You keep a close watch on your budget so you know when you’re sinking too much money into any one item. When winter weather comes around, you want to pay special attention to your furnace, since your family’s comfort and safety relies on its steady operation. At some point, you may need a furnace repair in Lebanon, OH to keep your furnace running, and that repair may come this winter. When confronting any large furnace repair, you’ll ask yourself if the price is worth it. Is it better to have the repair done or have a new furnace put in?
Sometimes you won’t have trouble with the question, especially if the furnace is relatively young (under ten years) and the repair is covered by the warranty. But we’re going to look at some of the more borderline cases.
Keep This in Mind: You Need Professionals to Help You
Please don’t attempt to make any final decision about a furnace malfunction and replacement on your own. Our technicians can provide you with an estimate on a repair cost and answer questions about your options so you have the best information about making the choice of repair or replace. Now, let’s see some examples.
Replacing the heat exchanger
The heat exchanger is the part of a gas furnace where hot combustion gas collects and then transfers its heat to the air moving around it. A heat exchanger may crack, and this is a harmful situation because it can lead to carbon monoxide leaks into the house. To repair this, the exchanger must be replaced. The cost for this can range, but if the furnace is older than ten years, a cracked heat exchanger often means the furnace is too old.
Replacing/repairing the blower motor
The blower motor is how air gets pushed into the furnace and then the ventilation system. If you have an AC/furnace combination, the blower motor is used for both. If a blower motor can be repaired, it’s probably best to go with that. With a replacement, you’ll have to balance the cost against the age of the furnace and the price of a replacement.
Replacing the flame sensor
If the burners in your furnace won’t light, it may be because of a failure of the flame sensor, an important safety mechanism. The cost to replace this component is often inexpensive enough to be worth it, unless the furnace is 15 years older or more.
Repair/replace the thermostat
Yes, this is a part of the furnace—a crucial part. When the thermostat is the reason for your furnace issues, you can see about having it repaired or upgrading to a new unit. This is a tricky one, because there are many options for new thermostats, but not all new thermostats will work with your current HVAC system. You’ll have to think about long-term plans with your HVAC system when you are considering putting in an upgraded Wi-Fi/smart thermostat.
There are many other repairs; as a general rule, any repair that costs more than half the price of a new furnace is likely not worth it. We’ll help you make the best choice.
Call on Bartels Heating & Cooling “For a Comfortable Way of Life.”