The winter season is fast approaching. Those of us who live in areas with moderate to severe winters would already be thinking about the gas furnace installed in their homes. Its been good so far, with a few intermittent repairs and regular maintenance, the furnace has not been a disappointment. But will the lucky streak continue or its time to get a new one? Many of you will think when the current one is still working, why bother upgrading? That’s a sheer wastage of money that can be put to better use. In case you have made up your mind to upgrade, the tough part is already over.
The decision to upgrade a working gas furnace is real tough and rests on several factors. Today, we shall try and help you figure out whether it is worth upgrading a working gas furnace or wait until it breathes its last. We shall also have a glimpse of all those things that need to be considered while making a choice.
Is It Worth Upgrading When The Current Gas Furnace Is Still Working?
There are many advantages of upgrading to a better gas furnace. An energy-efficient variant will do more than make up for the unexpected expense. Some of the boons of upgrading are:
1. Improves Heating Inside The House – Your old gas furnace has given you good service in its hay days. Now it is getting old, and the warmth inside the house feels like a mild chill. A little more heat would set the tone right, but alas, it is no more in the aging furnace’s capacity. It served you well initially but not so anymore. Why stick with it if it’s not adding to your comfort at home? This is the best time to upgrade to a more effective furnace that will make your abode wonderfully warm and cozy. With a new furnace in place, you will notice a definitive improvement in the house’s heating.
2. Saves Money With High Efficiency – To upgrade means to buy an improved model. As you upgrade, you gain greater efficiency, and hence, the running costs decline. Your ultimate gains are in the form of reduced utility bills low maintenance costs. Were you to keep using the current gas furnace whose efficiency has declined; you will realize that the fuel bill is steadily increasing. It happens because the older unit uses more fuel to provide the same amount of heating, and even then, sometimes, the warmth is still lacking. Though the new furnace comes with a bigger price tag, it still pays for itself through the savings it provides.
3. Helps You Serve Your Environmental Responsibility – As a responsible human being, you must see that you do your bit in protecting the environment. The best way to ensure that is by buying highly energy-efficient products. Such products use less fuel and are safer than your existing gas furnace. Using them is a win-win situation for all.
When To Upgrade A Working Gas Furnace?
Upgrading a working gas furnace is usually an idea that one tries to put off for as long as possible. It meets with a lot of resistance due to the expensive nature the decision poses. Nonetheless, there are times when one still needs to make this tough choice. If one or more of the below-mentioned statements are true for your gas furnace, upgrading is on the cards:
1. The Gas Furnace Is Close To 20 Year Mark – if your existing gas furnace is just a year or two short of the 20-year mark, now is a good time to upgrade. Ideally, you should buy a new one and get it installed before the winters truly set in. This way, you will not have to bear any discomfort when you need heating the most. A gas furnace’s usual lifespan is 20 years, so hitting close is a good enough reason to think of a suitable replacement.
2. Furnace Is Demanding Frequent Costly Repairs – When your old gas furnace starts demanding frequent repairs, the time has come to look at your options. The decision to replace should be obvious if the cumulative cost of repairs increases for each successive year. There is no point spending on costly repairs when heating is also not up to par.
3. Efficiency Of The Furnace Has Dropped Significantly – As the furnace ages, its efficiency declines. Though you can reclaim a part of it through annual maintenance, yet it never goes back to working like brand new. When the efficiency drops so much that you aren’t happy with the warmth inside the house, you should think to upgrade.
4. Safety Is At Risk – The old gas furnace at home has been through years of wear and tear. Over the years, some parts were repaired, and others were replaced. Now even getting its spares is becoming a problem due to that technology becoming obsolete. In such units, breakdowns can often result in sparks that may ignite into flames and carbon monoxide leakage. These occurrences put not just your safety at risk but also that of your family.
Efficiency Of Furnace
The efficiency of a furnace is measured in terms of AFUE or the Annualized Fuel Utilization Efficiency. The AFUE is the percentage of gas or fuel consumed to produce heat in contrast to the amount lost or wasted in the ignition process. So, if the AFUE is 90%, it means that 90% of the fuel actually makes the house warm while the remaining 10% is lost.
Conclusion
Upgrading a working gas furnace is sometimes a necessity. When choosing a new furnace, pay attention to its AFUE value. The old gas furnaces had efficiency ranging between 56% to 70%, which is quite poor by today’s standards. The new furnace models can achieve an efficiency of up to 98.5%. It means that the new furnace converts almost the entire fuel to heat with minimal wastage. Buying a furnace with high efficiency means lower utility bills and a lesser impact on the environment. If you have an old furnace or one that malfunctions often, it is worth upgrading to a more improved version.
If you aren’t sure of which furnace to buy or if you wish to schedule the installation of a new one, look no further than Aztil Air Conditioning. We are a family-owned business that specializes in all things HVAC. In fact, we are one of the largest air conditioning companies in South Florida. Our team of professional air experts can give your home heating and cooling system the care that it really needs. We are open 24/7 and also provide emergency support services in West Palm Beach. To book an appointment, call us at +1-888-729-8452.
