Furnace Replacement in Frontenac, 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 want to help the environment by reducing your carbon footprint; or maybe your home just isn’t warming you as well as it used to.
Replacing your furnace is a big decision, no matter why you’re doing it, and being well-informed will help you make the right choice. There’s fair amount to be mindful of, and we’ll overview the most important components here, such as:
Whether your Frontenac, MO home needs a furnace replacement or repair to keep you warm, SmartHouse Heating and Cooling is by your side. We take a customer-first approach with every house we visit, and we always recommend what 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 you think you need to replace it for any reason, you need to call a local Frontenac, MO HVAC contractor to examine the furnace and provide guidance on whether to repair or replace.
The most obvious sign is performance. If your furnace is not keeping your home adequately warmed, even when it is working, a replacement is probably needed.
Another common criterion 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 outside their warranty coverage, leaving you to pay the full cost when something fails.
If you’re already having work done on your HVAC system, like an air conditioning replacement, replacing your failing furnace at the same time provides you with a new, paired, and more efficient system that is covered by a comprehensive warranty.
To recap, you should consider replacing your furnace if:
Frequently, you can fix an older furnace, but repairs often get expensive, and older systems are likely outside their warranty coverage.
Repairs to existing furnaces can be a bit of a gamble. The parts may be out of production, making them more expensive. Plus, after the initial part is replaced, the technician may find more issues, resulting in further unexpected repairs.
If your older furnace is never running quite right — especially during the coldest days of the year — it’s likely time to consider replacement.
Upgrading to a new furnace boosts performance and efficiency, helping you keep your bills down and decrease your environmental impact, while improving your comfort.
Upgrading also opens the door to smart thermostats, zoning systems, and variable speed motors for better control, plus you can consider replacing your furnace with a heat pump for vastly increased flexibility in your home’s temperature control.
Your new furnace will also have a comprehensive warranty, helping you avoid high expenses for repairs in the future.
SmartHouse offers both furnace repair and furnace replacement services in Frontenac, 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 factors to be aware of: efficiency ratings, gas vs. electric furnaces, and motor speed(s).
For gas, oil, or propane furnaces that produce heat by burning fuel, 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 turned into heat and 20% is wasted. A higher rating means less fuel loss and in turn, less spent on fuel. AFUE is not used for electric furnaces because electric heating doesn’t involve combustion and has next to no heat loss.
Most traditional furnaces have a fuel source of either gas or electricity. Gas furnaces burn natural gas to create heat and require a connection to a natural gas line and venting infrastructure. Gas furnaces with AFUE ratings of 90% or above are categorized as high-efficiency furnaces.
Electric furnaces use electricity to generate heat through resistance coils and may require an electrical upgrade, depending on your home’s setup. 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 having separate systems for each. They work by moving existing heat into or out of your home, rather than creating new heat by burning fuel.
Heat pumps work in both steaming hot summers and freezing cold winters, a dichotomy that all Frontenac, MO residents know only too well. During winter, heat pumps transport heat into your home from outside, regardless of freezing weather. In the summer, the process is reversed as the heat pump transports the heat from inside your home to out.
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, superb dehumidification during Frontenac, MO’s steamy summers, and unintrusive noise levels.
Heat pumps can also perform in the same system as a 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 consistent warmth no matter how low the temperature drops.
Right now, we’re seeing the best deal we’ve ever seen for high-efficiency HVAC systems, due to overlapping incentives that can give you a once-in-a-lifetime savings deal:
In addition to Ameren’s rebates, there are currently tax credits available from the federal government for high-efficiency heating and cooling systems set up by December 31, 2025. These credits apply to 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 worry-free, energy-efficient comfort for years to come. That’s why hiring the right company 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 count on!
At SmartHouse, we’re here to help you stay warm, increase your comfort, and save on energy bills. When we start a job, our technicians ask, “What is the right thing to do?” before making any decisions. Let us make a difference in your home’s heating.
We also offer these services in Frontenac, MO:
