How To Know Whether To Repair Or Replace Your Furnace After A Breakdown

When your furnace breaks down, it can be a tough situation that comes with a tough decision: should you repair or replace your broken furnace? There are a number of factors that go into the decision, and it’s a decision that will determine whether your home is comfortable in the winter, and what your bills will look like going forward.

When To Consider Replacing Your Furnace

There are a bunch of different aspects to consider when your furnace breaks down, and we want to go through them and let you know what they mean when it comes to a decision to repair or replace your furnace.

• System Is Less Than Ten Years Old
• The System Is Still Under Warranty
• Repairs Are Less than 30% Of A Replacement
• You’re Planning To Move Soon

System Is Less Than Ten Years Old

If your system is less than ten years old, we would recommend a repair. Furnaces should last up to 15 years with regular furnace maintenance. If there’s a breakdown early on in its lifespan, the repair should be able to fix it for a long period of time. If the repair isn’t too expensive, that should be the route you go. It’s important to remember regular service for your furnace going forward to avoid additional breakdowns and repairs needed.

The System Is Still Under Warranty

If your system is still under warranty, go with the repair. Your system is probably still relatively young, and if the repair is covered under warranty, even better. Ride the system out until the warranty expires and then if you need another repair, it may be time to consider replacing it.

Repairs Are Less than 30% Of A Replacement

If your repairs aren’t too much money, that may be the way to go. As a general rule, you shouldn’t spend 30% more than the cost of a new system would be. Depending on the system you want, we may even recommend less than 25%.

The point really is, if the repair is going to cost too much money, go with the replacement and have a new, high-efficiency system installed for the next 15+ years.

You’re Planning To Move Soon

If you are planning to move soon, a repair is probably the best solution. Replacing a furnace is an expensive proposition, and one you may not want to incur before moving. The only opposition to this is that a new furnace will add value to the home, and make it a more appealing purchase. If your home is already listed, we would recommend a repair to get by. If your home isn’t listed yet, you may be able to make the replacement and add the cost to the value of your home, and up the asking price.

When To Consider Replacing Your Furnace

Now that we’ve talked about repair-friendly situations, we should look at the situations where it’s better to replace your system.

• The System Is More Than 15 Year Old
• You Need Repairs More Often
• House Isn’t As Warm As It Used To Be
• Your Energy Bills Keep Going Up

The System Is More Than 15 Year Old

If your system is on the older side, it may be better off replacing your system. The odds are it will break down again in the next season or 2, and then you may just be posed with this same problem again.

If you have an older system, you may also be using too much energy to heat your home. New furnaces are built with energy efficiency in mind, and will cost less to run than older systems. Not only is the technology better in the new system, but being fresh and new doesn’t hurt either.

If you have an old system break down, we think it’s time for an upgrade.

You Need Repairs More Often

This one is obvious. If you need repairs to your heating system fairly frequently, it’s probably time to replace it. If you need a repair once every few years, that’s not too bad. But if you are in a situation where you need your system repaired more than once a season, or every year someone needs to repair it, you should look into a replacement. It’s just like a car that keeps breaking down. Eventually, you want to stop pouring money into it and move onto a better, more reliable system.

House Isn’t As Warm As It Used To Be

If your home isn’t as warm as it used to be, you should have someone take a look at your heating system, and your insulation. If your heating system has been serviced and still isn’t keeping your home warm, it may simply be old and running less efficiently than it did in the past. Your HVAC technician should be able to tell you if the situation calls for a replacement.

The next thing you should look at is your insulation. If you have insulation that’s falling apart, it could be preventing your home from retaining the heat and blocking the outdoor elements. Make sure your insulation is in good shape, and not keeping your home from staying warm.

Your Energy Bills Keep Going Up

Energy bills are always going to rise in the winter when it’s coldest. This doesn’t mean they should be going insanely through the roof. We recommend looking at energy bills from last year and seeing the comparison to your neighbor’s energy consumption. PECO offers you charts and data that show you how well your energy efficiency stacks up against your neighbors.

If your energy consumption is higher than it should be, you should talk to an expert. You could be in need of a service that will help your system gain efficiency, or it could be time to upgrade your system. 

In the long run, it’s usually the most economical option if your energy bills are out of control to replace your system. Eventually, it’s going to need to be replaced anyway. In the meantime, you are paying FAR more every month in energy bills than if you just made the switch. If you do this for a long enough time, it’s going to cost you thousands of dollars. 

How Regular Heater Service Extends The Life Of Your System

Regular heater service will help extend the life of your heating system, as well as help it work more efficiently. When you have your system serviced every year, you are making sure the components are cleaned, tightened up, and any parts that need a little repair or replacement can be taken care of.

When you let your system go years without a service, you will run into bigger problems more frequently. You will also experience more problems in the harshest times of the year. Less maintenance leads to breakdowns in the middle of winter, when you need your heat.

Regular maintenance also helps your system run efficiently. This means it works better, heating your home more easily, but it also helps keep your energy bills down! Letting your system lag in service will end up costing you more money on energy bills, and repairs, and eventually, your system will die years before it should.

Your heating system should last at least 15+ years if you have your system serviced regularly. Without service, you’ll be lucky to get 10 out of it.

Heater Repair In Haverford, PA

John Cipollone Inc. specializes in heater repairs in Havertown, PA. We are a family-owned and operated business that has been working in the community for over 50 years. We can help you replace, repair, and service your heating system, whether it be a furnace, a ductless mini split, or whatever heating solution you have in your home. Give us a call at (610) 446-7877 or click here to contact us online!