Massachusetts Homeowners: Be Prepared For Furnace Problems

The cold winter months here in Massachusetts mean you rely on your furnace to keep you and your family safe and warm. For homeowners, this is the worst time of year for your furnace to fail. But somehow home repairs and appliance breakdowns always seem to happen when you least expect them. Although you may have money set aside for some of these minor repairs, spending $10,000 or more to replace your furnace may not be in your immediate budget.

If your furnace decides to break down and stop working this winter, consider these options:

Call A Professional

When your furnace stops working, a heating contractor can quickly diagnose the problem and do minor repairs to keep your heating system working a little longer. If a replacement is required, an experienced professional can evaluate your furnace and provide you with estimates to install a new unit. Be sure to get more than one estimate and look for an honest, knowledgeable, and reliable contractor.

Alternative Heating Tips

Furnace replacement is more costly during the winter months when heating contractors are paying their employees overtime to keep up with the high demand of furnace repair.

A contractor can give you advice for alternate heating to supplement a furnace that isn’t working properly. This way you can make it through the rest of the winter until spring arrives when you can afford and schedule installment of a new furnace:

1. Use space heaters

Purchasing a few space heaters and moving them from room to room can provide you with direct heat where you need it. Be sure to use extension cords that have a sufficient load-bearing capacity and place space heaters away from furniture.

2. Turn on the fireplace

If you have one, think of this as the perfect time to sit around the fireplace and stay warm.

3. Close unused rooms

Shut doors to unused rooms and close the heating vents. This reduces the amount of space your impaired furnace has to heat, directing more warm air to those rooms that you’re using.

4. Shut off water

When the temperature drops below freezing you risk frozen and burst pipes if your plumbing is insufficiently insulated. In extreme cold weather you may have to shut off the water supply and spend a few nights with family and friends or at a hotel.

Investing In A New Furnace

When you’re ready to purchase and install a new furnace, it’s a good time to think about promoting sustainable living and going green:

• Gas furnace with a 95 or higher Annual Fuel Use Efficiency rating – additional cost of $2,000 to $4,000.
• Air-source heat pump system – additional cost of $3,000 to $6,000.
• Geothermal or photovoltaic renewable heating system – additional cost of $10,000 to $20,000.

While these furnace systems may cost you more, you’ll quickly see lower energy bills and may be able to qualify for tax credits.

For professional advice and repairs when furnace problems happen, contact a HomeAdvisor heating contractor in Massachusetts.

This Patch article is sponsored by Home Advisor.