Furnace Replacement in St. Louis, MO. As the winter weather starts, you might be thinking about replacing your furnace. Maybe it’s working, but your energy bills are skyrocketing; 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 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 St. Louis, 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 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 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 question in your mind, you need to call a local St. Louis, MO HVAC contractor to inspect the furnace and make recommendations on what you should do next.
The most obvious sign is performance. If your furnace is not warming your home sufficiently, even when it is functioning properly, a replacement is probably needed.
Another thing to watch out for is the age – will have a lifespan of 15-20 years, and while some can keep going, 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 doing other HVAC upgrades, like an air conditioning replacement, replacing your failing furnace at the same time provides you with a matched, energy-efficient system that is covered by a comprehensive warranty.
To recap, you should consider replacing your furnace if:
Frequently, you can repair an older furnace, but repairs often become expensive fast, especially with older systems outside of 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 is never running quite right — especially during the chilling St. Louis, MO winters — 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 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 give you a new, longer-lasting warranty, helping you keep costs down if you need repairs in the future.
SmartHouse offers both furnace repair and furnace replacement services in 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 characteristics to be aware of: 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 converted to heat and 20% is lost. 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 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 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.
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 typically operate at or near 100% efficiency.
The amount of stages, or speeds, your furnace has affects its ability to effectively warm your home:
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 making new heat by burning fuel.
Heat pumps work in both boiling hot summers and freezing cold winters, a dichotomy that all St. Louis, MO residents are familiar with. 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 absorbs the heat from inside your home and releases it outdoors.
Heat pumps present several edges over conventional systems, including:
The Daikin FIT heat pump features variable-speed inverter technology for efficient operations, highly accurate temperature control, superior dehumidification during St. Louis, 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 transferring to the gas furnace in frozen conditions, ensuring a warm house 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 overlapping incentives that can offer you unprecedented savings:
On top of 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. To take advantage of these tax credits, you will need to use a system such as 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 worry-free, energy-efficient comfort for years to come. That’s why partnering with the right contractor is critically important.
At SmartHouse, we take care of everything – from picking out the right system to match your home to professional setup and anything else your system needs! 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 help you stay warm, keep you comfortable, and keep your temperature costs down. When we get started on a project, our technicians ask, “What is the right thing to do?” before making any decisions. Let us bring that attitude to your home.
We also offer these services in St. Louis, MO:
