What to Expect During Your Professional Furnace Replacement

The approach of winter might remind you of the years of service your current furnace has and create questions about how many more years it will provide. How old is your furnace? Have the frequency and cost of repairs increased in the past few years? Let’s examine what can be discerned about your current furnace and develop some action steps.

Expected Longevity

There is no precise method of determining the useful lifespan of a mechanical device, but there are some determining factors and some rules of thumb.

• Expect manufacturing quality from a reputable manufacturer.
• A poorly installed quality-branded furnace will not perform well or last long.
• Annual maintenance can add years of service (as many as 5 years)
• Regions that see extreme temperatures and humidity require more heating and cooling cycles than homes in more moderate climates.

These factors impact specific furnace systems. The accepted rule of thumb is that heating and cooling systems will last 15 to 20 years. This gives homeowners and contractors a general guideline, helping all to make decisions about these important building systems. 

Indicators for Repairs/Replacement

• Furnaces and air conditioners are electrical-mechanical systems. While building sturdy, wear and tear happens with every heating or cooling cycle. A weakened component must work harder to accomplish the task it was designed to perform. The loss of efficiency is measurable and constant.
• The loss of efficiency results in higher energy consumption, and therefore higher energy bills. Make sure that you are measuring the rise in energy use, not the rise in energy cost.
• Wear will also require repairs. At first, the repairs will be infrequent and inexpensive, but over time, the repairs can become more frequent and more expensive. (Be sure to record the accumulation of repairs, as this can escape attention.)
• Wear also affects performance. An older system might not heat (or cool) the home as it has in the past. There might be a decline in indoor air quality.

Any one of these indicators might not be a deciding factor, but the combination of two or more signs might tip the scale. It is desirable to avoid a catastrophic failure of the system, leading to a very inconvenient and expensive emergency replacement.

What to Expect During Your Professional Furnace Replacement

• Find a trusted professional contractor, since heating and air conditioner replacement is not a do-it-yourself task. Our furnace replacement professionals will answer questions, make suggestions, and walk you through the steps as decisions are being made. We will also spend some time inside your home doing measuring and calculations. He/she will return to remove the old system and install the new system, so work with someone you trust.
• Our furnace replacement professional will complete a J-Load calculation to determine the size of the furnace and air conditioning equipment needed for your home. This project considers square footage, window/door numbers and sizes, insulation quality, and the orientation of the home in comparison to the path of the sun.
• The right system for your home will be determined based on the size of the equipment, the brand, the desired efficiency rating, and available fuels for the furnace (natural gas or electricity).

When all of the decisions have been made, a schedule will be set for removing the old system and installing the new system.

Plan Your Expert Furnace Replacement Today

If your heating system is approaching the 20-year mark or requiring increasingly expensive repairs, it is likely time to consider a permanent solution. Investing in a timely furnace replacement prevents the stress of a total system failure during the coldest days of the year. Our team of experts will guide you through the entire process, using precise J-Load calculations to ensure your new unit is perfectly sized for maximum efficiency. We specialize in seamless transitions that lower your energy bills and restore total comfort to your home. Call Doctor Cool & Professor Heat at 281-516-5966 today to schedule a consultation and receive a professional furnace replacement quote.