Your furnace is the backbone of your home’s heating system, keeping you and your loved ones cozy through the winter. Since newer furnaces are often much more efficient than older models, it’s also helpful to know how to tell how old a furnace is. Most homeowners don’t know how old these systems are when they buy a property unless they installed it while they were already living there.
Normally the first two digits in a unit, serial number, or the year of manufacture, with the following two digits being the month or the week but if you simply google how to read whatever brand you have serial number it will then tell you how to decipher the numbers on the serial to give you the exact age of the furnace so that you know when it’s getting time to start thinking of replacement
JC Mechanicals highly skilled Furnace Installation Crews are certified and trained and all of the latest technologies that this industry has to offer to ensure that you’re getting the latest and greatest furnace in the market.
we believe that anything good takes time, so if you are without heat and need a new furnace, please request some temporary heat in our cruise will provide space heaters to heat your entire home while the installation process is being done, even though you are without Heat installing a furnace is nothing that you want to rush, the company you choose should be willing to take the time to install the unit according to manufacturer instructions. Be sure that your contractor takes time size the ductwork properly and once it’s installed, theh commission the system as if it were their own home to ensure your furnace performs as advertised and promised. At Jc Mechanical, our installation crewa do just that on every single job we do , every job out process is the same thing and our system of processes and standards ensures that quality is upheld in every aspect of our business.
Does the Age of My Furnace Matter?
The age of your furnace matters because outdated heating units often don’t work as well as newer models. Older furnaces are prone to many issues, including worn-down parts and inconsistent cycling. Knowing the age of your furnace helps you make critical decisions, like scheduling maintenance or saving for a new installation.
On average, traditional furnaces last anywhere from 10 to 20 years before problems set in. Furnaces that are more than 20 years old usually require a replacement unit. Without replacing your outdated furnace, you’ll face ongoing repairs and poor performance.
According to Energy Saver, modern furnaces operate at 98.5% efficiency, while older models operate at around 56 to 70% efficiency on average. For example, EnergyStar-rated furnaces require far less energy to maintain the same temperatures as old units, making them a great way to improve your home’s sustainability.
So, what if your old furnace is working perfectly fine? Does replacing it still make sense? There are several benefits to having a newer heating unit installed, including the following:
- You’ll save money on repair costs and ongoing maintenance.
- Upgrading to an electric system or heat pump improves your system’s energy efficiency.
- Electric heating units last significantly longer than traditional gas units (30 vs. 20 years).
While it seems like a big undertaking, having a professional like JC Mechanical install a new furnace is a good idea if your current unit is 15 to 20 years old. You should save money in the long run by avoiding unnecessary repairs between maintenance appointments.
How Do I Tell How Old My Furnace Is?
Are you unsure how old your property’s furnace is? If the furnace was already in place when you moved into your home, you probably have no idea how old it is unless there’s documentation confirming the date of installation.
Some investigation might be in order to find this information, but it’s simple if you know what to look for. Take the following steps for how to tell how old a furnace is:
Look for the Furnace’s Manufacturer’s Label
The easiest way to find out the age of your furnace is by looking at the unit itself. There should be a manufacturer’s label. Some units have a manufacturer label placed directly on the front of the unit with the date it was produced.
Locate the Serial Number
If there’s no manufacturer’s label information, the next thing you’ll look for is the unit’s serial number. The serial number is usually on the unit’s rating plate and gives you key information about the furnace’s energy use and manufacturer.
The rating plate is located in several different spots, depending on the make and model of the furnace. Check the front, back, sides, and inside of the furnace unit.
Once you’ve found the rating plate, deciphering the serial number requires a little work because every HVAC manufacturer arranges their serial numbers differently. For example, Lennox serial numbers contain four numbers and one letter at the end. The first two numbers refer to the factory it’s from and the second two refer to its production year (if it’s 1709, the furnace was made in factory 17 in 2009).
Another example is Carrier, which includes the week of production in their serial number. Say the serial number is 0713. This means your furnace was made in the seventh week of 2013.
Check Out the Fan Blades
If you can’t find the serial number on the rating plate, take a look at the fan blades inside the unit. Some manufacturers stamp the production date on one of the fan blades.
Search for the Warranty Information
Do you know how to tell how old a furnace is without the serial number? Try the warranty information. If you have a copy of the warranty, look for the year of manufacture and the date of purchase.
In some cases, you can contact the manufacturer to see if they have a record of the purchase.
Check for a Service Tag
Some HVAC technicians attach a service tag to the unit during maintenance and repairs. This has the date of the last service and, in some cases, the date of installation. If the date of installation isn’t there, try contacting the HVAC company to see if they’re the same ones who installed the unit.
Signs
Your Furnace Is Nearing the End of Its Lifespan
If you’re unable to find the age of your furnace, it’s still helpful to look for a few signs that a replacement might be coming up. Go through the signs of furnace failure below so that you can feel prepared:
Higher Utility Bills
Aging furnaces work harder to maintain the temperature in your home. This causes an increase in your utility bills during the fall and winter months.
Rusty Flue Pipes and Connections
Rusting around your unit indicates increased moisture and, inevitably, the corrosion of the unit. This is common in older units.
Constant Cycling
Furnaces aren’t meant for constant cycling like heat pumps. If your furnace is cycling nonstop, there’s something wrong with it. This is common in older furnaces struggling to maintain a certain temperature or housing a component that’s gone wrong.
