One of the major decisions a homeowner may have is whether to quit fixing heating systems and switch to a new furnace. We won’t pretend that the solution to this issue is simple, and we can’t generalize about all furnaces. We can provide some advice to help you choose when to replace your furnace.
There are several indications that it’s time to replace your old furnace with a new energy-efficient system. This could include the system’s age, abrupt temperature swings, high operating expenses, and loud sounds. Contact a qualified expert in your region to learn more about the newest energy-efficient furnaces available when deciding on a replacement.
Still not sure if it is time to replace your home furnace? Read on to find out!
A 15 to 30 Year Old Furnace
The typical furnace is made to last 15 to 30 years in a house. Performing maintenance and repairs on your furnace once a year is the simplest method to lengthen its lifespan. The kind of fuel your old furnace uses to heat your house also affects how long it will last.
There are several techniques to increase the furnace’s lifespan. If you have a wood stove that can burn hard coal, we recommend burning coal every so often. Burning coal in a wood furnace will help to clean the firebox, heat exchanger, and flue of creosote. Creosote is what dramatically decreases the life of your home’s furnace. Our
Condition of the Firebox
In a cheap wood and coal furnace, the firebox may warp and even crack over time, especially if it is overfired. When a firebox is warped, the welds may have hidden cracks. Cracks in the firebox will leak deadly carbon monoxide into your living space.
If you have a warped furnace, you may want to invest in a new heavier duty furnace or a boiler. Our boilers have a firebox entirely surrounded by water, eliminating the possibility of cracks and warping. Our boilers typically last over 30 years! Boilers can be used in homes using forced air as well.
Increased efficiency, Less time
If you have a traditional updraft furnace or boiler, you are probably tending it at least 3 times daily. If you are burning wood, you cut, split, and stack large piles of wood every spring. If you want to burn less fuel and spend less time with your boiler or furnace, it may be time to look at replacing them.
First off, if you still want to burn wood, you will want to check out our Wood Guns! Wood Guns are highly efficient wood gasification boilers. Gasification simply means it will burn the smoke and creosote. Therefore using 60% more energy from every pound of wood burned. The gasification technology paired with an efficient heat exchanger means you will burn ½ as much wood! With our system, you can still burn wood up to 10″ round and up to 26″ long. You don’t even need thermal storage.
If you want to have the benefits of a traditional system like fuel oil or electricity but do not want to pay an arm and a leg, look at our Coal Gun. The Coal Gun is a coal stoker. Our stokers have hoppers to load 350 lbs of anthracite coal. 350lbs of anthracite can heat a 1,500 sq ft home for 7 days! Coal stokers drastically lower the amount of time you spend tending your fire. Coal is the cheapest fuel you can buy, test it out.
We would love to chat with you about replacing your home furnace. At Alternate Heating Systems, we love to see people warm, safe and thriving.