Your heating and cooling system is one of the most important components of your home. As your system begins to age, you may need to consider making the choice between replacing or repairing your Bryant Furnace. Living in the St. Albert area, it’s easy to imagine the discomfort of having no furnace in the dead of winter or your air conditioning failing in the middle of August. With that in mind, if you’re in the process of deciding whether to replace or repair, you can count on A-1 Heating to help you determine a solution that is cost effective, makes sense in the long-term, and keeps your family comfortable.
Repairing your Bryant furnace is likely cheaper than replacing it; however, an older system is likely to require maintenance down the road. Therefore, the age of your system should be taken into consideration. Bryant Furnaces recommends replacement if the repair cost is greater than one-third of a new system. However, if your Bryant furnace is around a decade old and repairs are less than a third of the replacement cost, it is likely that your system will function effectively for years to come.
An efficient heating system means a more comfortable home and lower monthly utility bills. The efficiency of a furnace is measured by its Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency (AFUE), i.e., the percentage of energy used to heat your home. While newer mid-efficient furnaces offer an AFUE of around 80%, some Bryant high-efficient models offer 98.3%. If you’re hesitant to upgrade your current system, check its AFUE. An AFUE less than 80% means your monthly utility bills are likely higher than they need to be and you may save a considerable amount by upgrading to a newer, more efficient model.
For air conditioners, the measurement for system efficiency is “Seasonal Energy Efficient Ratio” or SEER. Like AFUE, a higher SEER rating will translate to higher energy savings. According to Bryant, if your air conditioner is greater than or equal to 13 SEER, it may still be efficient and have productive years ahead of it. However, if the SEER is below 13, upgrading may be the answer, as newer Bryant models boast ratings of 20 SEER or more allowing you to save on your monthly utility bills.
If you have any questions or are having difficulties deciding, you can trust A-1 Heating to help you weigh the benefits of both options and come to a decision that is cost-effective and in the best interest of you and your family. Contact us today for all of your St. Albert Bryant furnace needs.
