At what point does an older furnace become more expensive to run than to replace?
New furnaces typically operate at a higher energy efficiency of 95% or higher compared to older furnaces that typically operate at 60%-80% efficiency. This often means that with an older furnace, there is a lot of wasted energy escaping out of your home and a lot of wasted money being spent on higher energy bills.
The best part of having a new furnace is that it offers peace of mind that you will have a working furnace on the coldest Edmonton winter night.
What are the safety concerns with keeping an older furnace operating this winter?
Did you know your furnace is your home's heaviest-running appliance? Since it works so hard, components often wear out and break down over time. With these aging parts, a big safety concern is carbon monoxide, which is an odourless and colourless gas. The symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning are drowsiness and/or feeling sick. Please remember that it can seriously hurt you and your family.
A way to protect your family is by having a carbon monoxide monitor installed. A carbon monoxide monitor detects the gas in the air and sets off an alarm when dangerous levels are detected. Also, it is important to remember to change the batteries annually in your carbon monoxide monitor to ensure it is operating well.
The next safety concern with having an older furnace is that they often don’t have safety features like the new furnaces, which turn off automatically when they detect problems. The problems a new furnace can typically detect are fatal carbon monoxide levels and/or a house fire, to name a few disasters. Please remember that it is still important to install a carbon monoxide monitor in all homes, no matter whether you have a new furnace or an older furnace.
Having one in your home can possibly save your life and warn you of high levels of carbon monoxide in the air.
Finally, the city of Edmonton has an action plan to follow if your home has carbon monoxide alarms going off. You need to take it seriously and evacuate your home or space immediately. You need to call 911 once you have evacuated your home and are in a safe space, and follow the directions of the professionals. You need to not enter your home till the professional declares your home is safe. The safety action plan can save lives.
Edmonton Safety Action Plan
- If the Alarm Sounds: Immediately move everyone outside to fresh air and call emergency services.
- Maintenance: Test your alarms on the 1st of every month and replace batteries or units according to the manufacturer's expiration guidelines.
Will my furnace make it through another long Edmonton Winter?
Edmonton often has one of the coldest winters of any major city in Canada. As the weather turns colder and colder, your furnace works harder to keep up with the cold temperatures. With this pace, your older furnace can often break down at the coldest time of the year. We see an increase in the number of breakdowns during cold spells, as well as long wait times for available technicians. In addition, when trying to source parts for older furnaces, the parts often become difficult to find and replace, which increases the time of the repair and the cost.
Our service technicians can guide you on whether or not your older furnace is able to make it through another Edmonton winter. This can give you peace of mind when the temperatures begin to fall.
How come my older furnace is costing me more money as the years go on?
Older furnace units often break down due to aging components. When these older furnace units require repairs, it costs homeowners lots of money. These breakdowns typically happen as the weather becomes colder.
It is important to get your furnace serviced early and have it in working order before the snow begins.
It is also important to remember that older furnaces often end up costing you more money as well as being less energy efficient. So often it ends up being a smart investment to replace your old furnace and replace it with a new one. One of our trained and skilled technicians can assist you with this decision as they evaluate the condition of your existing furnace.
Why choose The Gentlemen Pros?
The Gentlemen Pros is the right choice for you due to our licensed and well-trained technicians. Our technicians can quickly and efficiently guide you to the best option for your home as well as your bank account. The technician will evaluate the overall condition of your old furnace through a diagnostic inspection, as well as the physical condition of your furnace. You do not have to worry about hidden costs because we have upfront pricing. Our technician will go over your options and assist you in making the best decision for your home without any hidden surprises in the end.
When you purchase a new furnace, you will have a 12-year parts and labour warranty, and you will receive a complimentary one-year “The Gentlemen’s Promise”. “The Gentlemen’s Promise” gives you preferred service rates on repairs, a lower trip charge, and an annual system inspection after a year. This inspection typically ensures you are satisfied with the performance of your new unit. Finally, “The Gentlemen’s Promise” has you covered by offering you a complete 42-point furnace inspection, an inspection of all your plumbing in your home, and a camera inspection of your sewer line.
Isn't this peace of mind? It can give you one less thing to be concerned about this winter.