Furnaces, boilers and water heaters are some of the biggest energy guzzlers in your home and they could be costing you a lot more than they should be. Even if your equipment is functioning just fine, it could make more financial sense to replace them. Sounds a little crazy, right? Well, see below to find out whether you should replace that system now, or do sometime down the road instead.
When To Replace Your Heating System
You probably don’t even realize that if you live in a colder climate, you spend nearly ⅔ of your entire energy budget on heating your home. That means, if you can cut down on heating costs, it’s the most effective way to reduce your utility bills.
Here are a few things to consider:
- If your system is 15 years old or older, you will save money by replacing your furnace or boiler. Most older systems have an efficiency rating (AFUE) of 55-65 percent, while all of today’s models have a rating of 80 percent or higher.
- If your system is 5 years old or newer, it doesn’t make sense to replace it now, unless it’s in need of a serious repair or you wish to switch to a different fuel type.
When To Replace Your Water Heater
Contrary to popular belief, not all brand new water heaters are extremely efficient. Lots of models on the market today lose a great deal of heat through the flue and through the walls of the tank, but older systems are even worse.
Here are a few things to consider:
- Gas water heaters manufactured before 1998 generally have an efficiency rating of less than 50 percent.
- Similar to a heating system, if your water heater is 5 years old or newer, it generally doesn’t make sense to replace it unless it’s in need of serious repair.
- If your water heater is between 5 and 10 years old, you can probably get away without replacing it for now. But as it nears 15 years of age, it’s worthwhile to consider replacing it.
Unsure about whether or not you should be replacing your home heating system or water heater? That’s where we come in! The plumbing and heating experts at Levine & Sons are here to help! Give us a call today at 1-888-LEVINE1.