Practically speaking, would you feel better having your furnace quit on you at noon on a Saturday or 3 AM on a workday? Maybe for a moment or two, but in the end, there’s never a good time to suddenly have no heat. Still, you can be proactive to help ensure you never need to face that circumstance.

That begs the question – is your furnace ready to give up the ghost or does it simply need to be repaired? Well, if any of the following are true, it’s bound to be one or the other.

Furnace is more than 15 years old.

All good things must come to an end, your trusty furnace included. So, if it’s getting up there in years, you may be better off replacing it now, especially if you’re experiencing frequent repairs, each more costly than the one before. Plus, replacing it before it fails allows you time to thoroughly research your options and then schedule installation when it’s convenient for you without the prospect of a freezing home in the dead of winter.

Energy bills keep rising.

A furnace is one of the biggest energy hogs in a home. As it ages, it naturally loses efficiency, resulting in higher utility costs. Sure, annual maintenance helps improve efficiency and can even add valuable years to it’s expected lifespan, but after around 10 years, energy efficiency declines by 40%. If you notice an unexplained spike in heating costs as compared to last year, your furnace probably needs to be inspected and diagnosed for potential problems.

House isn’t warm enough.

There are countless reasons your home may feel drafty and cold even with the heat on. If you’ve ruled out other causes like newly formed air leaks or a malfunctioning thermostat, the furnace might be the culprit. Instead of continually spiking the thermostat to feel warm, call in a pro to inspect your heating system, pinpoint the causes of uneven heating, and propose a solution that best meets your family’s needs and budget.

House is abnormally dusty.

Try as you might, you simply can’t banish dust – maybe for a day or two but, before you know it, there it is all over again. That said, if there appears to be more dust in your home despite your best efforts to contain it, your furnace may not be doing a great job of removing airborne particles from the warmed air. Start by replacing your filter and do so every 8 weeks or so during the heating season. If that doesn’t cut it, have an HVAC tech examine it.

Something doesn’t look, smell, or sound right.

If you rarely go near your furnace, make a habit of doing so regularly. It’s one of the easiest ways to get an idea of its condition. Look for cracks, corrosion, unusual sounds like squealing, popping, or grinding, as well as any odors. While a musty smell is common when you start the furnace up for the season, the odor should not linger more than a few days.

Furnace isn’t cycling properly.

During normal operation, you can expect the furnace to cycle on and off several times as it tries to maintain a desired temp. If you suspect something is amiss, track the cycling pattern. Does it seem to cycle on and off more frequently than normal? Does it seem to run constantly? In either case, it’s a sign that the furnace is not operating as designed.

Frequently such issues are repairable, but often they’re not. Which means there’s only one reliable way to find out – contact PC Plumbing, Heating, AC & Remodeling to thoroughly inspect your heating system and recommend a solution you can live with- comfortably and affordably for years to come.