A new Massachusetts winter will be upon us soon enough, and you’ll be relying even more heavily on your home heating equipment. Before that time comes, however, we suggest you take a look at your furnace or boiler’s performance so far and ask yourself, ‘Am I due for a heating system upgrade?’
Here are a few things to consider when trying to decide if an upgrade is in order:
Age of the System
Even with proper maintenance, over time a heating system’s efficiency and effectiveness can degrade. The general rule of thumb is equipment that has been in service for more than 10 years should be replaced with modern more modern systems. This is for the benefit of the homeowner, as new equipment boasts higher efficiency, helping to save on fuel costs, and will be less likely to breakdown in the middle of winter.
Number of Service Calls
Your equipment should be serviced at least once a year. This preventative maintenance prevents any small problems from turning into big issues down the line, and keeps your equipment clean and efficient. Now that your equipment is running for longer periods of time, it’s normal to have an extra service call or two. However, if you’re starting to spend more on repairs than you’re used to, new equipment can help.
Heating Costs
We’ve mentioned efficiency twice, but what does it mean? Efficiency is your heating system’s ability to take fuel and turn it into usable heat. The higher the efficiency, the more of the fuel you pay for is put to good use. If you’re spending more on heating costs year after year, but aren’t relying on your heating system more, it could be an issue of efficiency. Today’s heating equipment boasts efficiencies of up to 90%!
If you’d rather leave your equipment assessment to the pros, North Shore Fuel technicians work with today’s modern, high-efficiency home heating equipment and can evaluate your existing equipment, and offer solutions on how you can improve your heating season comfort. Call or contact us online to schedule a service or enroll in a service plan.
