In some parts of the country, people like to joke about long winters. They say, “around here, we only have three seasons: summer, winter, and mud season.” When winter lasts for more than three months, an updated furnace that is in good repair can prevent essential pipes from cracking and freezing.
Keeping furnaces up-to-date and often, involving professional contractors for heating repairs can save homeowners hundreds of dollars over the course of a long winter season. There are times when furnace repair may be less costly than replacement, or the situation may be that while heating repairs are possible, a new furnace is more desirable.
By law, a furnace must operate at or above 78% efficiency; some newer models are approaching total efficiency, clocking in at above 95%. A new furnace should endure for over 16 years, with replacement strongly recommended for furnaces 18 years old and urgently recommended for furnaces that are older than 20 years old.
Changing filters regularly is a step that homeowners can take to extend the life of their furnace and to avoid potentially inconvenient heating repairs. Changing filters at least four times a year is standard; filters are widely available at home repair stores, but it is important to get the correct size, which should be printed on existing filters.
Experts do recommend regular maintenance by certified heating professionals as a means to extend the life of any home furnace system, regardless of age or efficiency rating. Examining the heating and cooling systems twice every year seems to be most effective: once in the spring and once in the fall, before the extremely hot and cold seasons of the year.
Finding a great professional company for heating repairs is essential. They may be able to find leakages in home heating systems where the homeowner is losing money, and may be able to make recommendations as to the best furnaces to invest in, when the time comes to upgrade existing systems.
