Furnace Replacement in St. Charles, MO. As cold temperatures arrive with winter, you might be thinking about replacing your furnace. Maybe it’s functioning, but inefficient; 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. There’s a lot to consider, and we’ll overview the most important aspects here, such as:
Whether your St. Charles, MO home needs a furnace replacement or repair to keep you warm, SmartHouse Heating and Cooling is here to help. We always put our customers first at every job, 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 clues that your furnace needs a replacement, and not many of them will come as a surprise. The truth is, if there is any question in your mind, you need to call a local St. Charles, MO HVAC contractor to inspect the furnace and make recommendations on how you should move forward.
The most obvious sign is performance. If your furnace is not keeping your home adequately warmed, even when it is working, a replacement may be necessary.
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 need to be repaired frequently. Plus, older systems are often past their warranty, leaving you to shoulder the 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 comprehensive warranty.
To recap, you should consider replacing your furnace if:
Often, you can repair an older furnace, but repairs often are costly, and can add up with older systems out of warranty.
Repairs to existing furnaces can be a bit of a gamble. The parts may be unavailable from the manufacturer, making them pricey. Plus, after the initial part is replaced, the technician may identify additional issues, requiring further unexpected repairs.
If your older furnace is never running quite right — especially during the chilling St. Charles, MO winters — it’s likely time to consider replacement.
Replacing your old furnace with a new one will improve performance and efficiency, helping you lower energy bills and shrink your carbon footprint, while enhancing 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 unprecedented flexibility in your home’s heating and cooling.
Your new furnace will give you a new, longer-lasting 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 St. Charles, 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 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 turned into heat and 20% is lost. 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 next to no heat loss.
Most traditional heating systems have a fuel source of either gas or electricity. Gas furnaces burn natural gas to create heat and rely on a natural gas connection and venting infrastructure. Gas furnaces with AFUE ratings of 90% or above are categorized 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 setup. Because they don’t involve combustion, electric furnaces generally operate at or near 100% efficiency.
The amount of stages, or speeds, your furnace has affects its ability to efficiently provide you comfort:
Heat pumps combine heating and cooling into a single system, rather than having separate systems for each. They work by moving existing heat into or out of your home, rather than generating new heat through combustion.
Heat pumps operate in both boiling hot summers and freezing cold winters, a dichotomy that all St. Charles, 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, unmatched control over temperature, terrific dehumidification during St. Charles, MO’s steamy summers, and quiet operation.
Heat pumps can also operate in concert with a conventional 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 warmth and comfort no matter how far down temperatures go.
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).
Getting your new system installed right— fully code-compliant using industry best practices—means you’ll enjoy stress-free, energy-efficient comfort for years to come. That’s why partnering with the right contractor is critical for your new system.
At SmartHouse, we take care of it all – from picking out the right system to fit your situation to expert installation and more! We’re here to make your experience smooth and stress-free, focusing on honest, clear communication, friendly, expert service, and outcomes you can be sure of!
At SmartHouse, we’re here to protect your warmth, improve your comfort, and lower your 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 St. Charles, MO:
