24/7 Emergency Service (314) 471-7625

Do You Need a New Furnace or Just a Repair? 5 Signs to Watch Out For

Published:
Updated:

By

Thomas Hoffmann Air Conditioning & Heating

At Thomas Hoffmann Air Conditioning & Heating, we help homeowners make informed choices with honest guidance and expert service.

When your furnace starts acting up, it’s easy to feel stuck between two costly decisions: repair or replace? Knowing when it’s time for a simple fix versus a complete replacement can save you thousands in the long run—and help you stay warm all winter long in St. Louis.

Contact Request
Call (314) 471-7625
hvac-furnace
Excellent
Thomas Hoffmann Air Conditioning & Heating LLC
Based on 734 reviews
See all reviews
review us on
Christine G.
Thomas Hoffman is a wonderful company to work with. Techs are knowledgeable, personable & efficient.
Response from the owner:Thank you, Christine, for your kind words about our team; we appreciate your feedback and are glad to hear you had a positive experience!
Breanna H.
Nick was amazing. He came out the same day and had our heater fixed quickly
Response from the owner:We are so happy to hear you had a pleasant experience with us!
Dawn B.
Hoffman plumbing came out to help with some of my plumbing problems. They were amazing. I wish I would have called them first
Irene A.
Nick did a great job!
Response from the owner:We're happy to hear you had a positive experience!
j. R.
Got a quote over the phone. Everything was explained thoroughly. Dakota, my technician arrived and on time, was very professional and knowledgeable. He didn’t try to upsell or change anything. He did a great job. We can already tell the difference since the ducts and vents were cleaned. Would recommend an use Hoffman again in the future.
Response from the owner:Happy to hear you had a pleasant experience using Thomas Hoffmann!
Craig M.
The technician, Ryan, was knowledgeable and helpful in identifying the issue with our mini split AC unit. They are the second company we called after issues with the first and will be using Hoffmann again.
Response from the owner:We are so happy to hear your experience with Thomas Hoffmann was pleasant. Thank you for your kind review, & we look forward to working with you in the future!
Jim S.
woke up to a very cold house, called Thomas Hoffmann, they were able to come out a couple of hours later and get the issue resolved. Always trust them, they have always been quick to respond and get either the heating or ac issue fixed that day. Also a great price!!!! give them 10 stars if i could, Thank You JS
Response from the owner:Thank you for the kind review, Jim. We are happy to hear that you had a positive experience working with Thomas Hoffmann!
Hank K.
Fast, friendly, professional service.
Response from the owner:Thank you, Hank, for your wonderful feedback; we're glad you enjoyed the fast, friendly, and professional service, and we'll be sure to keep up the great work!
Frank P.
From the phone to the completion of the job everyone is so polite and informative.
Response from the owner:Thank you for the kind review, Frank! We appreciate you and your business.
sampaul R.
The technician Giovanni was excellent and on time very professional and efficient and knowledgeable of the project at hand ,gave great advice but most of all did great work 👏 thank you .
Response from the owner:We are so happy to hear you had a great experience, Sam! Thank you for the review, and thank you for your business.
Ann R.
Nick was friendly, professional and knowledgeable, he did an awesome job!!
Response from the owner:Thank you for recognizing Nick's friendliness, professionalism, and knowledge - we're glad you had an awesome experience!
Maureen O.
Notified me of expected arrival time and then again when he was on his way and was exactly on time! Nick was very personable and trustworthy.
Response from the owner:Thank you, Maureen. We're glad to hear that Nick kept you informed and made your experience enjoyable!
Christina G.
Very fast service, Nice young man, and personable!
Response from the owner:Thanks for the great review, Christina! We appreciate your kind words and your business.
Cool Brook I.
Your service technician was very professional and knowledgeable. And did not appear to try to give me bogus information. I truly appreciate his honesty because several other companies did not appear to be honest, obviously wasn’t honest, my gut feeling told me they were not honest and tried to get me to spend $10,000 for a problem that was much simpler to fix. I look forward to you servicing all my properties, and possibly those of the rest of my family.
Response from the owner:Thank you so much for the kind words and great review! We appreciate your support.
Lianne R.
Very prompt, communication was great, and the workers were very polite. I highly recommend them!
Response from the owner:Thank you, Lianne! We're glad to hear that you had a positive experience with our team and appreciate your high recommendation.
Jaden S.
Jeff did an outstanding job. Assessed the situation, found the problem, and fixed it within the hour. Thank you!
Response from the owner:Thank you, Jaden! We're glad to hear that we provided such prompt and effective service. Your appreciation means a lot to us!
Leticia
Water heater repaired, appointment done the same day, effective, courteous
Response from the owner:Thank you, Leticia! We appreciate your kind words and are glad to hear that the water heater was repaired promptly and effectively. Your satisfaction means a lot to us!
Mr T.
The service tech Giovanni did a fantastic job. Our gas fireplace is working like new again so we’re ready for the cold weather!
Response from the owner:Thank you, Mr, for your fantastic review! We're glad to hear Giovanni provided you with excellent service and professionalism. Your recommendation means a lot to us!
Jeff C.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ If I could give 10 stars, I absolutely would.

