While people in many parts of the country can get away with any old heating system, Northerners know that if your central heat doesn't cut the mustard, it's a very serious matter. Having a system that is both in good working order and also able to provide enough heat to battle below freezing temperatures is essential if you want your home to be anything close to comfortable during the heating season. In Chicago, gas furnaces are an excellent option for heating your home during the colder months of the year. They are efficient, reliable, and produce the kind of heat that you'll need to keep warm during a Windy City winter.
Chicago Gas Furnace Maintenance
If your gas furnace was installed only a year or two ago, you probably won't have to worry about repairs or maintenance. However, for most folks in Chicago, gas furnace repair is simply a fact of life. One thing that you can do to keep a less than brand new unit in tip top shape for as long as possible is to get annual furnace inspections. While this won't guarantee that there will be no problems, yearly inspections will give you an early diagnosis of possible issues while they are still small (and while your furnace is still functioning). Furnace repairs can get expensive, and a unit on the fritz when winter is already in full swing can be a terrible hassle; getting an inspection well before you actually need to run your furnace is an excellent way to ensure proper operation all winter, and could save you some money, too.
Replacing a Gas Furnace in Chicago
Though yearly inspections and other small precautions (like changing the furnace filter regularly) can extend the life of your Chicago gas furnace, because units in the area are certain to get used often, they will eventually require replacement. Furnace replacement can be an expensive project, and it's one that few homeowners relish. However, when they see the efficiency of newer gas furnaces first-hand, many homeowners are a lot happier with their purchase than they thought they would be.
Having a higher efficiency furnace in a cold climate can really make a difference when it comes to monthly energy bills. Not only will you be saving money on fuel (and, in some cases, a new furnace may even increase the comfort of your living areas), but you'll also be free of repair costs for at least a few years.
Chicago Gas Furnace Costs for Repair and Installation
As far as furnace replacement goes, you'll be looking at costs ranging anywhere from $2,000 to $13,000 depending on the unit you purchase or any alterations that might be necessary. Replacing a furnace in an area as cold as Chicago is an extremely important operation, and opting for the cheapest price on the least expensive model might end up being a mistake. This doesn't mean that you have to go for the most exotic furnace on the market, but it is definitely a good idea to do a little research or have a serious talk with someone in the know about what would work best in your home. After a few winters of worry free and efficient heating, you'll be glad you did!
Inspection, again, is one of the best things you can do to extend the life (and maintain reasonable operating costs) of your gas furnace; Chicago residents can expect an inspection to run somewhere in the neighborhood of $50 to $150, depending on who you hire and how involved the job is. Chicago furnace repair costs tend to range between $100 and $300 for small jobs, but can reach $1,000 or even more for complex work.
