I hope your furnace is getting a well-deserved rest after
this freakishly frigid winter. But you ask a great question: How can you be
sure an older-but-operable unit can handle another heating season?
Highly rated HVAC experts tell our team that you should
consider three factors before deciding if it's time to invest $2,500 to $5,500
in a new furnace:
- Age: A furnace has an average life span of 12 to 18 years,
so if yours has been warming you for at least a dozen years, it may be time to
consider replacement.
- Energy efficiency: Outdated furnaces generally use more
energy than new models. Also, an older unit may be oversized, which can cause
it to "short cycle," or turn on and off more often than needed.
Upgrading to a newer, smaller furnace may reduce your energy bills and increase
your comfort level.
- Problem signs: Signals that your furnace may need either a
pro's attention or replacement include unusually high utility bills, rooms
heating unevenly or a screeching or squealing noise, which may indicate a
blower motor problem.
When considering if it's worth it to invest in a repair,
remember this rule of thumb: If a repair will cost more than half the price of
a new appliance and the unit is more than 6 or 7 years old, it's probably best
to buy new.
If you decide to shop for a new unit, consider its AFUE
number. AFUE stands for "annual fuel utilization efficiency" and is a
measure of how efficiently a furnace converts fuel energy to heat over a
typical year. A unit with an AFUE of 95 percent means that 95 percent of the
fuel it burns becomes heat, while the other 5 percent is lost. The higher the
AFUE, the more efficient the furnace.
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