Wouldn’t it be great if winter was all about snowflakes and sledding and sipping hot chocolate? Sure it would… but it’s not. It’s also about scraping ice off your windshields, 4:30 PM sunsets, and freezing cold temps. And for some of you, it might also be about making big decisions about a significant expense: repairing or replacing a furnace.
Your furnace is among the most essential features of your household during the winter. So, what happens when your furnace needs a tune-up? Is it worth it to repair it? Or do you just bite the bullet and replace the unit altogether?
We want you to stay warm this winter, so here are eight questions to ask yourself when deciding to replace or repair your furnace.
One of the most significant factors in deciding to repair or replace is how old your furnace is. On average, you can expect a furnace to last 15-20 years. Many factors contribute to your furnace’s lifespan: good maintenance, quality of repairs, usage, original efficiency. But if it’s less than 15 years old, you’re probably better off repairing it.
Furnaces start needing more frequent repairs in the last two years of their lives. If you’ve called in the pros more than a couple of times over the previous two years, it might be worth it to replace your unit.
You can’t underestimate the value of your time. Did it take weeks to get your replacement parts the last time you needed a repair? If so, this means your unit is becoming outdated. This makes replacement a better choice.
You expect your winter heating bills to be high, but not this high. If you notice a significant difference between this year’s and last year’s heating bills, it might be time for a replacement. As it ages, your furnace loses efficiency—so the older your furnace is, the more money it takes to heat your home. Weigh the costs of a full replacement against how much more you’re paying on your monthly heating bills.
Loss of efficiency also means your furnace isn’t as great at distributing all that warm air around your home. This leads to uneven heating and worse indoor air quality. If you’re experiencing any of these things, it might be time to replace your furnace:
When you’re turning on your furnace for the first time this season, you might hear some rattling or other sounds as your furnace gets back into working condition. But ongoing sounds like banging, popping, rattling, and squealing are indications of a problem. It could be something easy to repair. Or it could mean your furnace is working way too hard to heat your home. Calling in a Denver HVAC tech can help you decide your next steps.
Furnaces are long-term investments. If you’re moving homes within the next year or so, it’s essential to factor in your furnace. You might need to replace the furnace to meet inspection standards or to make your home more marketable.
All furnaces come with a risk of carbon monoxide poisoning. But the older your furnace, the more likely this deadly problem becomes. Here are some warning signs that carbon monoxide is leaking into your home:
If the last one is true, get outside immediately and call for emergency assistance. Then contact us to discuss your replacement options.
The bottom line often comes down to weighing age against cost. Here’s our general recommendation: If your current furnace is less than 15 years old—and if fixing it would cost less than half the price of a replacement unit—then repair it. But every situation is unique, and we’d be happy to offer a custom recommendation.
As your Denver HVAC professionals, we can handle all your furnace needs. Give us a call today!
We’re ready to answer your questions or schedule your appointment, call now or book online!
I had an excellent experience with Tomas Magallan from Bell Plumbing & Heating Co. Tomas was extremely punctual, arriving right on time and ready to get to work. He quickly diagnosed and fixed the heat regulator on our shower, which had been giving us trouble for weeks. He... Read more
Nathan was wonderful. I had a unique repair on salon equipment. He was there on-time, professional and knowledgeable. He was able to solve the problem so I could get back to work. He really knows his craft. We’ll definitely use again,
Dylan Secrest in truck 209 did a terrific job repairing our leaking sprinkler valve. He was on time, professional knowledgeable and friendly. The price seemed high for the repair, but that is not in the technician's control. He honored my coupon.discount.
My installer was exceptional! Very polite, very professional and performed the installation in less than two hours. He was very considerate of my property and made sure nothing was damaged (walls and stairs) when he removed the old heater and brought in the new one. VERY... Read more
Joe De Felice from Bell Plumbing was friendly, courteous, professional, and he quickly/efficiently replaced my main water shutoff valve in the basement the same day I called. He accessed the problem, let me know what needed to be done, and what it would cost, so I would know... Read more
Nick was on time and did a great job. He replaced the hot water pipe at the top of the hot water heater to stop the slow leaking of water. Everything appears to be working fine. Nick said to keep an eye on the hot water heater. Hot water heater is approximately 10 years old... Read more
Outstanding service and professional installation. For the quality and reliability that Bell consistently provides, I get great value for my money. Nate did exceptional work and was a pleasure to work with.
