Thinking of Upgrading Your Furnace? Here are Factors to Consider

Even though a furnace is in working order, there are circumstances in which a working furnace should be replaced. After all, it’s better to be proactive than to make a decision on buying a new furnace while in a cold, panicked situation. If you feel that upgrading your furnace could be in your future, here are four factors to consider that will help you make your decision:

1. Consider your furnace’s age. If you purchased your home with the current furnace already installed you may not know its age, but finding out when it was manufactured is as easy as copying down the serial number and calling the manufacturer. The average gas furnace has a life expectancy of 15 years – even if your furnace is a few years short of that mark, if it is causing you concern, you may want to start looking around in the hopes of upgrading your HVAC system.
2. Consider the cost of upkeep. Once a furnace has reached the end of its life, parts will begin to fail – and the failure of one part is a portend of future failures. A good rule of thumb is that if the cost of upkeep, between parts and service charges, comes to 40 percent or more of the cost of upgrading your furnace, upgrading your unit is the smarter financial choice.
3. Consider your furnace’s efficiency. Furnaces 15 years of age or older have an efficiency of 76 percent or less, while today’s high-efficiency furnaces have an annualized fuel utilization efficiency of 90 percent or more. While purchasing a new, high-efficiency model carries a higher price tag upfront, the higher efficiency can pay off in energy savings over time, depending on the climate and length of heating season.
4. Consider your furnace’s safety. Gas furnaces combine open flame with high temperatures, and come with the potential of creating dangerous carbon monoxide. The older your unit, the greater the potential for it to pose a danger to your family.

For help with questions about your gas furnace, contact Roth Heating & Cooling. Since 1976 we’ve been keeping Portland customers safe and comfortable in their homes.