Furnace Replacement in Hazelwood, MO. As cold temperatures arrive with 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 as warm in the cold as you’d like it to be.
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. You’ll want to consider several details, and we’ll overview the most important factors here, such as:
Whether your Hazelwood, 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 suggest 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 signs that you need to replace your home furnace, and you probably won’t be surprised by many. The truth is, if there is any reason you’re thinking about replacing, you need to call a local Hazelwood, MO HVAC contractor to evaluate the furnace and give suggestions on what you should do next.
The first thing to consider is performance. If your furnace is not keeping your home adequately warmed, even when it is functioning properly, a replacement may be necessary.
Another thing to watch out for is the age – most furnaces, if taken care of properly, last 15-20 years, and while some can keep going, they often need to be repaired frequently. Plus, older systems are often past their warranty, leaving you to pay the full cost when something fails.
If you’re already replacing another part of your HVAC system, like extensive ductwork, replacing your outdated furnace at the same time provides you with a matched, energy-efficient system that is covered by a total warranty.
To recap, you should consider replacing your furnace if:
Most of the time, you can fix an older furnace, but repairs often become expensive fast, especially with older systems outside of warranty coverage.
Repairs to existing furnaces can take some unexpected turns. The parts may be out of production, making them more expensive. Plus, after the initial part is replaced, the technician may locate additional issues, resulting in further unexpected repairs.
If your older furnace is never running quite right — especially during the freezing temperatures of winter — it’s likely time to consider replacement.
Upgrading to a new furnace boosts 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 improved control, plus you can consider replacing your furnace with a heat pump for unprecedented flexibility in your home’s heating and cooling.
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 Hazelwood, MO. Call us now at 314-370-1816, or reach out online to get started.
If you’ve decided to replace your furnace, but aren’t sure what to look for, here are a few things to be aware of: efficiency ratings, gas vs. electric furnaces, and motor speed(s).
For gas, oil, or propane furnaces that convert fuel into 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 lost. A higher rating means less fuel loss and a lower bill. 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 furnaces rely on either gas or electricity for fuel. 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% and up are considered high-efficiency furnaces.
Electric furnaces use electricity to generate heat through resistance coils and may require an electrical upgrade, depending on your home’s present condition. Because they don’t involve combustion, electric furnaces generally operate at or near 100% efficiency.
The number of motor speeds (AKA stages) your furnace has affects its ability to efficiently provide you comfort:
Heat pumps can handle both heating and cooling together, rather than requiring separate systems for each. They work by moving existing heat into or out of your home, rather than making new heat through combustion.
Heat pumps work in both boiling hot summers and freezing cold winters, a dichotomy that all Hazelwood, MO residents have experienced firsthand. 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 brings the heat from inside your home to the 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, terrific dehumidification during Hazelwood, MO’s steamy summers, and quiet operation.
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 shifting 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:
Alongside Ameren’s rebates, the federal government is offering tax credits for high-efficiency heating and cooling systems installed 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 stress-free, energy-efficient comfort for years to come. That’s why working with the right technicians is critically important.
At SmartHouse, we take care of everything – from picking out the right system to fit your situation to expert installation and more! We want your experience to be easy and worry-free, focusing on open, clear communication, friendly, expert service, and outcomes you can be sure of!
At SmartHouse, we’re here to help you heat your home, increase your comfort, and lower your energy bills. When we first visit a house, 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 Hazelwood, MO:
