Have you heard that phrase before—struggle bus? It’s a pop culture term describing when a sentient being is… well… struggling to complete a task or responsibility.
If you feel like your furnace is on the struggle bus lately, then you certainly have a problem on your hands! We always hope that your furnace is behaving itself, but if you’re reading this blog post, we going to guess it’s not right now. Keep reading as we go through a grading scale you can use to judge how your furnace is performing, and what can be done.
Your Furnace Gets an “A”
Well, you probably wouldn’t be reading this post if you’d give your furnace an A… but it’s always helpful to learn what an “A” grade furnace looks like. It’s a heating system that provides the homeowner with reliable heat that has no trouble reaching the temperature set on the thermostat. There’s no uneven heating anywhere in the home and there aren’t any weird noises coming from the unit. In addition, it’s well maintained and hasn’t had any repair needs yet this season.
Downgrading to a “B”
Hey, a B is still good! Still though, if you’d grade your furnace down a notch, there has to be a reason. Maybe it struggles to start up this season? Or perhaps you discovered that the heat from the system doesn’t seem to be reaching the rooms in the back or on the top story of your home? Check out your energy bills too—are they a bit higher than you’d expect? You might have an efficiency problem on your hands. Fortunately, your next step is an easy one—give our number a dial!
You’re Gritting Your Teeth and Giving Your Furnace a “C”
Alright, things are getting a little dicey now—have you already needed repairs this season? Or perhaps your living space isn’t warming up as fast as it used to in years prior—or the sounds coming from the unit are really unsettling and seem to coincide with poor performance. Maybe you are just overall not satisfied with how your furnace is performing. But even if it’s still operating and providing some heat, this low grade is enough of a reason to give us a call.
Oh No, Not a “D”!
We’re surprised you haven’t already called us for heating repairs if you’re giving your system a D! We often get calls about furnaces that are constantly tripping their circuit breaker, or not evenly heating the home. The latter is sometimes caused by damaged ductwork, or if you have a zone control system it might be a stuck damper that’s to blame. These are both problems that will impact your central AC as well, so you’ll want to take care of them right away.
A “D” grade is applicable to a system that’s struggling with everything we mentioned above, and with the “C” grade. Plus if your furnace is aging (10-15) years, it’s definitely time to start thinking about replacement, versus repair.
Calling It a Day with an “F”…
Your furnace just stopped running. It’s over 10 years old, you have had to make multiple repairs on it over the past few years. You’ve called us for another repair and it’s going to cost more than a new system is worth. Your energy bills make you cringe almost as much as the loud and awful noises coming from the unit when it was running.
It’s time to look at your upgrade options! This is beyond “struggle bus”—that bus drove straight to the dump. Fortunately, today’s furnaces are highly efficient and will save you so much money in monthly costs that it will quickly pay you back for the installation fees. Contact us today to learn more!
For quality heating repair in Smyrna, TN, look no further than Covenant Heating and Cooling. We are “Dedicated to the Promise of Serving You”! Contact us today.