We’re already getting cold weather and November has just started! Your home’s heating system will soon settle into running on most days. Right now, before we reach the deepest part of actual winter, is a good time to ask yourself if it’s time to replace your current heating system with a new one.
We understand that making the decision about heating installation in Yakima, WA can be stressful. We want to assure you that you have the best help you need to make the right choice for your home comfort and budget. Our technicians can inspect your heating system and give you estimates for both repairs and a replacement, as well as weigh the benefits of each.
Before you call us, go through this list of signs of a heating system that’s coming near the end of its service life.
Extreme age
What counts as “old age” for a heating system depends on its type. Gas furnaces last around 15 years, and electric ones for 20. Heat pumps average 10–15 years. The interior components of a geothermal heat pump will last for 15 years, and the ground loops for 50+ years. Ductless systems have the same average as heat pumps.
When you have a heating system that’s gone past its service life estimate by several years, give serious consideration to having it replaced. The heater will soon reach a point (if it hasn’t already) of costing too much to run, racking up pricey repairs, losing its heating capacity, and even developing safety issues.
Uneven heating
One of the major warnings that a heater is losing its capacity is when cold spots start to appear around your home. Uneven heating usually means the heater isn’t producing the same volume of heated air, so the rooms near the center of the house will get enough warmth, but the more distant ones will receive less. Although there may be a repair that can fix this, when uneven heating occurs with an older heater, it usually means it’s on its way out.
Expensive energy bills
Regular annual maintenance for a heater will help it retain most of its original energy efficiency until the last one to two years of its service life. So when you begin to see your energy bills rising higher than usual when you run the heater, it can warn that the heater’s efficiency is in decline—and the heater may be in those final years. If repairs can’t turn this around, it’s more cost-effective to replace the heater.
Too many repairs, too expensive repairs
You probably didn’t need to have your heater repaired for the first five or more years you had it. In the second half of a heater’s service life, you can expect more repair needs. But you still shouldn’t have to have the heater repaired every year. That’s too much money put into a system that’s already on its way out. Watch for repair costs as well: we don’t recommend paying more than half the cost of a replacement system on any single repair.
Call ThermAll Heating & Cooling, Inc: We are “Your Home Comfort Hero!”