Furnace Replacement in Richmond Heights, MO. With cold fronts starting to come through, you might be thinking about replacing your furnace. Maybe it’s keeping your house warm, but at a high cost; maybe you want to reduce your impact on the environment; or maybe your home just isn’t warming you as well as it used to.
No matter the reason, replacing your furnace is a big decision, and understanding the basics will help you with it. There’s fair amount to be mindful of, and we’ll overview the most important aspects here, such as:
Whether your Richmond Heights, 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 suggest what we believe will work best for your home. 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 you probably won’t be surprised by many. The truth is, if you think you need to replace it for any reason, you need to call a local Richmond Heights, MO HVAC contractor to inspect the furnace and provide guidance on what you should do next.
The first thing to consider is performance. If your furnace is not comfortably keeping your home warm, even when it is functioning properly, a replacement may be necessary.
Another common criterion is the age – will have a lifespan of 15-20 years, and while some can last longer, they often need to be repaired frequently. Plus, older systems are often out of 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 failing furnace at the same time provides you with a newer, more 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 get expensive, and older systems are likely outside their warranty coverage.
Repairs to older furnaces don’t always go how you’d like. The parts may be unavailable from the manufacturer, making them pricey. Plus, after the initial part is replaced, the technician may find more issues, requiring further unexpected repairs.
If your older furnace is never running quite right — especially during the chilling Richmond Heights, MO winters — it’s likely time to consider replacement.
Replacing your old furnace with a new one will improve performance and efficiency, helping you keep your bills down and decrease your environmental impact, while increasing your comfort.
Upgrading also can allow for smart thermostats, zoning systems, and variable speed motors for better 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 save on parts and repair costs if something goes wrong in the future.
SmartHouse offers both furnace repair and furnace replacement services in Richmond Heights, 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 characteristics 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 converted to heat and how much is lost – an 80% rating means 80% of the fuel is turned into heat and 20% is lost. A higher percentage 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 next to no heat loss.
Most older heating systems rely on either gas or electricity for fuel. Gas furnaces burn natural gas to convert it into heat and rely on a natural gas connection and venting infrastructure. Gas furnaces with AFUE ratings of 90% or higher are classified 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 present condition. Because they don’t involve combustion, electric furnaces normally operate at or near 100% efficiency.
The number of motor speeds (AKA stages) your furnace has affects its ability to effectively warm your home:
Heat pumps combine heating and cooling into a single system, rather than needing 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 perform in both boiling hot summers and freezing cold winters, a dichotomy that all Richmond Heights, MO residents are familiar with. During winter, heat pumps bring heat from outside your home to within, even in freezing temperatures. In the summer, the process is reversed as the heat pump absorbs the heat from inside your home and releases it outdoors.
Heat pumps offer many advantages over conventional systems, including:
The Daikin FIT heat pump features variable-speed inverter technology for efficient operations, precise temperature control, terrific dehumidification during Richmond Heights, 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 cools your home, and handles most of the heating, with the system automatically switching to the gas furnace in frozen conditions, ensuring a warm house 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 combined incentives that can give you a once-in-a-lifetime savings deal:
In addition to Ameren’s rebates, the federal government is offering tax credits for high-efficiency heating and cooling systems set up 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 hiring the right company is critically important.
At SmartHouse, we take care of it all – from picking out the right system to fit your needs to professional setup and beyond! We’re here to make your experience smooth and stress-free, focusing on open, clear communication, friendly, expert service, and outcomes you can depend on for years to come!
At SmartHouse, we’re here to protect your warmth, improve your comfort, and lower your 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 Richmond Heights, MO:
