By Chris Buchanan • July 21, 2018

Why This Summer is the Best Time to Replace Your Oil and Gas Furnace

 

With so many shifting weather patterns, harsher winters are putting more demand on oil and gas furnaces. If your energy bill is higher or your thermostat isn’t keeping you comfortable in the winter, it might be a good time to replace your furnace.

Why Replacing Your Furnace in the Summer is Ideal

 No one wants to deal with a faltering furnace on a snowy night, but homeowners don’t always know they have a furnace problem until there’s a breakdown. Because summer is the off-season for furnaces, you can find all kinds of deals on a new furnace and you never have to worry about emergencies or going without heat.

Another concern is with older furnaces if you’re trying to save money on replacement parts, you might have to wait for them to be delivered and no one wants to wait in bone-chilling temperatures.

Signs Your Furnace Needs to be Replaced

If your oil or gas furnace is 16-20 years old, the average life span for furnaces, it might be time to shop for a new furnace. They lose their efficiency as they age. If it’s under 16-years-old and is running fine and properly maintained, there’s no need to have it replaced yet.

Signs your furnace needs to be replaced include:

 Your energy bill is going up every winter.

If you have higher energy bills every winter, this can indicate a furnace problem. If your furnace has to run longer to provide the same level of heat, this can also increase your bill. 

You’ve had to make furnace repairs in the past.

While a repair can be a temporary fix, with aging furnaces, it can be harder to find replacement parts. An additional problem is that most furnace breakdowns occur in the last 2 years of a furnace’s life.

Your thermostat isn’t keeping you comfortable in the winter.

You might find some rooms are entirely too cold while others are too hot. This can be a sign that your furnace isn’t distributing air properly. Another sign is if you have to keep adjusting the thermostat.

Your house looks dusty and your family has been sick.

If your house looks dusty, the furnace may not be cleaning and moisturizing your home’s air. If you see dust accumulating and anyone complains of asthma-like symptoms, this may be attributable to poor ventilation from the furnace.

If your family is all suddenly sick, there might be cracks might forming in the heat exchanger and carbon monoxide can be leaking. If anyone experiences burning eyes, flu-like symptoms, or complains of nausea or disorientation, open the windows immediately, call a technician, and go to the emergency room.

 You’re hearing strange noises coming from the furnace.

As furnaces age, they can make noises. If you hear bangs, pops, hissing sounds, or rattling, or if your furnace’s blower never stops running, it might need to be replaced. 

Conclusion

 Your furnace is an important piece of equipment that should effectively and efficiently heat your home. If you need to purchase a new furnace, benefits are that it will increase your home’s value and lower your energy bills. Most technicians offer fast installation and some have same day service in the summer months.

Best Oil Prices, Fast Delivery, and Convenience

 If you’ve checked heating oil prices, MA residents are finding that while the price of oil is going back up, you can shop for the best price for heating oil with Slick Energy for fast oil price comparisons.

Slick Energy prices oil based on logistics. That means when you’re ready to order heating oil, your order is delivered with oil for you and your neighbors. This ensures better pricing with delivery companies. Pay conveniently online and get fast and convenient service right at your door! For a fast price comparison, just enter your zip code to get started!