If You're Not Sure When to Replace Your Furnace, Here's 8 Tips to Know For Sure

No homeowner wants to consider the cost of having their furnace replaced. Still, sometimes there’s no way around the situation. If you’re wondering whether it’s time to replace your furnace, here are eight ways to know for sure that it needs to be done:

1. The average life expectancy of today’s furnaces is from 16 to 20 years. If your furnace is around this age, or older, it’s time to start looking for a new one.
2. If you no longer have an efficient furnace, evidenced by an increasing energy bill with no usage changes, put the money you’ve been paying the energy company into a new furnace.
3. Most furnaces have the greatest number of problems in the last two years of their lives. If you’ve had repairs more than once within this time frame, or have had to wait for replacement parts, it could be time for replacement.
4. If your furnace can no longer distribute air evenly throughout the home, you’ll feel the effect as some rooms are comfortable while others are too cold or too hot.
5. Know the signs of carbon monoxide, such as if the furnace’s burner flame is yellow, or if it flickers. You can also tell from streaks of soot around the furnace and the absence of an upward draft in the chimney.
6. Does the furnace make strange noises, such as banging, rattle, popping or squealing? Or does the furnace blower run excessively?
7. Do you get frequent headaches, or flu-like symptoms? What about a burning feeling in the nose or eyes, or disorientation? If so, get out of the house immediately and call a service technician – you could be experiencing a CO leak and need to replace your furnace.
8. If your home is overly dry or dusty, or if you suffer from a dry nose, throat or skin inside the house, your furnace many no longer have the ability to moisturize and clean the air in your home.

Since 1968, Paschal Heat, Air & Geothermal has been keeping Northwest Arkansas comfortable through HVAC services. Contact us today with questions on whether or not you should replace your furnace.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Springdale, Arkansas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about replacing your furnace and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

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