Furnace Replacement in Lake St. Louis, MO. As temperatures drop and we move towards winter, you might be thinking about replacing your furnace. Maybe it’s keeping your house warm, but at a high cost; maybe you’re trying to be more environmentally friendly; or maybe your home just isn’t as comfortable in cold weather as it used to be.
No matter the reason, replacing your furnace is a big decision, and you want to be well-informed before making that choice. There’s a lot to consider, and we’ll overview the most important factors here, such as:
Whether your Lake St. Louis, MO home needs a furnace replacement or repair to keep you warm, SmartHouse Heating and Cooling is here to help. We take a customer-first approach with every house we visit, and we always make recommendations that we believe will be best for your situation. We’re available to contact 24/7 – if you have a question, get in touch today by calling 314-644-1570, texting us at 314-310-2242, or reaching out online.
There are several clues that your furnace needs a replacement, and few of them will surprise you. The truth is, if there is any question in your mind, you need to call a local Lake St. Louis, MO HVAC contractor to examine the furnace and make recommendations on what you should do next.
The clearest indicator is performance. If your furnace is not comfortably keeping your home warm, even when it is working, a replacement is probably needed.
Another aspect to be aware of is the age – the average lifespan of a well-maintained furnace is 15-20 years, and while some can last longer, they often require frequent repairs. Plus, older systems are often past their warranty, leaving you to bear the full cost when something fails.
If you’re already doing other HVAC upgrades, like an air conditioning replacement, replacing your outdated furnace at the same time provides you with a newer, more efficient system that is covered by a comprehensive warranty.
To recap, you should consider replacing your furnace if:
Often, you can repair an older furnace, but repairs often get expensive, and older systems are likely outside their warranty coverage.
Repairs to older furnaces can be a bit of a gamble. The parts may be unavailable from the manufacturer, making them more expensive. Plus, after the initial part is replaced, the technician may find more issues, requiring further unexpected repairs.
If your older furnace seems like it always needs repairs — especially during the chilling Lake St. Louis, MO winters — it’s likely time to consider replacement.
Upgrading your furnace improves performance and efficiency, helping you keep your bills down and shrink your carbon footprint, while improving your comfort.
Upgrading also can allow for smart thermostats, zoning systems, and variable speed motors for smoother control, plus you can consider replacing your furnace with a heat pump for highly flexible heating and cooling in your home.
Your new furnace should also come with a new warranty, helping you keep costs down if you need repairs in the future.
SmartHouse offers both furnace repair and furnace replacement services in Lake St. Louis, MO. Call us now at 314-370-1816, or reach out online to get started.
If you’re ready to get a furnace replacement, but aren’t sure what to look for, here are a few things to pay attention to: efficiency ratings, gas vs. electric furnaces, and motor speed(s).
For gas, oil, or propane furnaces that burn fuel to make heat, energy efficiency is measured with the Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency (AFUE) system. This is expressed as a percentage of how much fuel is turned into heat versus how much is wasted – an 80% rating means 80% of the fuel is used to make heat and 20% is wasted. A higher percentage means less fuel loss and in turn, less spent on fuel. AFUE is not used for electric furnaces because electric heating doesn’t burn fuel in the same way and has virtually no heat loss.
Most traditional heating systems have a fuel source of either gas or electricity. Gas furnaces burn natural gas to convert it into heat and require a connection to a natural gas line and venting infrastructure. Gas furnaces with AFUE ratings of 90% or higher are classified as high-efficiency furnaces.
On the other hand, electric furnaces don’t use gas, and instead generate heat with electricity and resistance coils and may require an electrical upgrade, depending on your home’s present condition. Because they don’t involve combustion, electric furnaces normally operate at or near 100% efficiency.
The amount of stages, or speeds, your furnace has affects its ability to keep you comfortable:
Heat pumps both heat and cool your house in one device, rather than needing separate systems for each. They work by moving existing heat into or out of your home, rather than making new heat by burning fuel.
Heat pumps work in both boiling hot summers and freezing cold winters, a dichotomy that all Lake St. Louis, MO residents have experienced firsthand. During winter, heat pumps absorb heat from the outdoors (even in freezing weather) and release it indoors. In the summer, the process is reversed as the heat pump absorbs the heat from inside your home and releases it outdoors.
Heat pumps feature several benefits over conventional systems, including:
The Daikin FIT heat pump features variable-speed inverter technology for efficient operations, precise temperature control, superior dehumidification during Lake St. Louis, MO’s steamy summers, and quiet operation.
Heat pumps can also be combined with an existing gas furnace, in what’s called a “dual fuel system.” The heat pump handles the cooling and the majority of your heating needs, with the system automatically switching to the gas furnace in extremely cold conditions, ensuring warmth and comfort no matter how cold it gets outside.
Right now, we’re seeing the best deal we’ve ever seen for high-efficiency HVAC systems, due to intersecting incentives that can offer you unprecedented savings:
In addition to Ameren’s rebates, you can take advantage of tax credits the federal government is offering for high-efficiency heating and cooling systems put in by December 31, 2025. Qualifying systems include high-efficiency central ACs, air source and ground source (geothermal) heat pumps, mini-split ACs or heat pumps, and smart thermostats (with installation).
Knowing your new system is installed correctly— fully code-compliant using industry best practices—means you’ll enjoy headache-free, energy-efficient comfort for years to come. That’s why working with the right technicians is critical for your new system.
At SmartHouse, we take care of it all – from finding the perfect system to fit your needs to expert installation and anything else your system needs! We’re here to make your experience smooth and stress-free, focusing on sincere, clear communication, friendly, expert service, and outcomes you can be sure of!
At SmartHouse, we’re here to keep your home warm, increase your comfort, and save on energy bills. When we get started on a project, our technicians ask, “What is the right thing to do?” before making any decisions. Let us show you the SmartHouse difference.
We also offer these services in Lake St. Louis, MO:
