When the wind picks up, it’s time to start looking at your old furnace. Preventative maintenance is always a good idea. Plus, it can help answer the important question of “when is it time to buy a new one?”
Well, it’s definitely time to buy a new furnace if your handyman identifies something in the heat exchanger that makes the furnace unsafe or potentially unreliable. Often times those types of problems can cause you to call for emergency furnace repair in the dead of winter – and that’s both expensive and stressful for you and your family. So get it looked at now. Finding out ahead of time saves you money, headaches and peace of mind.
Columbia furnace repairs are cheaper than in some other parts of Missouri, but it could also be time to buy a new furnace if the cost of repairs outweighs the cost of buying a brand new unit. If your old furnace isn’t covered by a great warranty, or any warranty at all, then you’re possibly on the hook for the entire bill once it melts down. Some furnace components are expensive to replace also, especially if they’re outdated or hard to find, which is why warranties are so important in the first place. Add up the money you’re spending on repairs, either at one time or spanning the next several winters. If the potential repairs outweigh the cost of replacement, even by a little, then it’s time to buy a new furnace (sorry buddy). Even if it’s close to even, the energy savings and overall efficiency might make a new furnace the right decision. The upgrades to efficiency in the past decade are tremendous also. Buying a new furnace to replace one that’s more than 20 years old can make a huge difference on your utility bills. The savings are especially noticeable during really cold or extended winters.
The overall age of your unit is a consideration also. Furnaces only have so many on-and-off cycles in them before they bite the dust. When the parts get some age to them, they tend to go out pretty damn quick and require far more maintenance to keep them up and running. Old parts aren’t stocked many places either. After so many years, some vendors and dealers phase out certain parts or carry the bare minimum of inventory – which can put you in a bind in the dead of winter. Replacing a furnace is sometimes a necessity if your particular model is no longer manufactured, especially since furnace parts are brand specific. Unfortunately, it’s not always possible to install a cheaper part from a competing or generic brand.
Not everyone has the luxury to wait at home or the flexibility to miss work for a service call. Plus, if the parts aren’t available or hard to find, you’ll be stuck in the cold or running space heaters until you can replace your furnace or get emergency repairs completed.
With that said…9 times out of 10, it’ll save you money if you just make a minor repair to your existing HVAC unit versus buying a new one. I know, I know…everything written above points to buying new. But costs are going up and many times you’ll need to replace more than just your furnace and blower to keep your full HVAC system compatible. So if you are in Columbia, MO and in need of a furnace repairman, give us a call! We do great work, and are always ready to lend a helping hand.
Oh, and if you think you might want to try your hand at fixing your furnace on your own, check out this video!