Heating / Furnaces

Here are some signs that it’s time to replace your furnace.

Your furnace has reached “retirement age”

Furnaces live an average of 10-20 years, depending on if you had it professionally maintained or not. Age isn’t everything, though. The cost to keep the furnace running will give you more concrete reasons to replace or not.

Increased cost and frequency of furnace repairs

Like an old car, an old furnace that starts to have costly breakdowns is signaling that it’s near the end of its usable life and needs to be replaced soon (within the next 2 years or so). The question then becomes, “How expensive does a furnace repair need to be before it’s not worth it?” It depends on how old your furnace is and the cost to get a new furnace. A good rule of thumb is, no matter the age of the furnace, if the cost to repair is 40-50% of the cost of a new furnace, you should replace it. But for less expensive repairs, you should be less resistant to replacing the furnace the older it is. So if the furnace is 15-20 years old, and the cost to repair the furnace is only 10% of the cost of a new furnace, you should probably replace it (because it’s more likely to break down again soon).

Your heating bills have risen dramatically over the years

Even if your furnace has a few years left in it, it may not be cost efficient to keep it if your energy bills during the heating season are high due to the furnace’s horrible efficiency. With that in mind, you need to assess how much it’s costing you just to keep the current furnace you have versus how much you’ll save with a new furnace. Use this AFUE chart to do just that.

AFUE is a gas furnace’s efficiency rating, represented in a percentage. It stands for how much of the gas it uses to heat your home. So an 80% AFUE furnace uses 80% of the fuel to heat your home, the rest goes up the flue pipe—wasted. That means for every dollar you use to heat your home, 20 cents is wasted. This chart will show you how much you’ll save for every $100 you normally spend on heating by upgrading to a higher efficiency furnace. So if you’re upgrading from a 60% AFUE furnace to a super efficient 90% AFUE furnace, you’re saving $33.33 for every $100 you normally spend on heating. Find your last year’s heating bills and do the math. It’ll be crystal see how much you’ll save each year. The savings from a higher energy efficiency furnace may motivate you to replace your current furnace earlier than you expect.

The rooms throughout your home are different temperatures.

As a furnace gets older, it can become more and more inefficient until it loses the ability to distribute heat evenly throughout the house. As a result, some rooms can be colder than others.

Your home has soot around the registers.

A furnace register is a ventilation duct cover that can be opened and closed. Although the terms “register” and “grille” are used interchangeably, registers differ from furnace grilles due to possessing dampers which allow them to control the airflow within a duct. If you find soot (or dust/rust) around these areas within your home, then it means that your furnace has too much CO2. Difficulty keeping a clean house aside, this can cause excessive dryness which can damage furniture, flooring and plants. It can also cause itchy throats, dry eyes, as well as respiratory issues when inhaled. If you ever see a build-up of soot near your registers, it’s probably time to get a replacement.

Your furnace is extra noisy.

Furnaces can be kind of noisy, but if that noise gets louder over time, then you may want to consider a replacement. Possible telltale signs can come in the form of:

• Rattling: This can indicate unsecured ductwork, loose screws, sheet metal, or even the lower furnace motor not being properly balanced.

• Popping: This happens when parts inside of your furnace heat and cool in response to temperature changes.

• Humming: Your fan motor is probably going to make a bit of noise, but if it’s to the point of disruption, you might need a furnace blower motor replacement.

• Screeching/Squealing: If you hear these noises, you should probably assume your blower motor or inducer is damaged or worn out. It could also be caused by a loose bearing, deteriorating belt, or an issue with the pulley holding the belt.

Weigh the factors together

As you can see, none of these factors (age, cost to repair, energy efficiency) alone can tell you if you need to replace your furnace. They should be weighed together. To help you make the best choice possible, we encourage you to contact us and PHD Heating & Cooling will help you.

Call us today at (312) 409-33-26 or contact us online to schedule a visit with one of our specialist.

let's take a look at the more common problems and furnace repairs you may have to make with a conventional furnace.

1. Gas Furnace Produces No Heat or Not Enough Heat

Come fall and winter, it is imperative that your furnace is working properly and producing enough heat to warm your home. If your furnace stops producing heat or is blowing cool air, there are a number of possible culprits, starting with your thermostat. PHD Heating & Cooling help you fix this problem before you freeze.

Call us today at (312) 409-33-26 or contact us online to schedule a visit with one of our specialist.

