During the winter, there are few other appliances more important than your heating system. It keeps your home comfortably warm, helps prevent frozen pipes, and maintains quality indoor air control. However, over time, all of your unit’s hard work will result in some wear and tear. Learning when these issues can be repaired and when the system should be fully replaced will ensure there is always an efficient working heater in your home. 

Repair

Weird Sounds

Heating systems in good shape will make relatively few noises. Clanging, humming, buzzing, and rattling are often signs that a part is broken and hitting other pieces. Calling an HVAC contractor when you first notice these sounds will usually catch the problems before they can do any real harm. 

Excessive Running

For many homes, the heater is only used for half the year. This gives it plenty of time to build up a layer of dust and dirt. Forgoing maintenance before turning the system on for the season will leave the debris in place and make it more difficult for it to work correctly. Most likely, it will struggle to warm the property and will stay on for longer periods of time. Scheduling repairs when you first notice these issues will hopefully prevent any costly damage.

Replace

Increasing Utility Bills & Age

An aging heater is going to become less effective. Depending on your chosen setup, you can expect a heating device to last between 10 and 20 years. Once they reach this age range, most systems have to work much harder to produce the same amount of air they did in their early years. This requires more energy and a spike in your monthly power bills.   

Frequent or Costly Repairs

HVAC professionals recommend scheduling a heater inspection once a year to prepare the system for the heavy winter workload and catch minor problems before they become major ones. However, if you find yourself calling a technician for repairs several times during the season, it’s a sign that the heater is failing.  

Similarly, if an expensive part breaks, compare the price of repairing the component to replacing the entire unit. If the repair bill would equal at least half of a new system, it’s often better to go ahead and replace it. 

 

When you need help figuring out if repairing or replacing your heater would be the best call, contact the experts at Steve’s Plumbing & Heating in Wisconsin Rapids, WI. They’ve provided plumbing services to the Wood County region for over 85 years and have recently expanded their specialties to cover residential heating and cooling. Call them today at (715) 421-1800 to schedule emergency assistance. Visit their website to learn more about their services.