Purl's Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning Blog: Posts Tagged ‘Heating Replacement’

Selecting the Correct Heating System Type

Friday, October 13th, 2017

home-basement-furnaceAre you looking into having a new heating system installed this fall? It’s a great season to schedule this kind of major HVAC job: you’ll be ready in time for the winter cold, and it’s easy to have it arranged with our installers at a convenient time.

Picking the right new heater can be a bit tricky, however. Let’s take a look at some of the choices we’ll help you make when shopping for a heating installation or replacement.

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Now Is the Time for a Complete Residential HVAC System Replacement!

Monday, November 2nd, 2015

Temperatures are cooling down as we enter November and head toward winter. If you are considering replacing your old heating system, the fall is one of the ideal times to arrange to have the job done. It’s much better to have a new furnace ready to go to work when the chilly weather hits than to scramble to arrange it in the middle of winter.

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Is It Time to Have a New Furnace Installed?

Monday, October 19th, 2015

It’s October, and although we’re still experiencing warmer weather (mixed with rain), the cooling-off period is not far away. Before we know it, winter will arrive and settle in for its regular stay. Now is a good time to consider making any necessary major changes to the heating system that serves your home. You don’t want to try to arrange for the installation of a new furnace during the coldest period of winter, after all!

If you have a furnace in your home that has served for more than 15 or 20 years, it may be time to retire it and have a new furnace installed. The job isn’t as difficult as you imagine, especially when you call on experienced HVAC professionals like the ones at Purl’s Sheet Metal.

Some questions to ask about your current furnace

To help you think about whether your furnace is ready for replacement, ask yourself a few of these questions:

  • How old is the furnace? Check when the furnace was installed. Most gas furnaces have a life expectancy between 15 and 20 years, and electric furnaces a bit longer than this. If you have a system that is over 20 years old, then it’s probably time to have it replaced—even if it shows no outward signs of failing or performance issues. It’s better to get ahead of the problem. And with 20 years of service, the furnace has already returned your original investment in it a few times over.
  • Have winter energy bills been rising? Take a look over your energy bills for the past few winters and see if there is a pattern of increasing costs. If you cannot account for a noticeable rise because of greater use of the system, then the issue is probably a furnace that is declining. If the furnace has received regular maintenance and still shows this loss of efficiency, then it is too old to continue to work effectively.
  • How often does the furnace need repair work? A furnace should need few repairs during its first few years of service (provided it has routine inspections and tune-ups). After that, it might need a repair every few years. When it needs repairs once or twice a year, or if the repair total to keep it running annually exceeds $500, then you are spending too much on fixing it and should instead put the money toward a replacement.

Purl’s Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning offers heating replacement in Fresno, CA and throughout the Central Valley.

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Signs You Need a Furnace or Heating System Replacement

Friday, October 3rd, 2014

The fall is one of the best times of the year to schedule heater or furnace replacement. The weather is still warm enough that you won’t need the heater running yet, giving you time to arrange for installation and to find out if the new system has any operational problems. You can also take advantage of this slower period for HVAC professionals to schedule the most convenient time for the installation job. You will be all set with your new heating system before the first cold weather arrives.

You should only replace your heater if it’s necessary, however. A few targeted repairs from skilled professionals will often keep a malfunctioning heating system running smoothly for another few years. But you need to pay attention to signs from an aging heater that it is moving past the point where repairs and maintenance will keep it working. If you are unsure about whether you should replace your heater or continue with repairs, call the experts at Purl’s Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning. We have handled heating replacements in Fresno, CA since 1952.

Watch For These Signs It Is Time for Heating System Replacement

  • Noisy operation: Any strange noise from a heating system, especially a gas-powered heater, needs immediate investigation from skilled technicians to see if it requires repairs. If a heating system constantly makes loud and obtrusive sounds when it runs, then the issue probably runs deeper than what a single repair can handle: the system has worn down to the point that replacing it is the more cost-effective solution.
  • Numerous repairs: If a heating system receives regular maintenance, it helps increase the life span of the heating unit and reduce future repair costs. Most heaters need the majority of their repairs during the last two years of service, so when the repair bills start to pile up, you need to consider heating replacement as an option. Any repair that would cost half the price of replacing the system is too expensive, and replacement is the better option.
  • Corrosion: This applies to gas-powered furnaces, the most common type of heating system. The reaction of combustion gas with metal in a furnace will eventually create corrosion, especially if the unit is having trouble venting adequately. When corrosion begins to appear on a furnace, it indicates that age has caught up with it and you need to install a new furnace. Corrosion is potentially hazardous since it can lead to cracks in the heat exchanger and gas leaks, so do not hesitate to call for professionals when you spot this.

Replacing an old heating system is easier than you might think. When you contact Purl’s Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning for heating replacement service in Fresno, CA, you’ll receive the highest quality service from professionals with years in the business. We can handle the work for you, done fast and right the first time.

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Are you Ready for Heating System Replacement?

Tuesday, October 8th, 2013

In Fresno, CA, heating systems don’t see nearly as much use as they do in colder climates, and accordingly don’t tend to wear out as quickly. With proper care and maintenance, a heater can last a long time here in our warm and pleasant Central Valley, providing reliable comfort when the temperatures start to drop. Sooner or later, however, the time comes when you need to replace you old unit with a new one. The question becomes when. Are you ready for heating system replacement? A few key factors can help you decide.

The first and most important is basic cost vs. benefits. A new heater can carry a larger up-front cost, which means that the benefits need to outweigh the investment you will make. If your old heater is turning into a giant cash drain, that becomes a lot easier to determine. Look at your monthly heating bill. Is it going up even though you’re not using your heater any more than normal? If it is, it means your heater is losing efficiency and those costs will continue to rise until you replace the unit. Multiple repairs, too, can signal a heater whose time has come. If your unit isn’t warming your house the way it should and it seems like you’re calling a repair service every few weeks, a replacement unit may be just what you need.

Another sign that you’re ready for heating system replacement is if your heater’s AFUE (Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency) rating is lower that you’d like. The rating is measured in a percentage, which represents the amount of energy used for actual heating (instead of being lost to inefficiency). The federal government mandates that all furnaces have an AFUE of at least 75%. (Units with a rating of 90% or greater receive an EnergyStar label, providing an easy way to determine he most efficient new unit.) If your furnace’s rating is below these numbers, especially if it’s more than 10 or 15 years old, it may be time to find a new one.

In Fresno, CA, heating systems fall under the purveyance of Purl’s Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning. Are you ready for heating system replacement? If you are, or even if you just need some good advice on how to proceed, contact our trained  staff of Fresno, CA heating replacement technicians today.

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