Winter?s coming, there?s a chill in the air. We?re so busy with thoughts of the holidays and the delicious meals, but have you taken a moment to consider your furnace? When?s the last time you had a service or maintenance check? Don?t you think you should take care of it before you wind up needing home furnace repairs when it?s cold out?
How Old Are Your Home and Heating?
Since 2000, most homes built (91%) have a main space heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system with central ducts. Only half of homes built prior to 1940 do.
Many could benefit from maintenance, as only 42% of those who use central equipment service it yearly. Your system may need replacement if it’s more than 12 to 15 years old, often requires repairs or no longer creates sufficient warmth, has irregular on and off cycles and consumes more and more energy, or makes strange noises. Upgrading to a new furnace makes sense.
Furnace Efficiency
The Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency (AFUE) rating of furnaces measures how well a unit converts fuel to heat in your household. The minimum AFUE rating requirement is 80% for today?s standard models, but many that are available have ratings that are quite a bit higher. Furnaces that have AFUE ratings between 90 and 95% are considered ?high efficiency? furnaces. While these units can cost more up front, they can save energy and money in the long run and they often have more advanced features. Plus, owning a high efficiency system makes you eligible for rebates from your local utility company, in some areas currently up to as much as $400.
What Sort of Furnace Should You Get?
So if you?re going to have a new home furnace installed, a 60,000 BTU furnace is plenty for the average home. Units with a higher BTU rating aren’t necessarily better for smaller residences, as they cost more and hit preferred temperatures too quickly, then shut down, resulting in an inconsistent level of comfort. You wind up thinking you need home furnace repairs when really, you?ve gotten the wrong furnace for your home.
Regular Maintenance
Many HVAC experts say that up to 75% of the panicked calls they receive about having no heat in the winter have a due correlation to a lack of maintenance. When unserviced, furnaces can suddenly stop working, leaving you and your family in the cold; the worst. Having regular home HVAC repairs and check ups can avoid the headache of cold nights and furnace replacement.
So make sure your home is ready for winter. Have your heating system checked out now and do any home furnace repairs necessary. So much better safe than sorry, when it comes to your comfort. Read more blogs like this.
