What to Consider When Replacing Your Furnace in the Nashville, IL Area?
Here in Nashville, Illinois, it can get incredibly cold during the winter months, so it is important to have a properly working furnace to keep your home comfortable and warm. However, there is more that goes into replacing your furnace than simply removing the old one and installing a new one. Here’s what you’ll need to consider to make your final decision about your new furnace.
Signs of Problems with Your Furnace
If your furnace isn’t blowing out hot air, there is a problem. However, there are other possible signs of issues with your furnace that you shouldn’t ignore. For example, if you notice dust, soot, or rust coming through your air vents, something is likely wrong with it. Humidity issues and uneven heating from room to room can also signal a problem. You may also notice that your energy costs for heating are starting to rise over time or that you need to conduct more frequent repairs on your furnace. All of these can be signs that it is time for a new furnace.
Repair or Replace?
Before you jump straight to furnace replacement, it is a good idea to determine whether repair might be a better option. If your furnace is less than ten years old, it will probably be more cost-effective to simply repair the furnace, unless the damage is severe. For older furnaces, you’re probably better off with replacement for anything other than minor repairs and tune-ups.
Check Your Ducts
In some cases, the problem may not be with your furnace, but with other components of your heating system, like the ducts that carry the hot air from room to room. Leaks in the ducts can drastically reduce the efficiency of your heating system, so have an HVAC technician inspect and repair your ducts, as well as the insulation that surrounds them. This will make your system much more efficient and may help you stave off furnace replacement for a bit longer.
Choose Your Furnace Type
When it comes to choosing your new furnace, you have multiple options available to you. Gas furnaces are the most common and tend to be the most cost-efficient, though you also have the option of choosing electric or oil power. You can also choose between central and zoned systems. A central system will heat your entire home at once. While this can be efficient, it can also result in uneven heating, depending on the size and layout of rooms.
Zoned heating, on the other hand, enables you to control the temperature in various areas of your home individually. This way, you can minimize heat waste in rooms you don’t frequently use so that you can save on your energy costs. However, these types of systems tend to be a bit more expensive initially due to their complexity, so you’ll need to weigh that added cost against the potential savings.
Evaluate Contractor Quotes
Once you have chosen your new furnace, it’s time to start calling HVAC contractors for price quotes. This is one instance where the lowest replacement cost isn’t necessarily the best option. A contractor that offers to install for next to nothing may be more likely to rush the job and make mistakes than one that charges a bit more but will take their time and get the job done right. Make sure that the quote you receive includes the cost to haul away your old furnace as well, as this can add to your costs as well.
For all your replacement, repair, and maintenance needs in Nashville, Illinois, you can count on Baer Heating & Cooling. Reach out to us today to request a free, no-obligation quote.
