Your heating system has been around for many years, and now you wonder, "Is it time to replace it?" Of course, one of your first considerations is the cost of a new system. Although it might be natural to think of the initial price first, you should also consider the long-term savings you'll derive from a modern heating system.

Here's what you should know:

Improve Your System’s Longevity While Reducing Long-Term Expenses

An energy-efficient residential HVAC system lasts between 15 and 25 years, but let's examine those numbers closely. Although there is no specific answer to the question, "How long does a furnace last?" there are factors that will affect a furnace's lifespan.

• High-quality manufacturing from a reputable brand and professional installation are excellent starting points.
  
• Homeowners can help extend the life of a heating system by scheduling regular furnace maintenance and inspections by a qualified professional.
  
  
• Be sure to follow the recommended schedule for air filter replacement.
  
  
• Your comfort preferences and local climate are also factors since how warm you keep your home, how often the system runs, and temperature extremes can impact the furnace's lifespan.
  
  
• Ensure your home is adequately insulated.
  
  
• A professionally air-sealed home can help extend your system's life.

These recommendations contribute to the extended lifespan of your modern system and reduce your short-term expenses.

Energy-Efficient Systems Use Less Fuel

Older heating systems have 56% to 70% efficiencies, while modern systems can attain as high as 98.5%, converting most of the fuel to heat for your home. Energy efficiency upgrades and a new high-efficiency heating system can combine to reduce your fuel bills and your furnace's pollution output in half. Upgrading your furnace from 56% to 90% efficiency in the average cold-climate house will save 1.5 tons of carbon dioxide emissions yearly if you heat it with natural gas or 2.5 tons with oil.

Before buying a new furnace, upgrading your home's insulation or adding new energy-efficient windows might make sense, followed by having a heating contractor size it. Improving energy efficiency will save money on a new furnace because you can purchase a smaller, less expensive unit. A correctly sized furnace will operate most efficiently, so choose a dependable unit and compare the warranties of each furnace you're considering.

When shopping for high-efficiency furnaces and boilers, look for the ENERGY STAR® label. Investing in the highest-efficiency system usually makes sense if you live in a cold climate. In milder climates with lower annual heating costs, the extra money required to go from 80% to 90% to 95% efficiency may be harder to justify. However, remember that units with higher efficiency will have lower emissions than units in the 80% range. 

Start Saving with a Modern Heating System

Ultimate Comfort Heating & Cooling offers 5-star installation, maintenance, and repair, plus ENERGY STAR® qualified heating systems. Call us at 610-750-8314 or connect online for a FREE Comfort Analysis. We provide free estimates and consultations!