Gas and oil-heating systems are the best choices for keeping a home toasty warm during the winter. Proper maintenance and repairs will keep both of them operating at peak performance and keep energy costs down. The energy efficiency of a new furnace can save an abundance of money with energy bills. This savings can assist in paying for a new heating system in a short amount of time. Heating systems will last between ten to fifteen years. If the furnace in a home is at least this old or older, it is recommended to have it replaced in order to save on energy costs.
Heating systems that were made ten or more year ago do not include the energy-efficient savings new gas and oil-heating systems offer. Older heating systems are approximately 80% efficient. For a homeowner, this means only 80 cents of each dollar they spend on energy is helping to heat a home. The other 20 cents is being wasted and exiting through the exhaust of a heating system. Heating systems today can be more than 97% efficient. That can be a very large savings when the winters are very cold.
Routine maintenance by a certified technician can identify any problems before they result in a costly repair bill. A reputable service company will offer upfront pricing, thus eliminating any surprises in the cost of service or repairs. They will also be on time or the service will be free because they understand a homeowner’s time is valuable. Electrical connections can become lose and belts can wear out, but yearly maintenance on a heating system will identify these problems so the homeowner will not be left without heat during the winter. Heat exchangers can crack from the heating and cooling that takes place during operation of a furnace, which can result in a dangerous condition in a home. A yearly inspection is necessary of this unit with a camera by a trained professional.
Keeping the furnace filter replaced on a regular basis and the air flow free around the furnace will help it operate more efficiently.
