A common question that homeowners throughout Toronto have about their home’s heating system is when is the right time to replace it? Just because a furnace or heating system is old, that doesn’t necessarily mean that it needs to be replaced right now. However, with that being said, most current furnaces are much more efficient than older furnaces. The older that your home’s heating system is, the more likely you’re spending far more money to heat your home during the winter then you need to.
It is not feasible to list how much you should be spending on utility bills to heat your home during the winter because each home is going to be different and each homeowner’s expectations with regard to a comfortable temperature are going to vary.
The best thing to do is to contact an HVAC company to have a technician visit your home, inspect your furnace and the entire heating system, and offer you an honest assessment about the condition, quality, and any potential issues that can arise.
It is advisable to have any furnace, regardless of whether it is brand new or has been in the home for 60 years or more, inspected and maintained on a regular basis. This means that you should have an HVAC technician visiting your home at least once a year, ideally during the autumn months, to get your furnace in top shape for the winter ahead.
If your furnace is kicking off on a regular basis, you may need to replace certain components or it could be an old system that should be replaced.
If you notice black smoke rising from the chimney when you run the furnace, it may need to be cleaned or be a sign that it’s ready to be replaced.
If the walls and ceiling around the furnace are black with soot, there could be numerous issues with it and that could indicate that it is well past time to replace it.
The best way to know if it’s time to replace your old furnace or some aspect of the home heating system, call a qualified HVAC technician to inspect it. Every home is different and just because your furnace may be old, that doesn’t necessarily mean it needs to be replaced just yet.