Is it time to replace my furnace or boiler?

To repair or replace.

It’s a choice that most homeowners will one day have to make about their heating system, whether they have a forced-air furnace or a hydronic or steam boiler.

Sometimes the choice is easy – especially if your heating system is older or declining in performance year after year. But more often than not the decision lives in a gray area that requires a careful consideration of pros and cons.

How will you know whether to repair or replace your heating system? Here are some questions to help you decide.

• How old is your current furnace or boiler? – If your current equipment is already more than 10 to 12 years old, it’s time to at least consider replacing it. A new furnace or boiler – especially one of today’s newest high efficiency models – will perform much better than one that has been running for over a decade, no matter how well it has been maintained.
• How well has your current system been maintained?If you’ve maintained your heating system regularly since it was installed, it will most likely last longer with fewer costly problems. However, while proper maintenance may help you delay replacing your system for a few years longer, no amount of maintenance will make your equipment more efficient than it was when you bought it – or more efficient than a new heating or cooling system.
• Are you satisfied with the performance of your current heating system? – Are the rooms in your house warm and comfortable in any weather? Are your monthly bills staying the same, or are they steadily increasing year after year? Have you noticed the need for more repairs in recent years? If your furnace or boiler isn’t working as quickly and effectively as it should – even after routine heating system maintenance it may be time to move on to new equipment.
• Would the upkeep of your old system be worth it? – How much is it going to cost to repair your old furnace or boiler, and what is the likelihood that you will need to repair it again in the near future? Here’s a rule of thumb: if the cost to repair is 50 percent or more of the cost of new equipment installation, you should probably replace it.
• Have my heating and cooling needs changed? If you have built an addition to your house without changing your heating system, you could be pushing your furnace or boiler beyond its limits to meet the demands of a new heating load – a problem that is likely to keep happening if you keep your old, undersized system in place. 

• Is my current system safe? A 10 to 12-year-old system carries a much higher risk of this problem than one that is newly installed. For example, older heat exchangers can crack or rust, causing carbon monoxide leaks in your home.

If you’re not sure the time is right to invest in a new furnace or boiler, contact us and we’ll talk more about it. If a heating equipment upgrade makes sense, we can give you a FREE, no obligation estimate. If it turns out that you only need routine annual maintenance for your heating system (which you should schedule now, if you haven’t already!), we can help you there, too.

Contact Bottini today for a FREE estimate on a new furnace or boiler for your home – or to get annual service to keep your current heating system running at its best!