We realize that purchasing a furnace may not be an immediate need, but it’s important to learn the keys that can drive your decision when that time comes. Below are five important considerations that Wesley Wood Service Experts advises our customers to think about during their evaluation:
1. Heating Repair Frequency
Just like any appliance, as furnaces age, the likeliness of heating repairs increase. If your furnace is over 15 years old, you might start to experience relatively expensive repairs. More common and costly repairs include blower motor failures, ignition control failures and heat exchanger failures.
2. Operational Cost
The efficiency of gas furnaces in West Chester area homes today vary significantly and their efficiency directly influences your utility bills. Furnaces older than 15 years can be terribly inefficient, with up to 40% of your heating dollars going out the window (in a manner of speaking). Even the latest models of furnaces can waste up to 20%.
3. System Maintenance
A well maintained furnace will operate more efficiently, lower the likelihood of expensive repairs and most of all ensure your safety. Remember, these are gas-fired appliances. Another important point is a properly serviced furnace will last longer before replacement is necessary.
4. Tune-up Checks
Wesley Wood Service Experts receives a lot of questions relating to what really can be done to tune-up or maintain a furnace and there are actually many essential checks and calibrations in the process:
- Gas Pressure and gas valve calibration
- Cleaning and checking safety switches
- Cleaning the heat exchanger
- Inspecting the heat exchanger for dangerous conditions
- Cleaning the blower system
- Cleaning and replacement of worn ignition sensors
- And many others...
5. HVAC Maintenance Interval
A certified technician who has the skill and hands-on experience to perform a tune-up should maintain heating equipment once a year. Simply put, without routine maintenance, frequent repairs combined with aged equipment are a couple of the more obvious indicators of a need to replace your furnace.
High energy costs and the interest to reduce energy consumption are also strong reasons to consider replacement of your furnace. In fact, an independent study by Decision Analyst stated that nearly 20% of homeowners who recently replaced their furnace specifically did so to lower their utility bills.
West Chester area homeowners seeking more information are urged to call Wesley Wood Service Experts at 484-401-7577.