Repairs make sense — until they don’t. These are the signs that your furnace is telling you it’s finished, not just sick.
1. It’s over 20 years old
Furnaces in Spokane work harder than most of the country; 15–20 years is a full life. Past that, you’re on borrowed time with declining efficiency.
2. The heat exchanger is cracked
This is the one non-negotiable: a cracked heat exchanger can leak carbon monoxide into your airstream. There is no patch — it’s replace the furnace, full stop. It’s also why every service call of ours includes a CO check.
3. Repairs are becoming an annual tradition
One repair every few years is ownership. A repair every winter — ignitor last year, inducer this year, board next — is a pattern. Add the last three invoices; if you’re approaching a third of replacement cost, the math has already decided.
4. Your gas bill climbs but your habits haven’t changed
Aging furnaces lose efficiency as burners foul and exchangers scale up. A 70%-efficient veteran burns about a third more gas than a 96% replacement for the same heat.
5. Some rooms are cold no matter what
If balancing and duct checks don’t fix it, a weakening blower and tired heat exchanger are often the cause.
6. It’s loud in new ways
Booms at ignition, rattles, and shrieking blower bearings are mechanical death rattles — especially in combination.
7. The burner flame is yellow
A healthy gas flame burns blue. Persistent yellow means incomplete combustion — a safety issue, not a cosmetic one.
Want a straight read on yours? Call (509) 555-0163 — we’ll tell you honestly which side of the line it’s on.