Last night our furnace went out unexpectedly, and with three kids in the house, the temperature dropped fast. Giovanni went above and beyond in every way possible. Instead of charging me a late-night service fee, he simply asked, “Are you decently handy?” and offered to walk me through some troubleshooting steps to get our heat back on so my children wouldn’t have to sleep in the cold.

Not only did he guide me through the process, he even FaceTimed me and showed me exactly what to take apart, how to put it back together, and what signals to watch for. It felt like having a real technician standing right next to me the entire time. Thanks to him, our heat was restored within minutes.

In a world where true customer service is hard to come by, Giovanni is a rare find. It is a guaranteed fact that any future repairs, maintenance, and the new heater/AC system we’ll be needing this coming summer/fall will absolutely be done through him. His honesty, kindness, and expertise have earned our business for life.

Highly, highly recommend.
Response from the owner:Thank you, Jeff, for sharing your experience! We're so glad to hear Giovanni was able to help you and your family during that tough situation. Your recommendation means a lot to us, and we appreciate your trust in our services for the future!
Mary C.
My neighbor referred these guys to me when had water heater problem. Previous company told me I needed to replace it. Tom’s technician fixed it for less than $200. This was over 2 years ago and have been using their service ever since. They are very trustworthy.
Response from the owner:Thank you, Mary, for sharing your experience and for trusting us with your water heater issue; we're glad our technician could help and that you've continued to rely on our services!
James H.
Came out immediately after a time slot opened and fixed the AC issue.
Response from the owner:Thank you, James, for your kind words! We're glad we could address your AC issue promptly.
LC S.
Speedy response and service. Knowledgeable professional. Kind, courteous, friendly but professional.
Response from the owner:Thanks for the great review! We appreciate your business and look forward to working with you in the future.
Hector R.
Super Helpful and Honest Service

