to put in a lot of work. It’s probably still putting in a good deal of work even as you’re reading this.
At this point, your furnace heater may have a couple more months of use before it can be shut down for the year. You will need to consider if your furnace needs some helpful upkeep to make it through the remainder of the cold weather.
Here is a quick guide to determine what furnace service in Egg Harbor Township, NJ you need to schedule: repairs or a full system replacement.
How To Tell You Need a Furnace Repair
Your furnace, even with regular yearly maintenance, will need repairs over the years. Maintenance helps keep those repairs to a minimum and hopefully keeps them on the less severe side too. If your furnace needs repairs you’ll want to catch it and address it quickly. Watch out for indicators of a repair need such as:
- Worrying noises. If your furnace has developed new sounds when it runs it’s worth some concern. Noises such as rattling, screeching, hissing, or booming are all indicators of a problem within the system that likely requires repairs.
- Short cycling. This may be an indicator of a few different types of issues such as problems with the thermostat or the ability of your furnace to heat things properly. Ultimately, short cycling is a big problem that you’ll want to have addressed quickly.
- Weakened airflow. Your furnace may be trying to produce warm air but weakened airflow will mean that it never reaches its destination. Whether caused by leaky ductwork or a fan problem, weak airflow will cost you until it’s fixed.
How To Determine You Need To Replace Your Furnace
One day you’ll need to replace your furnace. No system lasts forever. But how can you figure out whether or not your furnace needs an upgrade rather than another repair? The symptoms we’ve listed above can appear but may be paired with some of the following differentiators:
- Old age. If you don’t know how old your furnace is, now is a good time to find out. Furnace heaters that are close to or over 15 years old need to be replaced.
- Frequent repairs. Repairs will pop up over the years but they shouldn’t be a regular issue. If your furnace has started to require repairs on a regular basis, such as once a year or even more frequently, then you’ll want to start the replacement process before the system fails.
- High repair bills. Lastly, make sure to keep tabs on your repair bills. If you’re encountering repairs that are extremely costly, it may mean you’re better off using your money on an upgrade. A good rule of thumb to remember is the Rule of 5000: when the cost of the repair multiplied by the age of the furnace is over 5000, it’s time for a replacement.
Your comfort is our business. Contact Elliott-McElwee, Inc. for all of your furnace needs.