DON’T GET LEFT IN THE COLD

It Might be Time for a New Furnace or Boiler

There’s an unsung hero in the homes of Alaskans. Furnace and boilers are tucked away to do their job and their hard work goes unnoticed until the day they quit working. That’s when homeowners realize their value.

“We get a lot of calls from panicked homeowners saying the furnace is out in the middle of winter,” said Larry Partusch, founder of Partusch Plumbing & Heating. “We’re here to help in those situations, but we always like to encourage people to consider replacements before it becomes a crisis.”

Older, inefficient models waste a lot of energy and money. They can also create problems in the home like excessive dust and humidity issues. Cracks and erosion can become major safety hazards.

“Many homeowners miss key signs that the furnace is going bad,” said Rick Thompson, the plumbing estimator for at Partusch. “If your energy bills suddenly skyrocket, if rooms are heating unevenly or if your furnace is making weird noises, it’s time to give us a call.”

Homeowners should consider replacing any furnace or boiler over 15 years old. And while this might seem like a big investment all at once, the savings hit immediately. Heating a home is often around 40% of a home’s utility bill. New furnaces and boilers are way more efficient than older ones, especially ENERGY STAR-qualified models.

Furnaces are measured by an Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency score, which is how much heat a furnace call pull from the gas as it combusts it. A new, standard furnace will have at least an 90% AFUE, meaning 90% of its fuel is turned into heat, with only 10% being lost in exhaust. High-efficiency models are nearing 100% AFUE.

For families who have homes with baseboard heat there new condensing high-efficient gas boilers burn nearly 95% efficiency. They can also tie into indirect-fired water heaters, to save even more money on your energy bills

New models also come with the option for programmable thermostats. While you’re away or sleeping, programmable thermostats help you save energy and money but turning down the heat when it’s not needed.

After the replacement, you’ll go back to enjoying your home and probably forget about the home’s hardest-working appliances. But that’s the point. A new furnace or boiler will do its job, without all the fuss. Quietly saving you money, energy and keep your family cozy for years to come.