7 Telltale Signs That Your Furnace Needs Replacing
What do you do if your furnace suddenly stops working on a cold December night? It could be days before it’s possible to replace it, and in the meantime you either have to live with the cold or find somewhere warm and comfortable to stay.

Happily, this situation is avoidable, if you look for the following telltale signs that your furnace needs to be replaced:

1. Your furnace is at least 16 years old

The average lifespan of a furnace is 16 to 20 years old depending on how heavily it was used. At 16, your furnace could still have years of loyal service left in it, but it will likely start to cost more in repairs and maintenance. At this time, you should probably start preparing yourself for its replacement sometime within the next five years.

1. Your furnace is noisy and erratic

Remember the time when the only evidence that your furnace was running was that warm and cozy feeling during the freezing winter months? If your furnace has been making its presence known recently by any combination of rattling, squealing, chugging and other unusual sounds; if its blower frequently turns on and off; or if it sometimes blows cold air into the room, then it’s a sign that your furnace has reached its declining years.

1.  You have rising gas and electric bills

Aging furnaces become inefficient, resulting in higher energy consumption; more so if your furnace has not been properly maintained over the years. Though the rising cost of fuel and electricity is partially due to inflation, the consistent upward movement of your bills could be an indication that you’ll be buying another furnace soon.

In the long run, it may be more practical to buy a new furnace than continue paying for high gas and electric bills.

1. Your furnace repair bills hit the $500 mark

Routine maintenance and furnace cleaning expenses is one thing, but if you find that the cost of repairs and replacing major parts has exceeded $500 in less than 2 years, your furnace will probably need replacing soon.

1.  Your thermostat frequently needs adjusting

Do you have trouble maintaining the temperature of your home at a comfortable level? Or have you noticed that some parts of the room are too cold while others are too hot? If so, your furnace has lost its ability to evenly distribute air in the house.

1.  The air in your home is not fresh

If the air in your home smells stale, or your allergies worsen despite the regular cleaning of other parts of the house, this is a sign that your furnace has lost its ability to circulate clean air. It should be replaced because it is now posing a danger to your health.

1. If you feel inexplicably unwell in your home

Older furnaces occasionally develop cracks, and can leak poisonous carbon monoxide gas. Carbon monoxide causes dizziness, nausea, headache and disorientation. Should this happen, open the windows of your home to let the bad air out and immediately call the services of a gas service technician.

1.  Your burner flame is yellow

Ideally, your burner flame should be blue. The yellow color may be caused by leaked carbon monoxide.

Also watch out for the following telling signs of leaked gas:

• Water or moisture coming from the base of the chimney, flue pipe or vent
• Excess moisture on the walls, windows and cold surfaces
• Unusual rusting of appliance jacks, vent pipe and flue pipes

As soon as you have noticed these telltale signs, you should immediately call a furnace repair technician to check the safety of your furnace.

Finally, nothing beats regular duct and furnace cleaning to maximize your furnace’s lifespan, protect your health, and help prevent an unexpected breakdown.

For a thorough furnace inspection, call Ram Cleaning Services at 403-291-1051 and speak to one of our furnace cleaning specialists.

Complete Cleaning and Maintenance care in Calgary and area since 1967