How Efficient is a 20 Year Old Furnace?
If you have an older furnace that you are constantly servicing as the temperatures, you may be wondering, “How efficient is a 20 year old furnace?”
Today on the blog, our Sacramento Heating Experts share their answers.
How Efficient is a 20-Year-Old Furnace?
At Gilmore Heating, Air and Plumbing, we love helping our customers navigate their HVAC problems. You can always count on our Gilmore team to give you honest and professional advice. Sacramento homeowners often ask us, “How efficient is my 20-year old furnace?” In this blog, our trusted Sacramento HVAC technicians have put together the information you need to know about the efficiency of your 20-year-old furnace.
So, How Efficient Is a 20-Year Old Furnace?
Unfortunately, at 20 years, no furnace is running as efficiently as it once was.
For starters, HVAC repair experts confirm that any furnace that has been in use for 20 years is nearing the end of its lifespan. The components of a 20-year-old furnace suffer a lot of wear and tear over the years. The aging process plays a significant role in lowering the efficiency of the furnace.
Over the last few decades, technology has changed immensely. New technological advancements are being introduced every day, which is why cutting-edge technology two decades ago is obsolete today. Newer furnace designs and components are made to be more efficient and more durable, and these are attributes that are probably lacking in your furnace that has been in service for 20 years.
The U.S. Department of Energy indicates that a 20-year-old furnace wastes at least 22 % of the energy it consumes. In other words, you lose more than 2 dollars from every ten that you spend on heating your home.
Compare that to a new furnace whose AFUE (annual fuel utilization efficiency) rating is 95%, meaning that you only lose half a dollar for every ten dollars’ worth of energy consumed by your furnace. The rest is used to generate heat for your home. These differences add up over time, so a 20-year old furnace that isn’t as efficient as it once was is robbing you of your hard-earned money.
Signs That Your Furnace Is Inefficient
The thing with inefficiency is that it doesn’t happen overnight. Gilmore HVAC professionals say the drop in efficiency is normally a gradual process, so you are unlikely to realize it immediately when it happens. However, several signs suggest that your furnace is becoming inefficient. Here are the most telling signs according to the experienced HVAC repair technicians at Gilmore Heating and Air.
- The gas bill is inexplicably higher than it used to be. Our Sacramento home service experts say that any unusual increase in water or electricity bills is a good indication that something is not right. If you notice that your gas bill is now higher than it’s been in years, the chances are that the furnace is now working twice as hard to provide the same level of heating that it used to deliver.
- The frequency of service calls has increased. If you are finding yourself calling a Folsom HVAC company regularly, then your components are working harder than they should and will continue to break down.
- Hot and cold spots in sections of your home. Uneven heating can also occur in homes with new furnaces, but this is more common in households that have aging furnaces. If you have noticed hot and cold spots in different parts of your home, alongside the other signs mentioned earlier, then it is likely that your furnace is on its last life.
Signs That Your Furnace Needs to Be Replaced
If your 20-year-old furnace exhibits the signs of inefficiency discussed above, Sacramento HVAC experts suggest that you lookout for the signs below before you start thinking about furnace replacement.
Old age. As already mentioned, a furnace that has been in service for two decades is on its last life. Age alone is a good indicator that your furnace will need to be replaced soon. So, speak with an HVAC company near me about your new furnace options.
The burner flame is now yellow. When the flame from the burner in your furnace becomes yellow, call Gilmore Heating and Air immediately. This means that your furnace is now generating carbon monoxide. This poses a grave safety risk, and HVAC replacement is the best solution to the problem.
No more heat. Have you noticed that you always feel cold in your home regardless of the temperature at which you set the thermostat? Sacramento HVAC repair technicians point out that your furnace may be so inefficient that it no longer generates heat. A new furnace is the best option.
At Gilmore Heating and Air, we have extensive training and experience in helping people like you transition smoothly from their old furnaces to newer models. With the Gilmore Guarantee, you can rest assured that Gilmore Heating, Air & Plumbing is the best HVAC company for the job. Contact us today about any issues that you may be having with your furnace or any other component of the HVAC system. We will recommend the most cost-effective furnace that will address all your needs.
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