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ThermAll Heating, Cooling & Electric Blog

When Are Heating Repairs No Longer Worth It?

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In our previous post, we looked at the warning signs you have a heating system that needs professional repairs. We always encourage our customers to move fast when it comes to arranging for any heating repair in Yakima, WA. The sooner you have the problem fixed, the easier and less expensive it will be, and the less money you’ll waste on running a malfunctioning heater. You’ll keep the heater operating safely as well.

But heating systems have limits, as do repairs. A heater will age to a point where continuing to repair it is throwing away money. How can you know that your heating system has reached the end of the line where a replacement is more cost-effective? We can help you find out. Below are some of the signs that it’s time to stop repairing and retire your heating system for a new one.

The Heater’s Age

Each heating system has a manufacturer’s estimated service life. It’s possible for a heater to exceed the upper limits, but it isn’t recommended to continue to push it much farther, especially if it’s showing other warning signs. Gas furnaces can last about 15 years, electric furnaces for 20, and heat pumps between 10 and 15 years. If your heater is in its old age and you think you may need to replace it, you’re probably correct.

Your Heating Bills

A heating system should retain 95% of its original efficiency rating until the last one to two years of its life (provided it receives regular maintenance). This means you should only expect about a 5% rise in your heating costs over a decade or so when you discount increases in energy costs and changes in use. When you begin to see a steeper rise in the cost to run your heating system, it’s sending the signal that it’s coming to the end of the trail. 

Uneven Heating

A major sign of a heater that’s entering a final decline is when it can no longer even heat your home. You’ll start to notice cold spots in rooms, usually ones the most distant from the center of the house. This shows the system is losing general heating capacity. If you’ve experienced this problem already, don’t ignore it. Let technicians see if there’s a targeted repair that can fix the issue or if the heater is too worn down to do its job. 

Frequent Repairs

Heating systems are constructed for durability. If they have regular maintenance, they should rarely encounter repair problems, and any repairs done will solve the issue for the long term. When repairs start becoming an annual issue and malfunctions reoccur, the heating system will start to consume too much money. Watch out for any single repair with a price tag that’s more than half the cost of a new system—that’s definitely too expensive! Time to start over with a new, more energy-efficient heating system.

If you want a professional opinion about whether to repair or replace your current heater, you only need to call our technicians. They’ll offer you expert, honest advice, and we back up all their work with a 100% satisfaction guarantee.

Call ThermAll Heating & Cooling, Inc: We are “Your Home Comfort Hero!”

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