T
hough the majority of houses today are equipped with furnaces, the usage of boilers is still quite prevalent in older homes across Ohio. Many homeowners who use boilers try to eke out a few more years through retrofitting to increase efficiency. If you’re concerned that your boiler might not make it through this winter, you’ll probably want to decide between retrofitting and replacement. Here are a few key things to consider when making this choice:
Age – If you’re like the majority of Dayton area homeowners, the boiler in your home has been there for decades – probably before you even moved in. Boilers have a very long lifespan of 20 to 30 years, but once they reach that point, you’ll likely experience regular problems. If your heating system is nearing or has passed its retirement age, you’re better off replacing it to avoid costly repairs. Even though the initial investment may seem like a bummer, just remember that you can expect a new boiler to last another 30 years.
Efficiency – Even if you feel that your boiler still has a few good years left in it, you may still want to consider replacement over retrofitting. While the system you have now may have efficiencies in the range of 56-70 percent, you may be surprised to learn that a new system can achieve efficiencies up to 97 percent. The end result is a heating bill that is cut drastically, which means that your upgrade will pay itself off and then keep paying you back in the years to come.
Condition – If you have put in numerous repair calls already, retrofitting your system probably is not the answer. There is no point in pouring money into a heating system that is in poor condition, either due to its age or lack of routine preventive maintenance. Even the most skilled HVAC contractor can only do so much for a system that’s in a state of disrepair. In this case, an upgrade is your best bet. Be sure to have it regularly serviced to ensure optimum efficiency and a long lifespan.
For more advice on boiler retrofitting or replacement, contact the professionals at Ace Hardware Home Services. We proudly serve residents of the Dayton area.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Dayton, Ohio about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about boliers and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide at “https://detmersons.com/free-home-comfort-solutions-guide/”.
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