2. Gas Furnace Powers on and off Too Frequently

Cut down on energy costs and prevent damage to your furnace by addressing a gas furnace that's overactive or short cycling. Besides the need for consistently comfortable temperatures, this issue could cause long-term safety issues to your home, making it very important to address. From a faulty thermostat to a dirty filter, there are several possible causes to investigate.

3. Gas Furnace Blower Does Not Turn Off

Possible Causes:

• Thermostat set to fan continuously

• Faulty fan limit control switch on furnace

4. Gas Furnace Has Noisy Operation

Don't let a noisy furnace in your home drive you crazy. From a low-pitched humming to a high-pitched squealing to a loud banging, different sounds mean different problems. PHD Heating & Cooling help you fix the problem.

5. Furnace Pilot Is Out/Relighting a Standing Pilot

A pilot light can go out due to a strong draft, dirty orifice, or dirt in the gas tube. Luckily, relighting your pilot light is fairly simple. The thermocouple may also be faulty and shutting off the gas supply. If this is the case, the problem is a bit more involved and may require you to replace your thermocouple. PHD Heating & Cooling help you fix the problem.

6. Electronic Ignition Furnace Problems

Newer furnaces do not rely on a standing pilot to ignite the gas burners. Electronic ignition occurs typically in one of two ways: intermittent pilot or hot surface ignition.The intermittent pilot system uses an electronically controlled high voltage electrical spark to ignite the gas pilot and, subsequently, the main burners when the thermostat calls for heat.The hot surface ignition system uses an electronically controlled resistance heating element, not unlike a light bulb filament, to ignite the gas burner. PHD Heating & Cooling help you fix the problem.

7. Mismatching the Furnace and Thermostat

Furnaces and thermostats are not mix-and-match appliances. Using the wrong type of thermostat with a furnace will cause operating problems and can be dangerous. Although thermostats look similar, they are designed very differently. There are numerous types of heating systems and thermostat systems and they need to be coordinated for safe and proper operation. There are three types of thermostat systems used today: millivoltage, low voltage, and line voltage.​

Call us today at (312) 409-33-26 or contact us online to schedule a visit with one of our specialist.

You rely on your furnace to keep your home comfortably warm when the nights get chilly, which is just one of the reasons why an annual furnace inspection from a knowledgeable HVAC pro is so important. A professional furnace inspection also provides a number of other key benefits.

• When your furnace is properly maintained, it operates efficiently, which reduces fuel and energy waste and lowers your annual heating costs. An annual tune-up by a qualified and experienced technician can help extend the life of your heating equipment by preventing unnecessary damage to vital system components.

• During a routine maintenance visit, your HVAC specialist can identify and address small problems before they progress into more serious issues that require costly repairs or replacements.

• Regular maintenance can help prevent safety issues, such as the risk of fire, and the dangers posed by unhealthy gas fumes, and lethal carbon monoxide leaks.

What’s Involved in a Furnace Inspection

The steps performed during a routine furnace inspection can vary and you can expect that an experienced professional will include the following tasks:

• Checking the vent system for leaks or blockages.

• Examining the heat exchanger for signs of corrosion and cracks or separations. A damaged heat exchanger can allow deadly carbon monoxide to escape.

• Checking the blower and cleaning its components. This includes removing the blower wheel to ensure that it’s free of dirt and debris. Testing for a tight seal on the blower access door.

• Checking the air intake grills for blockages.

• Performing an amp-draw test on the blower motor and comparing the results to the unit’s listed specifications. This can reduce the risk of fire, and help extend the life of the blower components.

• Checking the burner for proper ignition and testing the flame sensor for accurate operation.

• Lubricating all the motor’s moving parts to reduce friction. When there’s friction, the motor has to work harder, which requires more electricity, and it could also result in a premature failure.

• Checking that all electrical connections are tight and examining the wiring for signs of rust and corrosion.

• Testing the thermostat calibration. When the thermostat is calibrated correctly, your home will be more comfortable. It can also save you money on your energy bills by preventing overheating.

• Examining the flue for obstructions. If the toxic fumes that result from combustion can’t escape up the flue due to a blockage, your indoor air quality will suffer.

• Testing for the unit’s safety controls. This should include checking the high limit control, which prevents the furnace from overheating and reduces the risk of fire.

• Checking the belts for signs of wear or cracks.

• Testing that the system’s startup cycle is functioning correctly. Checking the furnace’s air filter. A dirty filter can reduce the unit’s efficiency by restricting needed air flow, and damage vital system components over time.

Call us today at (312) 409-33-26 or contact us online to schedule a visit with one of our specialist.