If the heating system in your Cincinnati or Northern Kentucky home is getting up there in years and isn’t doing its job as well as it used to, when to buy a new furnace is probably the top question on your mind. You know that a new furnace isn’t cheap so you want to get the most out of your current unit, but you don’t want to wait too long and suddenly be stuck without heat in the middle of winter. Rusk Heating and Cooling shares information that can help you decide when to buy a new furnace.

How to Decide When to Buy a New Furnace

Timing your decision regarding when to buy a new furnace is tricky, as you never know for sure when a furnace is in its final season or even its last days. Since there are no set expiration dates for these systems, we have to rely on some general information and watch for signs that say heating system replacement is imminent. 

Consider these factors as you determine when to buy a new furnace:

  • Age of existing furnace. On average, furnaces last between 15 to 20 years. Once your existing furnace approaches the 15-year mark or surpasses it, it is likely that you will need a new furnace in the next year or the next few years. But furnace technology has changed a lot since the last time you bought a new furnace. You could stick with reliable gas furnaces or you might want to cut out fossil fuels and choose electric furnaces. Either way, both of these furnaces are much more energy efficient than your current model. In time, your annual fuel utilization efficiency will improve so much that you’ll save so much money on natural gas and heat energy that it makes sense to switch and save. 
  • Furnace care. The care you’ve given your gas furnace over the years will impact its service life. A furnace that is well-maintained and has been professionally tuned up each year is likely to be an efficient furnace that lasts longer than a system that has never seen a regular maintenance tune-up or has gone years between services.
  • System use. Your heating habits also impact the life of your gas furnace. If you prefer to keep your home at a toasty 75 degrees over the winter, your furnace seems a lot more useful than the furnace in a home kept at an efficient 68 degrees throughout the season. The more your furnace runs, the more wear and tear it sustains, which will damage components, reduce the furnace’s efficiency, and cause the furnace to wear out faster.
  • Repair needs. In general, gas furnaces need more repairs in their final two years of service life. Think back over the past few winters and see if you can note an increase in repair calls to your HVAC company. If your repair visits have increased over the last year or two, you can expect your furnace is on its last leg now.
  • Comfort control. Has your furnace been doing a good job at keeping your home comfortable? As your furnace becomes less energy efficient and systems wear out, your furnace will typically struggle to perform at the same level it once did. This can be seen through difficulties managing temperatures inside the house including hot and cold spots as well as longer heating cycles.
  • Energy costs. If your energy bills have been increasing in the winter yet you cannot identify why an old furnace is commonly the culprit. An older furnace is not nearly as energy efficient as a newer model. Higher energy expenses are a sign of the system’s diminished energy efficiency and its struggle to accomplish the task of heating your home.

Furnace Installation from Rusk Heating and Cooling

If you’ve thought about when to buy a new furnace and have determined the time is now or you need a professional’s opinion before making this decision, Rusk Heating and Cooling is here to help. Our heating professionals can evaluate your existing furnace, give you options for buying a new furnace, as well as provide a quote for the installation of a new efficient unit for your home. Contact us today to schedule an appointment.