Is It Time to Replace Your Furnace?

Closeup Shot Of Home Furnace Burner Ignited With Crimson Blue Flame

December 13, 2022

Furnaces regularly get overlooked for other upgrades when the time comes around to improve your home, and one reason why is that it's hard to know when the time has come to replace one. Many homes throughout the East Bay have old furnaces costing them more energy waste than they realize, and you may already be experiencing some of the signs your furnace is primed for replacement. Here’s what you need to know about furnace replacement in Contra Costa, Marin, and Alameda counties.

How Old Is Your Furnace?

When you call a furnace or HVAC technician, one of the first questions they will ask you is, “How old is your current heating system?” This answer can be helpful to determine if repair or replacement might be the better option. As a furnace ages, its efficiency decreases, and components wear out. At some point it doesn’t make economic sense to continue repairing it. While a properly maintained furnace can last 20 years or longer, a heating system that has not been maintained and is 15 years old is highly likely to have already deteriorated to the point of significant efficiency loss over that time and has become obsolete to today’s standards and are likely to decline at a rapid pace, if not break down entirely without more than a moment's notice.

Is Your Furnace Oversized?

A common problem for homes in the East Bay climate is a furnace that is too large for the heating load of a home. Bigger may be better when it comes to your holiday lights, but it isn’t always better when it comes to home heating! An oversized furnace will “short-cycle”, turning off after only a short period of time as it fills a home with warm air. This short-cycling can lead to increased wear and tear on the starting mechanisms and is much noisier throughout the colder days and nights as it continually turns on and off. With a properly sized furnace upgrade in your home, you will notice:

Improved efficiency
A more comfortable home
A quieter heating system
Extended life span of your heating system
Improved indoor air quality

Signs Your Furnace Needs Replacing

Other signs to look out for that will indicate your heating system may be ready for retirement can include:

Steadily rising heating bills

If you have been thinking that it's time to pull out all the blankets and turn the temperature on your thermostat down to save on your heating bills, It may be time to replace that “gas guzzling” furnace with a much higher efficiency one.

A noisy furnace

Are you hearing any strange noises coming from the heating system or heating vents? Noises outside of the norm coming from your heating system are a sure sign that something has gone awry. Common noises include loud bangs, buzzing, rattling, hissing, or clicking — if you hear any of these, it's best to call an HVAC professional as soon as possible!

Increase in furnace repairs

Did you have to call for furnace repair last year, and perhaps the year before? When repairs become frequent for a heating system, homeowners are forced to choose between repair or replacement time and time again. While there may be some scenarios that will allow for a simple furnace part replacement to extend the lifespan of a heating system, a furnace that is continuously requiring repair will not do you any favors when it comes to home comfort and efficiency.

Heat Pumps as a Furnace Replacement

If you are considering furnace replacement for your home in the greater Oakland and Berkeley area, your home may be a good candidate for replacing your furnace with a heat pump. Heat pumps come in multiple configurations, including ductless mini splits, but heat pumps can also be used as a replacement for a central heating system. Heat pumps offer efficient home heating that is fueled entirely by electricity, and are capable of heating and cooling all in one system. You can learn more about the different types of heat pumps here.

Call Hassler for All Your Furnace Needs This Winter

A functioning and efficient heating system is essential to keeping a comfortable and healthy home here in the East Bay, which is why replacing your furnace should happen now as winter arrives! Hassler Heating and AC offer an array of furnace systems designed to deliver reliable and economical warmth, including systems with 95% or greater AFUE (annual fuel utilization efficiency) ratings. Our team can help you decide how to replace your furnace before it breaks, and get your system on the right HVAC maintenance schedule so you can extend the lifespan of your home heating investment.