When you move into a new home, there is a lot to take in and think about as you get settled in. You’re getting to know all of the new appliances and different spaces. For some homeowners, it also means seeing what upgrades or updates need to be made down the road. It may not always be top of mind, but your furnace and cooling system must be on the list of potential to-dos. It plays a vital role in home comfort, so learning a little bit more about your system is very valuable.
As long as they are operating without problems, we don’t pay a lot of attention to our furnaces. But as soon as it goes out, or causes challenges, we certainly notice. That’s why it’s a worthy idea to find out how old your furnace is. Then you have an understanding of what you might deal with later on. And this doesn’t just pertain to homeowners moving into a new space. Anyone who isn’t clear how old their furnace is should take time and figure it out. (continue below)
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How can you establish how old your furnace is?
Your furnace should have a sticker located somewhere on the exterior or interior paneling. If you don’t see a sticker with the model and serial number on the outer panels, find where the paneling opens up and look if it’s located inside that door.
Write down—or take a photo of—the serial number to keep for your records. Then head to the manufacturer’s website or search for guides on how to identify the manufacturing date. You may try searching for “find manufacturing date of YOUR BRAND furnace.” The serial number normally provides insight into the age of your system, but it does change among brands. For example, for some brands, the first four numbers represent the year and month it was manufactured. In this photo, the serial number indicates this particular system was made in May 2008.
If you are still having challenges, you can communicate with the manufacturer directly, or contact DOC Heating & Cooling for assistance.
Why is the age of your furnace significant?
Sometimes, when you’ve had a furnace about 15 years, it’s time to start looking for a replacement system to help enhance efficiency and overall operations. Newer models tend to have higher energy efficiency ratings and you’ll definitely benefit from the advancements in technology over the last years.
You don’t have to rely on just the age of your furnace, there are other factors that show it might be time to look for a new furnace. A few of these signs include:
- Rise in energy costs without major adjustments to the thermostat.
- More regular and costly repairs to fix the furnace.
- Reduction in home comfort levels—you never seem to feel warm enough.
An ounce of prevention, and some common sense, often, makes a significant difference, in a homeowner’s overall energy bill. Need Us Today? We’re on the Way! DOC Heating & Cooling offers our Clarksville Area customers residential and commercial heating & ac repair, maintenance and installation of new systems. The professionals at DOC Heating & Cooling are always ready to keep your family or customers and employees comfortable.
The part of your article that mentioned how regular costly repairs could lead to a replacement being the better choice was helpful to read. Every other week, we have had to have someone check out our furnace because of a loud noise or a problem with its heating, and this has definitely cost us more money than I would have wanted to spend on it. I’ll take your advice and see if there are any contractors in the area that can get us a much better replacement for it right away.