Every shorter and colder day here in Washington, DC, and the surrounding communities reminds us that winter is not far off. Before the winter chill settles down for good, make sure you check in with your furnace. Is it working properly or acting strange? To help you, we’ve created this guide of chilling signs that lead to a furnace failure. Call us to schedule a tune-up, replacement, or emergency HVAC repair if your furnace exhibits any of the following symptoms.
Old Age
Before you know it, your “new” furnace will be an old furnace in need of a serious upgrade. But when is an old furnace too old to keep around? Well, the average lifespan of a furnace is between 15 to 20 years, depending on the type of unit you have in your home. There are several factors that can impact your furnace’s lifespan, such as:
- FURNACE BRAND: Like all appliances, some brands are better than others. If you purchased a furnace from a manufacturer known to maintain the highest level of quality and excellence, your unit might last longer.
- MAINTENANCE: The important factor in extending your unit’s life expectancy is to keep up with regular maintenance. Annual furnace tune-ups from professional HVAC companies will eliminate signs of wear and tear to restore your unit to peak efficiency and reduce the risk of serious repairs.
- PLACEMENT: When installing a new furnace, it’s important to place the unit in a dry room with adequate ventilation. Otherwise, you may run the risk of damaging the heat exchanger.
To check how old your current furnace is, find the serial number located on the label. Compare the serial number to the manufacturer’s furnace age chart, which you can find online more often than not. You may even get lucky and find that your HVAC technician wrote the installation date somewhere on the unit plain as day for you to see.
Strange Noises
The hum of the heater should be a comforting background noise that makes your home feel even cozier in the middle of winter. If you hear any of the following noises, consider calling a heater repair technician for emergency assistance.
Increased Heating Bills
Opening your mailbox to find upcoming utility bills is never a fun surprise. Opening your heating bill to find that it has increased yet again (even though your family’s heating usage has remained constant) is cause for concern. It may also be a sign that your furnace is too inefficient to keep around.
Brand new appliances run at maximum efficiency, meaning they achieve better performance with less wasted fuel. However, the older appliances get, the harder they have to work to deliver the same performance as before. Eventually, they may become so inefficient that their fuel usage is costing you tons but not producing an adequate amount of heat. If this is the case, upgrading to a new model may be your best option.
Rusted Unit
Do you spot significant rusting on your furnace? This is caused by the combustion process of the gas being burned off. Poor ventilation can speed up the rusting process, so if your furnace is new and rusting, you should immediately bring in a professional HVAC expert. If your furnace is old and rusting, this is just another sign that it’s time for a replacement.
After comparing these red flags to your furnace’s current performance, do you think it’s time to upgrade? Our comfort consultants can easily take a look and give you their professional recommendation. Magnolia is performing furnace replacements and furnace repairs in Washington, DC, and all nearby regions throughout the fall and winter seasons, so don’t hesitate to call us!
