Your furnace won’t last forever. According to the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the average life of a gas-fired furnace is 18 years. If you’re lucky, your furnace can last up to 25 years. Waiting for it to exhibit signs of deterioration before considering replacement, however, is not a good idea.

Any plumbing expert in Edmonton would advise you to make up your mind even before the first time your furnace stops producing heat. Here are some of the red flags that you need to replace your furnace as soon as possible.

Repairs and Huge Bills Are Becoming Frequent

It’s not an accident that you’ve used expert furnace repair services more frequently in the last six months than you did in the last couple of years. The huge bill you paid last month also indicates that there’s something wrong with your heating system. It could mean that your furnace is using more energy to operate but is producing less heat.

Strange Noises

When you start hearing screeching or loud banging every time your furnace is on, it could indicate a motor problem, which tells you that the unit is slowly deteriorating. You can have a plumbing technician check it to see if replacing the component that’s not working may do the trick. If he advises you to replace the unit, however, you must do so to prevent worse issues from emerging.

Humidity Problems

Did your last winter feel kind of drier or was your last summer more humid than in the past? It must be the result of a faulty furnace or leaky ductwork. Before your uncontrolled humidity leads to mold growth and other sanitation issues in your home, have your furnace replaced with the help of a plumbing professional.

Old Unit

As previously mentioned, your furnace is expected to last only up to 25 years. If you moved to a new home and the old furnace is still in use, ask the seller how old it is and make up your mind from there. Before the unit even reaches the end of its functional life, hire a plumbing technician to give you an estimate, and perhaps good advice on how to choose a new unit.

Consider installing a programmable thermostat to allow you to save energy when no one is at home to use the furnace. You can program the thermostat to shut the furnace down during periods when no one is at home. A trusted plumbing technician can install this unit as well.