It’s a cold night in Buffalo, and your furnace just died. It heated your home for more than a decade. Now, you’re at a crossroads: do you have Reimer fix your current furnace, or is it time to upgrade to a new system? Believe it or not, most homeowners have to make this decision at one time or another. In this blog post, we’ll walk you through the furnace repair versus replacement debate.
When should I think about getting a new furnace?
On average, most furnaces last between 10-13 years. As a general rule of thumb, a furnace under ten years old may still be worth repairing, since you can expect to get some more years of efficient, effective heating out of it. Reimer can help with this: we offer Day or Night emergency furnace repair services.
However, if your furnace is more than a decade old, you should at least consider replacement as an option. If your furnace is 15 or 20 years old, you should strongly consider replacement: even if your furnace has kept itself running, it’s likely to be far less energy efficient or effective than a newer model.
For most homeowners, a furnace breakdown is the point at which they make the decision to replace their furnace. In some ways, that makes sense: it forces you to decide between furnace repair versus replacement right then and there. However, you may want to get a new furnace before your previous one dies. That way, you won’t have to be without heating during the coldest nights of winter in Buffalo.
Deciding between furnace repair versus replacement
If you’re trying to decide between keeping your old furnace or replacing it with a new one, you should consider energy efficiency, reliability, and performance.
- Energy Efficiency: As furnaces near the end of their lifespan, they become less efficient, as parts that were once new don’t move as well as they did 20 years ago. Think about it: your furnace has been running nearly constantly for months at a time for many years now. Plus, a newer furnace can take advantage of two decades of better technology and energy-efficient design. If you’ve been debating furnace repair versus replacement, consider how much money a new furnace will save you on your heating bills each and every winter.
- Reliability: In addition to being a major headache that leaves your home feeling frosty, a furnace breakdown can also cost you money for repairs. The older a furnace gets, the more likely it is to break down, and each time you decide to repair it, you could be just putting off the inevitable. All those repair costs can add up over time. In contrast, a new furnace is not only less likely to break down, but also comes with a warranty that covers some of the repairs it might need. Take this into consideration when weighing furnace repair versus replacement.
- Performance: Has your older furnace been struggling to keep your home warm at night? Has your home had hot and cold spots and inconsistent temperatures between rooms? This may be a sign that your furnace is struggling to keep up with demand, and is seeing its performance start to slip. In addition to not being able to heat your home, your furnace is probably burning more and more energy to do less heating—a lose-lose situation. If this is the case, it might be time to consider upgrading to a new furnace from Reimer. Don’t forget to think about your comfort when debating between furnace repair versus replacement.
Reimer can help with both furnace repair and replacement
Every furnace is different. This blog post has some general tips, but to make an informed decision between furnace repair versus replacement, you’ll need to have one of the NATE-certified technicians at Reimer inspect your furnace. That’s why we offer Day or Night furnace repair services in Buffalo and Western New York.
Once our technician has inspected your furnace and provided you with an honest, upfront quote, we’ll be able to give you an informed recommendation on whether or not you should upgrade to a new furnace. From there, we’ll talk to you about some of our new systems and schedule a free, in-home estimate with you to discuss your options.
Ready to get started? Give Reimer a call today at (716) 694-8524 or contact us online.