Thank you Jordan. Thanks for cleaning out our bathroom sink drain. The water is running right down the drain now. And thanks for the advice on the utility sink drain. Bell Plumbing and Heating always takes good care of our plumbing, heating and air needs.
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Jim was great! He was so friendly and made us feel comfortable and fully understand the repairs that were needed. Would absolutely use Bell in the future because the customer service was exceptional.
Excellent job and service inside and out!! They had to add an additional electrical box and update several outlets in the home. A fire actually broke out in the backyard due to old faulty outdoor electrical lighting. Their quick thinking and response prevented what could have... Read more
Jim W., the Bell Plumbing technician that came out today, was extremely knowledgeable, experienced and well prepared to handle our small gas leak. Jim was everything I wanted our technician doing the job to be! He explained everything prior to and after doing the job. He did a... Read more
We had an issue with our shower handle cartridge and the hot water sensor, and Dylan came to the rescue! He was professional, punctual, and clearly knew what he was doing. Not only was the repair done quickly and correctly, but Dylan also took the time to explain the issue and... Read more
The Bell team was top notch replacing our tankless water heater. They explained what the project was going to look like and when they were finished, they made sure we understood what the components were and how to maintain it. They were respectful and cleaned up at the end of... Read more
Trey and Nick are super electricians Prompt , professional and hard working . They had a complicated installation but problem solved and figured out a solution. Left my house clean and so nice to work withO Will always ask for these guys
Levi was the first to arrive—he was polite, friendly, and clearly explained the next steps.
Dylan came out next and confirmed what Levi had said. He provided more detail about the process, scheduled us for service first thing the next morning, and arrived promptly. He was... Read more
Jim was absolutely fantastic through the whole process from beginning to end of the purchase of 4 amazing Toto toilets. Bell plumbing is an amazing company that was extremely responsive and attentive. Thank you so much for all the hard work and amazing installation.
Levi was super helpful and great to work with. House stuff is always stressful and he took the time to look over all the issues we had and really access what the issue could be. We’re having another team member come out tomorrow to check some other possible sources of the... Read more
HVAC Replacement: I had a 24-year-old system that started giving me problems and so it ended up being replaced. Mike M. was great explaining and showing me the problem areas. He also did a great job explaining the pros and cons of repair vs replacement. The install team was... Read more
Trey was very diligent and professional as he repaired the subpanel at the corner of our deck. He was very neat and careful around all the landscaped garden plantings. A picture says it all and we were very pleased with his work and work ethic. I also would like to thank Lydia... Read more
My elderly mom had a clogged toilet, and her old house just had one bathroom. Bell was there within an hour of my call and had it fixed in 10 minutes. Everyone, from the lady who answers the phone to Jordan, the nice young man who came out, was very nice, easy to communicate... Read more
Just had Dylan with Bell Plumbing come out to replace a sump pump. I was getting an electrical work estimate, through Jeremiah (who was outstanding) and my sump pump stopped working when we were having weeks of rain. Although Bells schedule was packed they managed to make some... Read more
I found every person associated with Bell Plumbing incredibly professional, engaging and displayed a great work ethic. I can’t say enough about Noah, Nathan, Chris, Dante, Kyle and everyone else.
I have worked in the construction business for over 40 years and have worked with... Read more
We’ve used Bell for all of our maintenance needs over the last 5 years, and we’ve been pleased each time. We recently had a plumbing issue that needed prompt attention. The technician was on time and professional. Our issue was resolved quickly and at a very reasonable price.
Jordan from Bell Plumbing did an outstanding job with a preventive drain cleanout at my home. He even located an additional access point in our main drain line I didn’t even know existed! We’re good to go for a few years for only $89 — we have used Bell in the past for major... Read more
