When winter hits and the snow starts to fall, most of us are either excited to bundle up or dread the inevitable freeze on its way. However, if you live in a home with an old furnace, your initial reaction may be panic instead of pleasant anticipation. If you have an older furnace that has experienced a few winters already, it will need repairs sooner rather than later from a furnace repair expert. Old furnaces can be dangerous for a variety of reasons. They use more energy than newer models. All this means that getting your old furnace fixed or upgraded is not just cost-effective but also necessary for the safety of you and everyone in your home.

1. You May Have A Safety Issue

If your furnace is over 15 years old, it is significantly more likely to break down at the worst possible time. This could happen while your HVAC contractor is out of town or on vacation, meaning you’ll be stuck in a freezing-cold house with no idea when the problem will be resolved. Additionally, if the problem is significant enough to cause a furnace breakdown, there’s a risk that the furnace could start a fire or catch your house on fire. Any older system that runs on gas, propane, oil, or kerosene could be a significant safety hazard.

2. Your Furnace Is Too Old

An older furnace could be using up to 50% more energy, meaning you’re paying thousands more per year than you would with a newer, more efficient model. If your furnace is more than 15 years old, likely, it’s also significantly less efficient than a unique model. This could mean you’re paying more energy costs and experiencing higher bills than you should be. If your furnace is 20 years old, it’s almost not energy efficient. A less efficient furnace could also be causing higher CO levels in the home due to a lack of proper airflow. This means you and your family could be at risk of CO poisoning. Therefore furnace repair would be essential.

3. You’re Using Way Too Much Energy

If you’re using way more energy than you should be for your home’s size, you could use the wrong furnace for your home’s climate. You may even be using an oil furnace in an environment where a gas furnace should be used. If your furnace is too old, it may not have been designed for your home’s current climate. As such, the furnace may be overworking to the point where it is more inefficient than it needs to be. In this situation, you may use way more energy than you need. If your system is too old, it may not be able to handle the required BTUs for your home’s climate. In this situation, you may need to upgrade to a larger furnace or add a new furnace to handle the increased workload.

4. Decrease The Risk Of Furnace Failure

We’ve already covered why older systems are more likely to break down. However, even new furnace installations risk breaking down if they aren’t installed or maintained correctly. If your HVAC contractor doesn’t install a new furnace properly, it may not run efficiently and break down prematurely. This could also indicate that your contractor isn’t as skilled or experienced as they should be. If your furnace isn’t installed correctly, it could cause severe issues with your home’s indoor environment. For example, it could become clogged with lint if it isn’t installed far away from your ductwork. This could cause your furnace to break down.

5. Ensure System Efficiency

If your furnace is just a few years old, it’s not likely to be a safety hazard. However, it’s still likely using too much energy and will need repairs soon. If your furnace needs to be repaired, but you don’t have the budget or time to get it done, it may be a good idea to replace it with a newer model instead of paying for costly repairs. A new furnace could cost a few thousand dollars, but it will last for 20 years or more.

Conclusion

An old furnace can cause serious safety issues, energy waste, and a dramatic uptick in repair costs. If your furnace is over ten years old, it’s likely time to upgrade. Newer systems are significantly more energy efficient and less likely to break down. This could save you thousands of dollars in energy costs and repair bills. Plus, it’s one of the easiest ways to increase the value of your home.

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