This is a pretty common question among homeowners who have had their heaters for a decade or more, and it’s a good thing to ask. There are a number of different things we could point to in different systems that would indicate the need to replace your heater. In the interest of keeping things simple, however, we’re going to cover the three factors that every homeowner should consider regardless of what kind of heater he or she has.
Increase in Heating Bills
Now, you can always expect a slight variance in your heating bill from month to month. You don’t use your heater the exact same amount of time each month, after all. It’s when you start experiencing consistent increases that you should be concerned. As a heater gets older, wear and tear begins to build up on the various parts of the system. This will eventually cause the parts to break, but before that happens they will slowly lose efficiency. This will cause your system to have to work harder to achieve the same results, which will lead to the increased heating bill.
Increase in Repair Frequency
A consequence of the aforementioned wear and tear, the various parts in your heater will wear out until they eventually break. Different parts wear down at different rates, which will stagger the effect a little. However, there will come a point where it seems like you have to call a repair technician every couple of months. At that point, it is very likely that your heater has reached the end of its lifespan. Once this happens, it tends to be much cheaper to replace your heater entirely than to keep paying to replace individual parts.
Age
One of the easiest things to measure, the age of your heating system serves as a good indicator of whether or not to replace it. The rule of thumb is: if your system is over 15 years old, it might be time to consider replacing it. If it is under 15 years old, ask a professional if it is viable to keep it for a few more years.
If you think you need to replace your heater, call APC Plumbing & Heating. Our HVAC technicians provide professional heating services in the Denver area.
