A properly maintained heating oil furnace could last 15 years or more. But eventually, parts will wear down and efficiency will suffer – and if you wait too long to replace it, you will end up spending more money on heating repairs than the furnace itself is actually worth.

The big question is, how long is “too long?”

While the decision whether to repair or replace a home heating equipment isn’t always an obvious one to make, there are signs to watch for that might nudge you in the direction of a furnace upgrade.

Here are four of them:

• Age – Your furnace may still function after 20 years, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t replace it. Your old furnace may run at half its original efficiency – especially if it has not been properly maintained. If that’s the case, the efficiency improvements alone could pay for the an upgraded furnace in just a few years – not to mention that you will feel more comfortable in your Long Island home and worry less about a sudden winter breakdown.
• Poor performance – When your furnace doesn’t produce warm air the way it used to – even after heating system maintenance or repairs – replacement could be your only viable option.
• Higher bills – Notice a spike in your heating oil bills compared to previous years? That could mean that the efficiency of your equipment is dropping – something that happens steadily as your furnace ages.
• More frequent repairs – More frequent service calls could indicate a fundamental flaw in your equipment that can’t be fixed without a major overhaul – if it can indeed be fixed at all. If you have older equipment, it’s probably time for a heating system upgrade.

The key, as always, is to educate yourself about your new furnace purchase; the more you know, the better choice you will make. If you need expert advice on finding the right furnace for your Long Island home, give us a call today.

If you live in our East End or North Fork Long Island service area, there’s only one choice for reliable heating oil equipment installation and service: Burt’s Reliable. Contact us today for a FREE, no obligation estimate – or to become a Burt’s Reliable customer.