Your furnace has made it this far this year, but will it get you through the whole blistery cold season?
While winter’s end may be in sight, we are all too familiar with late winter and early spring being some of the coldest times of the year in Buffalo, New York. It’s time to follow the signs to make sure your furnace is up to the job of keeping you cozy the rest of this winter.
The below tips will help you to identify the warning signs that it may be time to look into getting a new furnace.
Furnace Lifetime Expectancy
Today’s furnaces have a typical lifetime of around 20 to 30 years. If your heater is more than 15 years old, it is probably time to start considering furnace replacement options. Before you completely give up on your furnace, there are plenty of ways to make sure you get the most out of it. To start, be sure you’ve got the breakers and shut off controls accurately set. Also make sure you regularly swap out soiled, clogged filters for clean ones to allow for proper airflow.
Varying Temperatures Throughout Your Buffalo, New York Residence
With age, furnaces become more inefficient and they may lose the ability to disperse heat evenly throughout your home, as they are working harder. A furnace passed its heyday may not be able to heat as much as it once did and, therefore; some rooms in your Buffalo, New York home may be chillier than others.
Increased Heating Costs
Have your energy bills and maintenance costs for your furnace progressively increased? If so, your expenses could be a significant sign that your furnace is close to needing to be replaced. Older furnaces must work harder to produce heat, and as a result, your energy bills and repair costs progressively rise. Newer efficient furnace units will save you money over time.
Furnace Noise
Has your furnace starting talking to you or have the sounds of your furnace changed? Furnaces can be noisy, however; if that noise gets louder over time, then you may want to consider a replacement. Possible new noises and signs include: rattling, popping, humming, and screeching or squealing. Any new noise coming from your heating unit should alert you that it is time to call in a professional.
Soot is Discovered
If you have found new black powdery or flaky substances around your furnace registers, it may be time to replace your furnace. If you find soot (or dust/rust) around these areas within your home, it means that your furnace has too much CO2. Not only does this mean your furnace is not performing well, this can cause extreme dryness throughout your home which can lead to damaged furniture, flooring and plants. It can also cause itchy throats, dry eyes, as well as respiratory issues when inhaled.
Professional Advice: To give your furnace some extra life and to save you some money on your energy bill, you can turn the heat down and wear extra layers, but don’t turn the temperature down too much to cause bursting pipes. A programmable thermostat is perhaps the best way to regulate the heat in your New York home. It’s easy. You program the thermostat to drop the temperature when you’re either asleep or away and then schedule the temperatures to rise when you return. You can also seal areas within your home that leak heat, such as doors and windows.
Just because your Buffalo, New York furnace is old, does not mean that it must be replaced. You should follow the indicators to determine if it is the end of the road for your unit or not. At Reimer Home Services we are whizzes when it comes to furnace repair and replacement.
We fix, service, and replace furnaces and boilers here in Buffalo and Western New York. Since 1921, local homeowners have trusted Reimer with their home’s heating service needs. We’re available Day or Night to help. We don’t charge our customers extra for service on nights or weekends. Plus, all of our repairs come backed by our 2-year warranty.
When you need heating services here in Buffalo and Erie County, call your local furnace professionals at Reimer Home Services.
