Furnace Replacement Cost

How Much Does It Cost to Replace A Furnace?

The furnace plays an integral role in regulating the temperature in your home. However, you must keep an eye on regular furnace maintenance, because when it breaks down and needs replacing, you will need to spend a hefty sum of money for a new furnace system. There are other factors that come into play when it comes to Furnace Replacement like:

• The type of equipment
• The efficiency of the system
• The quality of installation
• The reputation of the company you choose
• The rebates and incentives available

It is recommended that you know the costs associated with a furnace replacement, even if it is in good condition and doesn’t need to be replaced for some time. To help you out, we are going to cover the important details and overall costs of replacing a furnace.

Furnace Repair vs Replacement

Irrespective of how well you have maintained your furnace, you will need to replace it eventually as it gets older and fails. There is no exact time when a furnace is going to fail, but if you can’t remember when you bought the furnace, chances are that you will need to replace it soon. The worst thing that can happen is your furnace fails in the middle of the night during the cold winter months, which will inconvenience your life and bank balance for some time.

When your furnace does breakdown, you must hope that it only requires a minor repair instead of a complete replacement, because a new furnace system can cost you a lot of money. If the contractor recommends replacing your furnace with a new unit, you should listen to the experts.

How a Furnace Works

To understand the costs associated with a new furnace system, it is important to understand how a furnace system works. Once you familiarize yourself with its main components, you will know what parts are the most important in the furnace system.

• Furnace Burner

The furnace burner is responsible for producing heat, which it does by igniting and burning a mixture of fuel and air. The pilot light, which is the flame, uses an electronic spark, which works like an automobile spark plug to light the burner.

• Furnace Flue

The furnace flue is responsible for diverting exhaust out of the home. It is made from galvanized metal and is connected to the combustion chamber of the furnace.

• Furnace Heat Exchanger

The heat exchanger is an integral part of the furnace system, and its shape and size vary based on the fuel that fires the furnace, and the type of system. The heat exchanger is a set of coils and tubes that heat up air in the furnace flow chamber, as it passes through them.

• Furnace Blower

The blower works with other parts of the furnace to heat up a home and is responsible for circulating air throughout the home. The furnace blower is a mounted fan inside the furnace.

• Furnace Plenum

The plenum is a galvanized sheet metal box that is attached to the outlet of the furnace. It plays the role of a central manifold, which is attached to the ductwork. The ductwork and plenum are responsible for directing heated and conditioned air throughout the home.

Furnace Safety Concerns

The main reason why so many people prefer replacing their own furnace is because of safety concerns that can harm the health of your family. Cracked or faulty heat exchanges from the furnace could let poisonous gasses like carbon monoxide circulate inside your home. You can fix the heat exchanger, but it is better to buy a new furnace system.

Furnace Age vs Furnace Cost

The National Association of Home Builders have revealed that the average life span of a furnace system is around 15 to 20 years. The average price of a new furnace system is around $2,500 to $5,000, which means that you should think about buying a new system if the cost of repairing your old furnace is over a $1,000. The age of your furnace system should also be considered, and you can find that out through the metal identification plate inside the chamber door.

You should write down the serial number and model of the furnace before calling your manufacturer, who will provide you with the manufacturing date and the average price of a furnace replacement unit. If your furnace system has nearly lasted three quarters of its expected life (around 15 years), then you should consider investing in a new furnace system.

• Furnace Efficiency

Another important consideration when you are thinking about replacing your furnace system is the heating efficiency of the system. The Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency (AFUE) number reveals the fuel percentage the system is converting into heat. Furnace systems that are close to 20 years old will operate at 70% efficiency. A new furnace system can also help bring down energy costs and result in savings of over $200 a year for the average house.

Common Furnace Problems

Your furnace system is a machine, which tends to depreciate, lose performance, and malfunction as it ages. The furnace will require repairs, which should always be done by a trained professional, and you must schedule maintenance for your furnace before the winter season arrives. This is so that the professionals can identify problems with your system and fix it before the temperature drops below freezing. Here are some of the common furnace problems that you can suffer this winter:

• Failure to change or clean filters

Clogged filters will force the furnace to work harder when circulating heated air inside the home, and this additional strain can damage fan motors, which results in costly repairs.

• An overall lack of maintenance

Failing to properly maintain your furnace with routine maintenance can result in major equipment failures that will require expensive repairs.

• A faulty or malfunctioning pilot light

This can stop your furnace system from igniting, which means you must bear cold temperatures inside your home during winter.

• A faulty thermostat

This can throw the entire furnace system off its cycle, as you will not get the right temperature inside the house, and the system will start and shutdown intermittently.

• A faulty fan limit switch

This causes the fan blower to run continuously, shortening its lifespan and eventually failing.

• A tripped circuit breaker or blown fuse

This is a serious problem with your furnace system, as the internal mechanics of the system can’t handle the load, which has led to a blown fuse or tripped circuit breaker.

• The pilot light will not stay lit

Everyone will agree that this is the most annoying problem to deal with, but it could only be due to a draft in the room. You should ensure that all doors and windows are closed and there is no draft coming in your room. If the pilot light still won’t stay lit, then it could be due to a faulty or dirty thermocouple.

If you have experiencing any of the common furnace problems mentioned above, don’t hesitate to get in touch with the professionals. Delaying or ignoring the problem will only result in expensive repairs or furnace replacement in the future.

How to Prepare for a New Furnace Installation

A new furnace installation is a big project and can take anywhere from a couple of days to a few hours, depending on the scope of the project. A lot of homeowners have already experienced this project at some point in their life, and all of them recommend preparing your home for a new furnace installation to avoid any delays or problems during installation.

Here is how you should prepare for a new furnace installation in your home:

• Remove all clutter around the furnace area and ensure the area is clean
• Remove all irreplaceable and valuable objects from the work area
• There will be a new thermostat installed as well, so prepare for painting over any imprint left behind from the previous equipment.

If you want to get a new furnace system installed in your home, get in touch with us right now!

How to Find the Right Contractor for Furnace Replacement Installation

There are a lot of options available to homeowners when it comes to heating and air conditioning contractors. Most people tend to go for the cheapest option, but when receiving estimates, it is important not to associate too much value with the cost of the project. This is mainly because contractors that quote the lowest rates, don’t necessarily deliver the best services.

Therefore, when searching for the right contractor for furnace replacement installation, always ask them plenty of questions to understand the way they work. To help you out, here are some of the questions you should ask contractors to ensure a quality furnace replacement installation:

• Always ask for several bids from local contractors
• Ask for the equipment markup from contractors
• Ask contractors to install a new thermostat
• Ask for a detailed estimate outlining the scope of the project
• Ask contractors to explain the budget to you, including mathematical calculations for sizing the furnace.
• Ask for the brand name of the new furnace system to ensure you are buying a quality system.
• Research consumer reports.  Furnace Replacement

There are a lot of things you must consider, when finding the right contractor for furnace replacement installation. If you want value for money and a quality installation, it is imperative that you do your homework. So, get in touch with us now, and allow us to explain how much it costs to replace a furnace system in your home.

Contact us today to schedule a consultation to explain all your Furnace Replacement options!