Choosing Between Furnace Repair and Replacement in Scott, LA

Winter is perhaps the worst time to have to deal with sudden issues with your furnace. In addition to the problems directly stemming from the issue itself, you’ll have to make a judgment about whether repairs can dispense with the problem or whether things are serious enough to force outright replacement. Here is some guidance for homeowners in Scott, LA on choosing between furnace repair and replacement.

Age

This is a critically important criterion, one so reliable that you can often judge by it regardless of the particular malfunction your furnace is experiencing. On average, a gas-powered furnace can last anywhere from 15 to 20 years. For electric and heating oil furnaces, the equivalent figures are 20-30 years and 15-20 years, respectively.

Once your furnace starts bumping up against these limits, you will notice that it will need repairs more frequently, and the cost of these may cumulatively exceed that of a new installation. On the other hand, if your unit is still a good deal younger than these figures, repair is probably the prudent option.

Utility Bills

Your utility bills should be another major consideration when deliberating between repair and replacement. A sudden crash in energy efficiency is a common sign that a furnace is either too old, on the verge of utter collapse, or both. Moreover, newer furnaces tend to be more efficient than older ones, and after enough years, this gap can become significant.

Compare the cost of shelling out for a new furnace with the money that you’ll be likely to save on utilities from the efficiency upgrade. Use that to decide which course of action is better.

Your Budget

The last factors to consider are your current budget and what that budget is likely to be in the future. Even if replacing your furnace may save you money in the long run, you may simply not have the money to pay for such a thing right now. A different situation, however, may justify another decision.

To condense our advice into a single idea, we would say: Consider the matter holistically. Once you know what you need, call Air Source One Cooling & Heating, Inc. in Scott, LA, and ask for either heating repair or installation.

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