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Still Holding On To Your Old Furnace? Here's Why You Should Let Go

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Keeping an old furnace going is a point of pride for some homeowners. Many others believe they're saving money by clinging to their old furnaces. Although it's possible to keep an old furnace limping along through constant maintenance, it's usually not worth the effort in the long run. Here are a few reasons why you're better off replacing your old furnace with something a bit newer.

Newer Furnaces Consume Less Energy

Older furnaces typically have two things working against them - a low annual fuel utilization efficiency (AFUE) rating and natural degradation of performance after years of use. If your current furnace is over two decades old, then chances are its AFUE rating is 78 percent or lower. Add to that the natural decline in overall efficiency throughout its life and what you're left with is a furnace that's expensive to operate.

The latest in modern furnaces are designed with energy efficiency in mind, with some furnaces offering AFUE ratings of 95 to 98 percent. Replacing your old furnace with a newer and more energy-efficient model can help lower your annual heating costs by a significant amount.

Newer Furnaces Also Need Fewer Repairs

When was the last time you had a HVAC technician fix your furnace? Spending a couple hundred bucks on a repair may seem better than spending thousands on a new furnace, but frequent breakdowns can easily cause those repair bills to add up. The older your furnace gets, the more likely it'll need frequent repairs just to keep going. Even the most reliable of furnaces can start having problems towards the end of their lifespan.

Instead of investing hundreds or even thousands of dollars each year just to keep your furnace on life support, you're better off spending that money on a replacement. As long as you keep it maintained on a regular basis, your new furnace won't need any expensive repairs for the first few years of its life.

You'll Benefit from a New Furnace's Warranty

Another reason to get rid of your old furnace is because it may no longer be covered under its warranty. Most furnace manufacturers offer a limited 10-year warranty on most components and a 20-year warranty on select components such as the heat exchanger. There's a good chance you've held onto your furnace for so long that its warranty coverage finally ran out.

Your new furnace will come with a brand-new warranty that'll take care of any unexpected problem your furnace faces during its warranty period. As a result, you'll have better peace of mind knowing that you won't be on the hook for any defects or malfunctions. 

Contact a company like Now Heating & Air to learn more.


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