The cost of heating a home generally will climb over the years because of inflation in the cost of fuel. This change occurs so gradually that we don’t notice it until we start telling stories about what things cost 10 years ago.
A sudden increase in your heating bill, however, implies something more immediate. Unless you have made drastic changes in how you heat your home (such as an add-on room), you shouldn’t see an abnormal increase in your bills during the heating season unless there is something wrong with your heater. Does this mean you should replace the heater entirely? Well, it depends.
Here’s something of which you can feel certain: if you need repairs or a heating installation in Chicago, look to one of the city’s most long-lived home comfort companies, Shavitz Heating and Air Conditioning, to do the job right. In our current cold weather, you don’t want to wait to call us.
To Repair or to Replace? That is the Question.
The first thing to consider when you have that high heating bill is the age of your system. Heaters have different life expectancies, and you should check on your manufacture’s expected lifespan. If the heating system has exceeded it, then you should consider a replacement. The heater has already given you a bargain on heating by lasting this long, and this decline in its efficiency is usually a warning sign that a final breakdown is approaching. Repairs are unlikely to restore it fully, and they won’t last. Replacement installation is usually the best long-term solution for your comfort and your budget.
If your heater is (relatively) young, you should call for repairs first. There are many small malfunctions that can result in big increases in your power bills because they interfere with heater operation: dirty motors in furnaces, leaks in boilers, dusty coils in heat pumps. Repair technicians can fix all of these and get your heater back to ideal working condition. It is also a good idea to enroll in regular maintenance if you haven’t done so already; this is the best way to keep the heating system from prematurely aging and needing a replacement before its time.
Don’t worry if you can’t decide if the heater needs repairs or replacement. An HVAC professional can always assist. When you have the technicians at your home, ask for recommendations about how to care for the heater. If it’s an older heater, ask if new installation is the best option. For younger systems, ask for advice about increasing performance, and if it’s possible the heater has aged too fast and needs replacement.
For this job, you need a heating contractor you can trust. Our dependable staff at Shavitz Heating and Air Conditioning will give you honest answers about whether you need heating repair or heating replacement in Chicago, IL.