One of the easiest way to cut the cost of heating your home is to keep your heating system in tip top shape. This can be done by having your system serviced annually and keeping up on changing filters when needed on your own. Unfortunately there will come a time when your heating system needs to be replaced entirely. While this may be a big cost to you upfront, it will save you money over time as furnaces and boilers have continue to become more and more energy efficient. Furnace Replacement may be your only option.

There are many signs that it might be time to replace your old heating system. Age may be the first indication that you are in need of new equipment. Furnaces generally have a shelf life of 25 years and boilers may last up to 50 years. If your system is approaching these ages it will be time to upgrade sooner than later. Other indications that your heating system might be on its way out includes frequent calls for repairs or an unexplained increase in your energy bills. These are signs that your furnace or boiler are not as working as efficiently as they could or should be. Other less obvious signs include noisy equipment, rooms that may be too hot or too cold, a home that is too dry in wintertime, and/or excessive dust that can be distributed by leaky ducts.

Even if your system is not quite on its last leg yet, you may still want to consider replacing your existing system. Depending on when your system was built, it will score various ratings on the Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency (AFUE) chart. Systems installed prior to 1970 will generally score a 65% or lower. This percentage number tells you how much fuel is actually being converted into heat, and a 65% means only that amount out of 100% is actually used to heat your home, the rest is turned into exhaust and is ultimately wasted. The highest efficiency equipment you can purchase on the market today has over a 96% rating, this is over 30% less fuel waste! You would see savings immediately if you switch from one of the older systems. Find out where your heating equipment stands in the ratings on the Department of Energy website.

Whether the time is right to replace your heating system put of necessity or if you are just weighing the pros and cons of simply updating your working but inefficient equipment, you will see significant cost savings immediately. So now might be the time to take the plunge, especially before the real winter weather sets in!