If you’re asking yourself if it’s time to install a new home heating system, it’s probably because you have worries about the rapidly approaching winter. Since we’re on the edge of the Pacific Ocean here in Puget Sound, we experience milder temperatures during winter than places farther inland—but we still have heavy rains and gnawing wind to deal with, which makes an effective heater a necessity. If you’re concerned about whether your heater can make it through the winter without experiencing a breakdown, it’s possible that a new heater is the best option.
This is a difficult decision to make, since it involves time and expense. You’ll have fewer headaches if you turn to an HVAC company with years of experience to handle the installation—starting with helping you decide if a new heating system is the answer for your heating in Olympia, WA.
At Sound Heating, these are a few signs we look for to tell if a heater needs to be replaced. Knowing them may help you with your decision:
Noisy operation: HVAC manufacturers design heaters to run with as little noise as possible. If we hear a furnace making constant grinding noises, or a boiler that rumbles all the time, it’s a major clue that the system is too old to operate properly. There are other possibilities we look into, and if the sound is an isolated occurrence, the heater may only need repair. But the more consistent and noisy the heater, the more likely it needs replacement.
Increased power bills: We often find that customers who are concerned about their heater’s future have experienced an increase in their power bills that they didn’t expect: a price hike above the normal one from the shift to winter. Make sure you pay attention to your monthly bills, because a constant increase is a strong warning of a heater approaching the end of its service life.
Numerous repairs: If we’ve visited a home to perform repairs multiple times over a space of a few years, we suspect that the heater is very worn down. At a certain point, you’ll need to weigh the cost of future repairs against the cost of replacement.
You can make all these observations without the help of a professional contractor, but you should call one in for a second opinion before you decide to go with a replacement. The professional can then help you with selecting a new heater, sizing it, and installing it efficiently and correctly.
If you have concerns in Olympia, WA about heating your home—whether its repair, replacement, or maintenance—come to Sound Heating for a sound solution.