Expert ADVICE
Not Sure If You Need to Replace Your Furnace?
hasn’t had regular maintenance. If your furnace has decreased efficiency, it will run longer to keep your home at the right temperature, causing your gas and electric bills to increase. A new furnace could eventually pay for itself with the money saved from lowered gas and electric bills.
DENNIS SALAZAR Owner
Salazar Heating, Cooling & Plumbing 2774 Agua Fria St., Suite B-3 505.820.2007 SantaFeHeatingCooling.com
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efore you call a technician about repairing or replacing your furnace, here are some questions to answer:
HOW OLD IS YOUR FURNACE? We recommend you replace your furnace if it is 15 years or older. If your furnace is nearing this age, now would be a good time to start researching a replacement so you can make an informed decision and determine what special features you might want.
Often people wait until their furnace has died and are then forced to make a rushed decision. You could end up paying hundreds more than is necessary because you didn’t have time to shop around. If you don’t know the age of your furnace, a good indicator is whether it has a pilot light. If it does, it’s likely to be over 25 years old! Newer furnaces are lit by a glow igniter. ARE YOUR GAS AND ELECTRIC BILLS GOING UP? As your furnace ages, it will probably begin to lose its efficiency, especially if it
HAVE YOU NEEDED ANY FURNACE REPAIRS IN THE LAST FEW YEARS? As your furnace gets older, you might have to replace parts each year. Furnace repairs add up, especially in the last two years of its life. If parts for your old furnace are getting harder to find locally, that’s another reason you might want to replace it. DOES THE THERMOSTAT SETTING KEEP YOU COMFORTABLE THROUGHOUT YOUR HOME? Are some rooms too cold and others too hot? Do you have to keep adjusting your thermostat to be comfortable? Does the furnace blow cold air sometimes? These are signs your furnace no longer distributes heat properly. DOES YOUR FURNACE MAKE ODD NOISES? When furnaces near the end of their life, they can begin to make some unusual sounds: rattling, popping, banging and squeaking. Another sound to listen for is the furnace blowing constantly or turning on and off frequently. WHAT IS THE COLOR OF YOUR BURNER FLAME? A yellow flame or flickering flame instead of a steady blue flame, could be a sign your furnace is releasing deadly carbon monoxide. There are other concrete signs of possible carbon monoxide in your home, but the most significant are those that affect how you feel physically. HAVE YOU AND YOUR FAMILY EXPERIENCED ANY PHYSICAL SYMPTOMS?
Older furnaces can develop cracks in the heat exchanger. If carbon monoxide is present, it could seep into your home. If you and your family experience frequent headaches, flu-like symptoms, nausea, disorientation, or a burning sensation in the eyes or nose, be aware that these could be signs of carbon monoxide poisoning. If there is carbon monoxide in the house, and if the problem isn’t remedied, it could result in death. If you have any of these symptoms, open your windows, including the window closest to your furnace, and call us immediately. Don’t call the gas company; they will turn off your gas and you will have no heat for a while, possibly days. This is another reason why it’s so important to have yearly maintenance checkups. DOES ANYONE IN YOUR FAMILY SUFFER FROM ALLERGIES OR DRY SKIN? New furnaces clean and humidify the air in your home, and can help clear the air of dust, mold and pollen, creating a better environment for those who have allergies. A new furnace can help prevent dry skin or dry throat, as well as static shocks, furniture cracking and the quick buildup of dust.
If any of the conditions listed above apply, call us for a FREE estimate on replacing your furnace.