Is This Your Heating System’s Last Winter?

Date: March 14, 2022

Signs That Your Furnace or Boiler Needs To Retire

Believe it or not, the winter may soon be behind us. As this blustery New England weather gives way to spring, families throughout Greater Boston will happily toss off their coats and scarves. They’ll also turn off their boiler or furnace.

That’s fine if your heating system is relatively new and functioning well. But if you struggled to keep your home warm and comfortable this winter, this is an excellent time to assess the health of your furnace or boiler. After all, you don’t want to discover that it’s broken during the first cold snap next winter.

Knowing the Warning Signs

As a general rule, heating systems can function for 15 years or more, though they will lose some efficiency as they age. If your furnace or boiler is over 15 years old and starting to struggle, you might need to replace it soon.

Here are some telltale signs that your heating equipment is nearing retirement:

• grinding, banging, or other strange noises
• vents that don’t blow warm air or baseboards/radiators failing to heat
• rising utility bills without increased system usage
• your pilot light burning yellow instead of blue
• furnace or boiler failing come on or shutting down without warning

If your boiler or furnace has any of these symptoms, you need to be proactive. Schedule an inspection as soon as possible to see if your equipment can be repaired or must be replaced.

Cubby Oil & Energy is Here to Help!

For more than 70 years, Cubby Oil has served families from Boston to Lexington and Concord to Andover. We have a passion for providing fuel, service, and peace of mind.

Our service technicians have seen it all! They can diagnose your boiler or furnace’s issues and make suggestions to fix them.

Certainly, we will need to act fast if we discover a safety issue with your equipment. But even in non-emergency scenarios, there are compelling reasons to take the plunge on a new system at the end of the heating season:

1. Installing a new furnace or boiler takes some time. It’s more pleasant to do it during spring’s milder weather than the cold weather next winter.
2. For years, the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources and industry sponsors have offered generous rebates for homeowners upgrading their HVAC equipment. The 2022 rebates have not been announced yet, but we can help you qualify as they become available.
3. Your savings don’t stop with installation—they’re just getting started! Upgrading to a new, energy-efficient oil-fired furnace or boiler will save you money every month on your energy bills.

While no one relishes the idea of replacing their heating system, doing so provides opportunities for a more comfortable home and lower fuel use.

If your system has struggled this winter, we want to help you get your home heating on track. Contact us today to set up an appointment.