When winter comes the heating system becomes the most important equipment at home. This is crucial to make sure that everything works properly before the emergency occurs or the furnace becomes unsafe to operate.  There are several signs indicating that furnace should be replaced before it creates an emergency situation.

First of all, you should pay attention to these key factors:

Age of the furnace. Risk of emergency increases if your device is 12 years old or older. On average, lifespan of furnace varies from 16 to 20 years.

Size of utility bills. If energy expenses increase, it’s highly probable that your furnace works longer to maintain the same temperature. Check energy usage to make sure that heating equipment runs properly.

Odd noises. Strange noise may mean that the end is not far and you should think about replacement of the furnace. You can hear bangling, rattling, squealing etc. that indicate close breakdown.

These additional signs can also point out the necessity of replacing the furnace:

• The color of the flame

The flame of the furnace should have blue color. If you notice that flame is yellow, call the specialist to solve the problem. It can be a sign of gas leakage. 

• Your repair costs increase

Regular maintenance requires expenses but if you have to call the specialist more often than you did it before, this should be a warning sign for you.  Usually it is enough to clean the furnace every year. Expect more serious problems if the frequency of such visits goes up. The furnace can fail altogether at any time.

• Adjustment of temperature takes more time than before

You may notice that your heating system does not function well and some rooms are not as warm as the others. You have to adjust the thermostat more often as old heating system works worse and is not as efficient as it was before. Old furnace is full of dust, debris and it can’t function well for this reason. You can clean the furnace to resolve its inefficient work but there are cases when this doesn’t help, some components fail as the system is damaged already.

• Pay attention how members of your family feel. 

There is a very serious danger associated with furnace failure – a high risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.  The symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning are not that evident: people are irritated, disoriented, exhausted and suffer from loss of memory.

Alpine Air Heating & Cooling provides a wide range of heating repair and replacement services for all furnace makes and models at cost-effective prices. Contact us today at 905 877-2877 or 416 898-2665 and schedule your appointment with our professionals.