If you are wondering if it is time to replace the furnace in your Toronto home, the last thing you want to do is pay for something that didn’t really need to be replaced. The furnace is one of the most important components of your entire house, especially living in the Province of Ontario.
Winters here can be considerably harsh and if you are without heat for any length of time, not only can it be potentially harmful to you and your family, it can also pose a significant risk to your house as well. If the water pipes in your house freeze, they can burst and when those pipes fail you could have a flood that will add a significant expense for repairs.
Let’s talk about for signs that it may be time to replace the furnace in your home.
1. Age.
Age can tell a lot about the heating system. The older that a furnace is, the more inefficient it will be. It will also cost a lot more to repair and you may have to wait for parts if it breaks down. If it stops working in the middle winter, you could be dealing with the aforementioned problems not only for a couple of days but a matter of weeks or even months.
2. The pilot light goes out a lot.
Any time that the pilot light in your furnace goes out consistently, it is generally a sign that there is a significant problem with the furnace itself. This should indicate to you that it may very well be time to consider replacing it.
3. Yellow flame or a wavering flame.
If you look into the furnace and notice a yellowish colored flame or the flame is wavering and not strong, this could be a significant problem in the furnace itself.
4. The smell of sulfur.
If you don’t know what sulfur smells like, consider rotten or burned eggs. That is the smell of sulfur. If you are smelling sulfur in your basement or anywhere else in your house when the furnace is running, this is generally a sign that there is something wrong with the furnace.
Sometimes these problems can be resolved by simple repairs. However, you may need to consider replacing the furnace to ensure that you won’t have any problems during the heart of winter.
Contact McKinnon to have an experienced HVAC professional determine whether you need to replace the furnace now or if it still has a few good years left in it.