Has Your Heater Reached the End of its Life?

The weather in Cleveland over the last few days has been bitterly cold. The wind chill is in the single digits, and the temperature is dropping into the teens. When the weather outside is so unforgiving, the last thing you need is a broken heating system. Whether you use a boiler, furnace, or heat pump to warm your home, you can’t afford an emergency heating system failure when it’s so cold outside. The ability to warm our homes and create comfort indoors is a modern marvel. Modern heating systems are dependable and safe devices that provide comfort from external elements.

A well-cared-for and properly installed heating system has a lifespan of more than 15 years. But, like all machines, with normal wear and tear, they could break from malfunction or defect. Given the evening lows in Cleveland over the last several days and the forecast for even colder days in coming weeks – knowing your heater is in good shape can give you peace of mind that you will be safe from the wintery days ahead. If your heater is fairly new and you’ve taken care of it, then you likely have no cause for concern. But it’s always wise to have your heater checked at the end of the fall before the winter months.

4 Signs Your Heater Has Reached Its End

If your heating system is over ten years old, you may want to pay attention and ensure your heater isn’t showing signs of decline. When your system is nearing the end of its lifespan, it will begin to exhibit signs of failure. Typically, heaters don’t just stop working suddenly. They gradually fail over time. You can usually spot the signs in hindsight after your system has failed, but we can help you spot the signs earlier with a basic inspection.

Here are 4 of the top signs your heater is nearing its end:

It’s very dirty: Failing heating systems are dirty and covered in particles. They have layers of dust, dirt, and soot on them. If you have been suffering from poor air quality inside your home, then your heater may be the culprit. If you have a boiler and it’s covered in black soot, that’s a sign it’s not firing properly. These types of wear and tear issues from a fuel burning heater could eventually lead to carbon monoxide leaking into your home. Regardless of your type of heater, an efficient system should run cleanly. So, a dirty system is not a good sign.

It’s inefficient: An inefficient system means higher than normal energy bills. If your furnace is costing you more to operate each year, and your home’s temperature controls are erratic, it’s a sign of system inefficiency. Inefficiency is a sign your system is nearing its end because it’s working overtime to warm your home. Eventually, it will fail trying to warm your home. You don’t want it to fail when you need it most. So, if your heat pump is constantly running, or if your furnace or boiler becomes extremely expensive to operate, you may need to have them replaced soon.

It’s always broken: If your heater is broken often, then you are headed for an emergency failure that you can’t repair. Increased system failures are a sure sign that your system needs a major repair or it’s time for a replacement. If you have a boiler that is always leaking, a furnace that never seems to work when you need it, then you may need to take the preemptive step of replacing the unit before it breaks at an inopportune time. The rule of thumb is more than three repairs per year equals time to replace the unit.

It’s noisy: Your heater shouldn’t be so loud that it’s noticeable. Loud noises from your heater are a sign of structural problems. When your system starts, if you hear banging, rattles, humming, or anything that sounds unusual, it’s a sign of aging. While you may hear your system stop and start, there shouldn’t be loud mechanical noises like grinding or buzzing. Your heater should be mostly silent. If this is not the case, you could have a problem on your hands.

An aging, worn heater is unreliable and a risk to you and your family. You don’t want to be left relying on a failing heating system to provide comfort and safety for your home during the remaining winter season. Whether it’s inefficient heating or spiking energy costs, the signs your heater is failing can help you avoid an untimely system failure. Contact our team of professionals at Arco Home Services if your heater is dying in Cleveland or surrounding areas, and we can help you replace it with a reliable new model!

Call us at (216) 202-3778 to schedule an appointment or reach out online right anytime.