Don’t wait till your furnace breaks down to determine if it needs replacement.
Imagine waking up one gray, frigid January morning to discover that your furnace has broken down. Rather than waiting until such a disaster befalls you, it’s ideal to check on the health of your Seattle furnace every once in a while to ensure that it’s in good condition and capable of adequately warming your home for years to come.
Signs That You Need a New Furnace
There are several telltale signs indicating that your furnace might need replacement. If your heating bills are rising, your furnace probably isn’t working as efficiently as it used to. Replacing your old furnace with a newer, more efficient model can cut your heating bills and furnace’s pollution output in half. The need for frequent and/or costly repairs is another sign that you ought to replace your Seattle furnace.
Why Replace Your Seattle Furnace with an Energy-Efficient Model?
If your Seattle furnace is more than 15 years old, Energy Star recommends replacing it with an Energy Star-qualified furnace. Energy Star-qualified furnaces are 15% more efficient than conventional furnaces. They’re made with high-quality components and boast advanced technology, so they last longer and have longer warranties. Moreover, there is less risk of air quality problems when you use an Energy Star-qualified furnace because it is designed to reduce the risk of back drafting carbon monoxide exhaust into your home.
Older Seattle furnaces have efficiencies of around 56-70%, whereas modern furnaces achieve efficiencies as high as 97%. Energy-efficient furnaces are capable of converting almost all of the fuel they use into heat for your home. According to Energy Star, if just 1 out of 10 households bought Energy Star-qualified heating and cooling equipment, we would prevent annual greenhouse gas emissions of 15 billion pounds.
Buying a New Furnace
The cost of buying an energy-efficient furnace is higher than that of buying a standard furnace, but you’ll achieve a return on investment over time because your heating bills will be lower. Furthermore, you may be eligible for a federal tax credit if you purchase an energy-efficient furnace for your home in 2011.
When shopping for a new Seattle furnace, look for a sealed combustion furnace that brings air directly into the burner and exhaust flue gases directly outside. Other types of furnaces draw heated air into the unit for combustion and then send the air up into the chimney, wasting it. Sealed combustion furnaces are ideal because they don’t release combustion gases into your home or waste the energy used to heat the air.
No two houses are alike, so it may be difficult for you to determine which type of furnace would be the most cost-effective and efficient for your home. Consider hiring an HVAC technician to evaluate your home, recommend a furnace that’s right for your needs, and determine proper system sizing and equipment placement
Replace Your Seattle Furnace with an Energy-Efficient Model
MM Comfort Systems has been providing residential and commercial heating services in the greater Seattle, Tacoma, Redmond, and Bellevue areas since 1977. To have your Seattle furnace evaluated by one of MM Comfort Systems’ skilled technicians, please call 425.533.9058 or fill out our online contact form.
