One of the most important appliances in your home is your furnace. With the average furnace lasting between 15 and 25 years, there will eventually come a time where you need to replace your aging furnace with a new one. Here are 2 reasons why you should consider replacing your furnace before it breaks down entirely.

Reduced Heating Costs

A problem with an older furnace that will gradually get worse is how inefficient it can be as it gets older in age. There will be a slow increase in your energy bills during the winter, which can sneak up on you because the change isn't drastic. You may even mistake a furnace that is becoming more inefficient for an increase in the cost of energy over the years, since gas and electric prices only get more expensive as time goes on.

If you have a smart thermostat, check out the daily usage for your furnace. Some smart thermostats can tell you exactly when the furnace has been used throughout the day. Do you notice a pattern of it turning on and off once it reaches the desired temperature, or constantly running all day long? If it's the latter, then your furnace is struggling to keep the temperature where it needs to be in your home.

In addition, know that a furnace produces a consistent level of heat when it is running, and a thermostat set higher than normal is not going to produce air that is any hotter. If you are noticing air coming out of the vents that is not the same temperature it once was, the furnace is not operating properly.

Improved Air Quality

Another problem with an older furnace is that it can struggle with removing all the allergens, dust, and other particles that are in the air. The result can be air that has an odor to it. If you have anybody in your home with allergies, this can cause them to have dry eyes, an allergic reaction, or even becoming sick more often than usual. Anybody in your house with a respiratory problem can have it get worse because the quality of the air is not as good as it could be.

If these sound like valid reasons to upgrade your furnace, contact a local furnace installation company. They can handle the entire installation of a brand new furnace, and even get rid of the old one for you.