Furnace Replacement in Winchester, 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 want to reduce your impact on the environment; or maybe your home just isn’t as comfortable in cold weather as it used to be.
For whatever reason, it’s a big deal to replace your furnace, and you want to be well-informed before making that choice. There’s fair amount to be mindful of, and we’ll overview the most important aspects here, such as:
Whether your Winchester, MO home needs a furnace replacement or repair to keep you warm, SmartHouse Heating and Cooling is by your side. We always put our customers first at every job, 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 few of them will surprise you. The truth is, if there is any reason you’re thinking about replacing, you need to call a local Winchester, 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 is probably needed.
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 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If you’re already doing other HVAC upgrades, like an air conditioning replacement, replacing your outdated furnace at the same time provides you with a new, paired, and more efficient system that is covered by a comprehensive warranty.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:
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 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 seems like it always needs repairs — especially during the chilling Winchester, 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 decrease your environmental impact, while improving your comfort.
Upgrading also opens the door to smart thermostats, zoning systems, and variable speed motors for improved 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 keep costs down if you need repairs in the future.
SmartHouse offers both furnace repair and furnace replacement services in Winchester, 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 pay attention to: 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 converted to heat and 20% is wasted. 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 involve combustion and has virtually 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 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 current wiring. 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 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 perform in both boiling hot summers and freezing cold winters, a dichotomy that all Winchester, MO residents have experienced firsthand. During winter, heat pumps absorb heat from the outdoors (even in freezing weather) and release it indoors. In the summer, the process is reversed as the heat pump transports the heat from inside your home to out.
Heat pumps offer many advantages over conventional systems, including:
The Daikin FIT heat pump features variable-speed inverter technology for energy efficiency, highly accurate temperature control, terrific dehumidification during Winchester, MO’s steamy summers, and unintrusive noise levels.
Heat pumps can also operate in concert with a conventional 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 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 save you money in multiple ways:
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).
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 partnering with the right contractor is critically important.
At SmartHouse, we take care of it all – from finding the perfect system to fit your situation to expert installation 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 count on!
At SmartHouse, we’re here to help you heat your home, increase your comfort, 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 Winchester, MO:
