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Did you give a huge sigh of relief when the heating season ended last year? Perhaps your gas or electric bills spiked unusually high over winter, or you were worried about your furnace making it through the coldest months.
If so, these issues should be seen as signs of concern. This is what you can expect to experience when it’s time to upgrade your HVAC system. Before deciding to shelve the idea until the heat is on again, right now – late summer and early fall – is often the best time to replace your outdated heating system to prepare you and your loved ones for the cold months ahead!
Because of this, if you’re a homeowner here in Ohio thinking about upgrading your furnace, you’re in the right place! Five Star Home Service is here to help!
With the cold winters we all experience here in the Buckeye State, owning a reliable, efficient home heating system is essential for comfort, well-being, and energy savings.
As your local home heating experts in Central and Southwest Ohio, we at Five Star Home Services are always here to help with all your indoor comfort needs. In fact, the following guide is aimed at walking you through everything you need to know about furnaces to make the most educated decisions. From recognizing when it’s time to upgrade your furnace to choosing the best home heating system for all your needs, we will unpack it all in this five-part series, which will serve as “Your Ultimate Furnace Buying Guide for Ohio Homeowners in 2024.”
In this first installment of our series, we’ll examine when it’s best to upgrade.
Signs It’s Time to Replace Your Heating System
Before investing in a new furnace, it is essential to determine whether it’s time to upgrade your current system or not. Knowing when to replace is half the battle. The following are a few things to consider regarding whether it’s time to replace your home heating system:
Before investing in a new furnace, it is essential to determine whether it’s time to upgrade your current system or not. Knowing when to replace is half the battle. The following are a few things to consider regarding whether it’s time to replace your home heating system:
- Age of the Equipment: This is the most obvious factor to consider. Most home heating systems have an average lifespan of 15 to 20 years. Some last longer but this is a good average. If your heating system is within this age range or if it’s older, it’s probably time to consider furnace replacement.
- Need for Frequent Repairs: Are you calling your local HVAC repair technician more often than you’d like to? Frequent breakdowns are often a clear indication that your furnace is nearing the end of its lifespan. Often, it’s better to upgrade than to keep dumping money into an outdated system that will continue costing you more as time goes on. This is simply the law of diminishing returns.
- Increasing Heating Costs: If your home heating bills are increasing each year and you’re not using more heat than normal, it likely indicates that your furnace is no longer as efficient due to age or an undiagnosed mechanical issue.
- Strange Noises: Unusual sounds and strange noises such as banging, rattling, or squealing can indicate mechanical problems that might warrant a replacement. Older furnaces show signs of age by the sounds they make.
- Comfort is Personal: How’s the heating in your home? If certain rooms in your home are warmer or cooler than others, or if your home heating system struggles to maintain a desired comfort level, it might be time to upgrade to a system designed specifically to satisfy your and your family’s comfort needs.
📁 Download our 2024 Furnace Buying Guide ➡️
An Overview of the Latest Energy-Efficient Technologies in Furnaces
Now, we will explore some of the fantastic, money-saving technology available today in home heating systems. The HVAC industry has made tremendous strides in recent years and we at Five Star Home Services are proud to remain on the cutting edge. Our modern furnaces have various energy-efficient technologies that can save you money and reduce your environmental footprint. Let’s look at a few of those advancements in the following:
- Two-Stage Heating Systems: As the name indicates, two-stage furnaces can operate at two levels, allowing the system to condition your home longer at a lower capacity in order to maintain a consistent temperature throughout the home.
- Variable-Speed Blowers: Variable-speed blowers adjust their airflow to match your home’s heating needs, providing more consistent temperatures while lowering energy consumption.
- Modulating Furnaces: These home heating systems adjust the heat output in small increments, helping to maintain a more precise temperature and optimize energy use.
- Condensing Furnaces: These higher-efficiency heating systems use a secondary heat exchanger to extract additional heat from the exhaust gases, achieving 90 percent efficiency ratings or better.
How to Choose the Right Furnace for Your Home
Considering all our great options available today, you might wonder how to choose the right equipment for your home and your needs. In short, choosing the right furnace involves considering several factors, including your budget, energy efficiency preferences, and the climate inside your home. The following is our step-by-step guide to help you make the best choice:
- Energy Efficiency Considerations – It’s always important to understand the Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency (AFUE) ratings of the furnace. Why? Because every home is custom, and the importance of fuel efficiency is different for everyone.
- Comfort Concerns and Healthy Environment -Your home is your castle. It is the only environment that you have the ability to control the comfort and health specifically to you and your family’s needs and wants. HVAC systems and indoor air quality equipment have come a long way. You no longer have to settle when it comes to your comfort and health. At Five Star Home Services, we have trained representatives that will educate you and present you with all that’s available to help.
- Consider the Layout & Size of Your Home – For obvious reasons, the size and layout of your home influences the size of the furnace you’ll need. If a furnace is too small, it will fail to keep your home heated properly. Additionally, a too large unit will cycle on and off frequently, wasting energy. This is called short cycling. Trust us! You don’t want an HVAC unit that short cycles!
- Look for Incentives, Deals, & Rebates – In today’s economy, who doesn’t love a little price break here and there? This is especially the case when it comes to furnace installation. The good news is that many utility companies and government programs have incentives and rebates to purchase high-efficiency furnaces. We also offer fantastic deals throughout the year at Five Star Home Services! We can also check with your local utility provider to see if you qualify for any breaks or discounts.
- Check Reviews! Always Get Professional Advice – Although we can educate and advise you on the importance of high-quality equipment, it never hurts to research different brands and models of furnaces available. You can check customer reviews and ratings to learn about their performance and reliability. As your local professionals here in Ohio, our HVAC technicians at Five Star Home Services are always happy to give you personalized recommendations based on your needs.
🔥 Featured Blog: Choosing the Right Furnace: 3 Factors that Determine Your Options ➡️
Next, we will address some frequently asked questions we get a lot from customers.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
When is it better to replace rather than repair?
If your home heating system requires frequent repairs, is more than 15 years old, and/or has significantly decreased overall efficiency, it’s usually much more cost-effective to replace it rather than continue making repairs. Otherwise, you might be throwing money away to delay the inevitable.
How long should a furnace last?
A well-maintained furnace usually lasts 15 to 20 years, and some of our newer models even last longer. Regular maintenance and timely repairs prolong its lifespan.
What are signs my furnace needs replacement?
Some signs include frequent breakdowns, increasing energy bills, inconsistent heating, and unusual noises. If you notice any of these problems, it might be time to consider replacing your old furnace with a new furnace.
How much does a furnace cost in 2024?
On average, the cost of a new furnace in 2024 can range from $4,000 to $7,500. The actual cost depends on the type of furnace, its efficiency rating, and the installation variables.
In Conclusion
We hope this has helped you determine whether to upgrade your furnace. Choosing the right heating system for your Ohio home includes understanding the signs that it’s time for an upgrade, exploring the latest comfort-controlling technologies, and considering your budget and your home’s specific needs. By following this guide, you should be able to make a more informed decision that ensures your home stays warm and comfortable during those chilly Ohio winters.
If you feel ready to take the next step, we are here to help!
Call Five Star Home Services today to schedule a consultation and find the perfect furnace for your home. Let’s keep you warm this winter without costing you an arm and a leg.
When you call Five Star, you experience the Five Star Difference!
