Have you ever woke up in the middle of the night freezing in chilly winter weather? If you haven’t accidentally left the window open, chances are that your furnace has broken down—and it can be a couple of miserably chilly days to wait while your furnace is repaired or replaced. So to prevent such situations you can regularly inspect your furnace. It will help you to diagnose a failing furnace before it actually goes out. You can take help from the professional HVAC contractors or technicians to repair or replace the unit without having to wait in the cold! 

What Are Some Most Common Signs That Your Furnace is Going Out?

Here are some of the most common warning signs that indicate your furnace is failing.

1. Increasing illnesses
2. High furnace age
3. High and unexplained utility bills
4. Sudden troublesome noises
5. Pilot flame color
6. Frequent repairs

#1 The Age OF The Furnace - How Old Is Your Furnace?

Generally, the average life expectancy of furnaces in homes today can be between 16 and 20 years. If your furnace is close to this age or older, you should start thinking of getting it replaced rather than repairing it again and again. You must never wait for an emergency. It’s wiser to replace a furnace as a planned home improvement rather than as a panic replacement when your furnace conks out in the middle of winter. 

Note: Not sure how old your furnace is? Start by checking whether it has a pilot light. If so, it could be over 25 years old, indicating that it’s certainly time for a replacement. 

But what if the furnace is within 15 years and not very old?

If you have had a furnace for less than 15 years, make sure you do proper maintenance according to the manufacturer’s specifications. Once your furnace reaches 15 to 20 years of age, it’s time to start paying close attention to any abnormal functions, sounds, and smells. If any of these occur, call a qualified HVAC professional to diagnose the problem—they can tell you about how long your furnace will last.

#2 What Does Your Utility Bills Signify? Is Your Heating Bill Too High?

Well, you might be thinking that there can be several factors that may lead to an increase in your annual fuel utility bills. So you must start by checking the cost of the annual consumption of fuel required for the furnace. The cost of fuel may be increasing. The second factor that could cause an increase in annual heating expenses is a decrease in the efficiency of your heating system. Your furnace begins to lose efficiencies as they age. Instead of piling on blankets, you must schedule a furnace replacement to upgrade to a more efficient system. It will definitely provide sufficient heat during winter months and also maintain your utility bills.

Pro Tip: When you see increases in your average heating bill, coupled with an aging furnace, it may be time to start considering replacement.

#3 Do Your Hear Strange Noises From Your Furnace?  Or Is Your Furnace Making Too Much Noise?

It’s pretty obvious that HVAC systems don’t make too much noise when it is brand new. The furnace system will start making slight noises with age. In case if you start hearing some pops and squeaks, it may indicate that something has come loose in the system’s unit and needs to be repaired or replaced.

#4 Indication Provided By The Furnace Pilot Light

In case you have a natural gas furnace, you must check the pilot light—which should always be blue. If the furnace pilot light is indicating yellow, it’s not only a warning sign that your furnace needs repairs. It also indicates that your furnace could be leaking carbon monoxide, a poisonous gas. You must regularly inspect the furnace and if you observe a warning light, excessive condensation in the furnace, rust, or a rotten egg smell, shut off your furnace immediately and call an HVAC technician.

#5 Does Your Furnace Require Frequent Repairs?

When repairs are happening more frequently, it is a good indication that you need a new one. It will save you time and money.  Moreover, an increase in the expenses on repairs is a serious sign your furnace is going bad.

Summary:

By now, you have an idea of whether your furnace needs repair or replacement. If your furnace is failing out and needs to be replaced then you need to be very quick. Replacing a heating system in the middle of the winter season is no fun at all. Moreover, the cost to replace the heating system in an emergency situation may be higher than a well-planned furnace replacement. You must ask the specified questions to yourself. They will help you to schedule furnace repairs or plan for a new one.