No one likes to think about having to replace the big items when it’s about their home remodeling. So replacing furnaces is not something that people seem to think about until they absolutely have to. This normally means that the furnace is completely dead and it’s somewhat of an emergency. Then the whole money issue comes into play. It helps if you are a little prepared and know what signs to look for. This will allow you to start home remodeling shopping around for the best quality at the best price. It also allows you to start saving a bit here and there if you need to.
In order to make an informed decision you must first evaluate your current furnace. This means determine the overall efficiency, the actual “heating load” required by your home and the price of the fuel. The “heating load” is what is referred to in regards to the output that furnaces must produce to keep homes at an even 65 degrees. Keep in mind that most furnaces last up to 25 years. So if yours is much younger than that you will want to look into the efficiency of the model. Ideally you want an 80% to 97% efficiency level. But you have to weigh whether or not the $3000+ fee for a new one is worth saving up to 20%-30% on your heating bill. This is when it comes time to do the math. As to the fuel costs, with the fluctuation in electricity and gas currently battling back and forth it’s not an issue. However, if the price of gas or electricity has a huge rise in numbers than it may be cost effective to replace your unit with one that uses the other energy source.
If furnaces aren’t quite to the point that they are dead or you simply can’t afford a new one till this one dies then look into making yours more cost friendly. This requires keeping it well-maintained and performing a few extra tasks during the year so that it makes it to the ripe old age of 25. First off, ask your utility home remodeling company to come out and perform an “energy audit”.
This means they will inspect your home for ways to make it more energy efficient, therefore allowing furnaces to run less and not have to work as hard. Normally this is simple and relatively inexpensive things like added insulation or new weather-stripping. If you have a company that performs regular maintenance on your furnace they can give you tips on how to improve the overall performance of furnaces. If you don’t have a maintenance plan then you should get one. Twice a year is the recommended checkup times apart from home improvement. Once at the beginning of winter and once at the end.
A company that works on furnaces may recommend replacing your standard pilot light with a new electronic ignition to improve costs. If you have a system that is over 5 years old, they may recommend that you have the joints in your ductwork sealed.
In order to make an informed decision you must first evaluate your current furnace. This means determine the overall efficiency, the actual “heating load” required by your home and the price of the fuel. The “heating load” is what is referred to in regards to the output that furnaces must produce to keep homes at an even 65 degrees. Keep in mind that most furnaces last up to 25 years. So if yours is much younger than that you will want to look into the efficiency of the model. Ideally you want an 80% to 97% efficiency level. But you have to weigh whether or not the $3000+ fee for a new one is worth saving up to 20%-30% on your heating bill. This is when it comes time to do the math. As to the fuel costs, with the fluctuation in electricity and gas currently battling back and forth it’s not an issue. However, if the price of gas or electricity has a huge rise in numbers than it may be cost effective to replace your unit with one that uses the other energy source.
If furnaces aren’t quite to the point that they are dead or you simply can’t afford a new one till this one dies then look into making yours more cost friendly. This requires keeping it well-maintained and performing a few extra tasks during the year so that it makes it to the ripe old age of 25. First off, ask your utility home remodeling company to come out and perform an “energy audit”.
This means they will inspect your home for ways to make it more energy efficient, therefore allowing furnaces to run less and not have to work as hard. Normally this is simple and relatively inexpensive things like added insulation or new weather-stripping. If you have a company that performs regular maintenance on your furnace they can give you tips on how to improve the overall performance of furnaces. If you don’t have a maintenance plan then you should get one. Twice a year is the recommended checkup times apart from home improvement. Once at the beginning of winter and once at the end.
A company that works on furnaces may recommend replacing your standard pilot light with a new electronic ignition to improve costs. If you have a system that is over 5 years old, they may recommend that you have the joints in your ductwork sealed.