Cold Spots Throughout Your Home
One of the biggest indicators of a dying furnace is inconsistent heating. Do you find that your living room is warm while your bedroom is freezing? A working furnace heats the entirety of your home consistently, not just certain spots.
Foul Odors
Your furnace shouldn’t produce any odors. Bad smells are a serious indication something is wrong, especially if it’s a rotten egg or sulfur smell that could mean a gas leak. It’s an emergency if you smell sulfur around your furnace, and you should evacuate and call for help immediately.
What If I Can’t Afford a New Furnace Installation Right Now?
Furnace replacements are a big expense for many homeowners, so it’s perfectly reasonable to wonder about whether it’s worth it. Rest assured, you may not need a new furnace installed the moment your current one turns ten years old.
However, if you can’t get a new furnace right now and the old one is showing some signs of wear and tear, seek prompt repair services. Repairing existing problems as soon as possible prevents them from becoming larger ones and keeps your unit working for the time being.
Another good suggestion is staying on top of regular maintenance. Yearly tune-ups ensure your unit is in good condition and working properly. During your annual inspection, your technician examines your furnace from top to bottom, looking for any issues and resolving them right away.
but if it comes out that you must get a new furnace, good news is at Jc Mechanical we work with five of the largest finance companies in the industry with credit options for prime and sub prime credit holders. We have yet to see an employed person have a problem getting approved yet..
Of course the better options like our 60 months 0% interest option are built for those customers with a 700 credit score or above but if maybe that’s not you and yours is the 500 or 600. We still have options available for you so that you’re able to get a new furnace installed in your home without breaking the bank, or having to take loans from other sources.
Additionally, if you are employed and get direct deposit, we have no credit check options which don’t give you the prime options but it’s still unavailable option so that we’re able to help you get the new furnace you need. our main goal on every call is to make sure that our customers are completely satisfied with our work and at the end of the day we either fix your air conditioner or furnace so that you’re able to live in your home and be comfortable. At Jc Mechanical, customers are the number one priority and we believe by maintaining integrity and upholding honest business practices that our business will thrive because of it. If you’re searching for a new furnace in Centennial, Colorado or the surrounding 20 miles you have found the right place to give you options to make that a reality for you, without having to have a 700 or above credit score.
New Furnace Installation From JC Mechanical In Centennial Colorado
If it’s time for a replacement, call the professionals at JC Mechanical. we have a step-by-step process that may be different from some of the other competitors but when we’re done, we know that we’re giving you the best possible system that we can.
Every unit that we install, there’s a load calculation that is done prior to make sure that your unit is sized correctly for your home.
in the past people have thought that bigger is better, but a big furnace and it’s gonna work great but the reality is when a furnace is improperly sized for one year, disqualified from any rebates that you may have gotten prior but for two you also end up with an uncomfortable home you end up with some rooms that are hot while others remain cold. You end up with loud sounds coming from your ducts and a decreased lifespan on your furnace.
Regardless of brand though, we are LENNOX Steelers the most important part of a furnace is the way that it’s installed, not commission properly and size the amount of ductwork you have in the size of your home unfortunately no matter what brand it is you will never be as comfortable as you should be in your home.
we do offer ballpark furnace installation estimates over the phone due to the fact that we sell on a flat rate price book for our installations, so no matter where you live or what status you hold, your price is the same as the guy down the street or the person across town that may make less or more money.
If you are ever told that installing a furnace does not require a permit, then I hate to tell you that you have been seriously misinformed anywhere in the state of Colorado to install the furnace. You must pull the permits and get it inspected by the city prior to the expiration of the permit this way ensures that the furnace was installed safely and there’s nothing that’s going to hurt somebody in the future..
Jc Mechanical make sure to uphold our licensing in Centennial as well as many other surrounding cities and counties and pull permits on every job that we do.
not only does the city inspect our jobs but prior to our install cruise installing the equipment the supervisor walks around with them and explains the job in detail to them so that what was promised to you at the date of sale is what’s being done on your job and everybody is on the same page once they are done the supervisor also comes back out and walks through the job with you so that you can get any questions answered or any problems problems and you’re not left in the dark about what just happened in your home.
All of our furnace installation services we like to be very clear and upfront there’s no hidden secret no tricks we want you to know what you paid for why you paid the price you did, and understand the value that you got and you got a quality job done the first time.
I’m not saying we don’t make mistakes because everybody does but our customer satisfaction guarantees, ensure that no matter what we will make sure that you are completely satisfied with the purchase you made on the new furnace.
We stay extremely competitive in the market as competitive as possible, upholding the strict Company standards, and regulations that we do for installing equipment.
there’s gonna be people that are cheaper but in this business, I am a firm believer that you do get what you pay for and a Jc Mechanical we promised to provide you the best quality products we can like our LENNOX equipment line, (that won the 2023 most efficient equipment award from Energy Star ) at the best prices possible to ensure that we’re around for many years to come to help you and future generations, furnace and air-conditioning problems in Centennial, Colorado and surrounding areas.
Yes, our process may take a little longer than others, but we promise that no details will be left out and that regardless of time or what it takes, we will always uphold every promise made to you in your home and make sure that you have the absolute best performing furnace install that we know how to offer.
Give us a call and Schedule a Furnace Installation consultation with JC Mechanical at 720-779-7263 today!
or, if you look down in the lower right hand corner of your screen, you should see a book now button that leads you to our online scheduler and you can schedule the furnace installation estimate at your own convenience.
