Furnace replacement in Aurora, CO is for a furnace that has reached the point where repairs no longer make sense: a cracked heat exchanger, repeated failures of major parts, or a unit too old to find parts for. Many furnaces that look finished can still be repaired, and that comes first.
Furnace Repair or Furnace Replacement
The furnace's age matters less than its condition. Factors that point toward replacement:
- A cracked or rusted-through heat exchanger
- Major part failures stacking up: inducer, control board and blower within a few seasons
- Parts no longer made for the model
- Rooms that have never heated well because the furnace was the wrong size for the house
- An old standing pilot furnace in a house where the rest of the system is being redone
Factors that point toward repair: a sound heat exchanger, one failed part, and a furnace that has heated the house well until now.
New Furnace Installation Options for Aurora Homes
- 80 percent furnaces vent through a metal flue, often shared with the water heater. They fit houses where the old chimney or flue stays in use.
- 90 percent and higher furnaces vent through PVC pipes, produce condensate that needs a drain, and burn less gas for the same heat.
- Single stage furnaces run at full fire every cycle. Two stage furnaces run a low fire most of the time and switch to high on the coldest days. Variable speed blowers move air more quietly and evenly.
- Dual fuel pairs a furnace with a heat pump, so the heat pump handles mild weather and the furnace takes over in deep cold.
Older Furnaces in the 80013 Area
About 30 percent of homes in 80013 were built before 1980, and in the tracts covering Meadowood and Mission Viejo the share is over half. Basement and closet furnaces in those houses often sit on original return plenums and ducts. A replacement furnace has to match the duct system it connects to, or it will run hot and short cycle. See furnace repair in Aurora for the parts that can be fixed first, and HVAC repair when the AC side is part of the decision. Replacement covers Meadowood, Meadow Hills and the full Aurora service area.
Sources and local offices: 80013 housing data, Meadowood census tract data, Aurora, Colorado.
Questions About Furnace Replacement
What are signs you need a new furnace?
A cracked heat exchanger, a furnace that needs a major repair every season, rooms that never get warm, rust and corrosion inside the cabinet, and a model that parts are no longer made for.
How do I know if my furnace needs replacing?
Start with the condition of the heat exchanger and the repair history. A furnace with a sound heat exchanger and one failed part is usually worth repairing. A furnace with a cracked heat exchanger is not.
Can an old furnace be repaired?
Yes, as long as parts are still made for it and the heat exchanger is sound. Igniters, flame sensors, inducer motors, blower motors and control boards are replaceable on most older gas furnaces, including universal replacement parts.
Should a 30 year old furnace be replaced?
Not on age alone. The deciding factors are the heat exchanger, whether parts are available, how often it has needed repairs and whether it has ever heated the house evenly.
Can I replace just the furnace without replacing AC?
Yes. The furnace and the outdoor AC unit are separate pieces of equipment. The new furnace's blower has to move the right amount of air across the existing indoor AC coil, and the coil has to fit the new cabinet.
What lasts longer, a furnace or a boiler?
Boilers have fewer moving parts in the airstream and no blower, while furnaces have more parts that wear but are simpler to repair. Water quality, maintenance and run hours decide more than the type.
What is better, a 1 stage or 2 stage furnace?
A two stage furnace runs on low fire most of the winter, which gives longer, quieter cycles and more even heat. A single stage furnace has fewer parts. In a cold climate like Aurora's, two stage furnaces spend most of their time on low fire.
What are the two most common complaints of the higher efficiency furnaces?
Condensate problems, such as clogged traps, frozen drain lines and failed pumps, and vent problems, such as intake or exhaust pipes blocked by snow, frost, nests or leaves. Both shut the furnace down on its pressure switch.
Which lasts longer, an electric or gas furnace?
Electric furnaces have no burners, flue or heat exchanger, so they have fewer parts that wear out. Gas furnaces have more parts but heat faster, and in Aurora most homes are set up for gas.