I called this company earlier today because I was having a bunch of issues with my HVAC system. They were incredibly friendly and walked me through troubleshooting step by step over the phone. They didn’t even charge me for the call. Thanks to their honest advice, I was able to get things running smoothly again. Really grateful for their help and would definitely recommend them if you want straightforward and trustworthy service. Five stars all the way!
Response from the owner:Thank you so much for the glowing review, Hector! We appreciate your business and look forward to working with you in the future.
Pat Keith T.
Nick did not set current time. — Monday Hoffmans Zach came to fix correct time. We DID NOT want a timed thermostat — we prefer to set temperatures manually
Response from the owner:Thank you, Pat, for your kind words about Giovanni; we appreciate your feedback and are glad to hear that he made a positive impression.
Margaret K.
Clear communication about arrival, service and costs.
Response from the owner:Thank you, Margaret, for your kind words! We appreciate your feedback on our clear communication and are glad you had a positive experience.
Laura B.
Excellent experience.
Response from the owner:Thank you, Laura, for your 5-star review! We appreciate your support.
Judy T.
I will highly recommend this business for your air and heater repair. Prompt, knowledgeable and courteous service.
Response from the owner:Thank you, Judy, for your kind words and recommendation! We're glad to hear you were pleased with our prompt and courteous service.
Ali G.
Thomas Hoffman was very responsive to our after hours inquiry, even walked us through some trouble shooting over the phone. We provided pictures of the unit and they were able to quickly buy, schedule and install the part to keep our family warm!
Response from the owner:Thank you, Ali! We're glad to hear that Thomas was responsive and helpful in getting everything sorted out for you and your family. Your feedback means a lot to us!
Ted E.
Nick came by, identified the problem quickly and had it fixed. Great service!
Response from the owner:Thank you, Ted! We're glad to hear that Nick provided you with quick and effective service. Your feedback is greatly appreciated!
M B.
Zach was very professional and thorough. He was nice and did a great job!
Response from the owner:We are happy to hear you had a great experience with our company. Thank you for your kind words, Mike!
Jane N.
Great service. Responsive. Well trained technicians. Honest friendly and thorough. I highly recommend Tom Hoffmann and his team.
Response from the owner:Thank you for your kind words! We appreciate your recommendation and are delighted to hear about your positive experience with our team.
wtgilmore
Ryan Taylor with Thomas Hoffman did an outstanding job in servicing our unit & explaining everything to me, especially how our humidifier worked, since we were new home owners & had not had one before. Thank you!
Response from the owner:Thank you! We're glad to hear that Ryan and Thomas provided you with excellent service and helped you understand your new humidifier. We appreciate your feedback!
Debra F.
Polite and very efficient.
Response from the owner:Thank you for the 4-star rating, Debra!
W M.
Great service and arrived on time when promised.
Response from the owner:Thank you Wray, for your kind words! We're glad to hear you had a great experience and that everything was on time.
Jo P.
Ryan was knowledgeable and figured out why our furnace wasn’t working and repaired the problem
Response from the owner:So happy to hear you had a good experience with the team here at Thomas Hoffmann, Jo! Thank you for your support.
marianne L.
Service was great on time very efficient explained what he was doing changed filter disposed of old filter ! Nice young man 👍
Response from the owner:Thank you, marianne, for your fantastic 5-star rating; we appreciate your support!
Bob L.
Wonderful work. Great communication and always a happy positive technician. Answered all of my questions with sincerity and patience.
Response from the owner:Thank you for the kind words, Bob. We truly appreciate your business!
Mark W.
As always, the Hoffmann technician Zach was polite, professional, and efficient. Pricing is reasonable and even more importantly, they are dependable. I will continue to use Thomas Hoffman A/C and Heating.
Response from the owner:Thank you, Mark, for your kind words about our technician and for your continued trust in Thomas Hoffman A/C and Heating; we truly appreciate your support!
Brandon M.
Hoffman is great! Very professional and thorough.
Response from the owner:Thank you, Brandon! We appreciate your kind words and are glad to hear about your positive experience with Hoffmann’s professionalism and thoroughness.
James S.
Giovanni was great today! Thanks for everything.
Response from the owner:Thank you, James! We're glad you had a great experience, and we'll be sure to pass along your kind words to Giovanni.

1. Age of Your Furnace

General rule: Most furnaces last 15 to 20 years, depending on the brand and maintenance.

Repair if:

  • It’s under 10 years old and has no history of significant problems.

Replace if:

  • It’s over 15 years old, and you’re seeing frequent issues.

2. Rising Heating Bills

Have your energy bills suddenly spiked without a significant change in usage? An aging or inefficient furnace could be to blame.

Repair if:

  • The problem is linked to a specific faulty part (like a blower motor or igniter).

Replace if:

  • Bills are climbing year after year despite tune-ups.
  • Your system has a lower Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency (AFUE) rating than modern models.

Pro tip: Upgrading to a high-efficiency furnace can cut your winter heating costs by up to 30%.

3. Frequent Repairs

If you’re calling your HVAC technician more than once a season, it’s time to reassess.

Repair if:

  • The issue is isolated and inexpensive to fix (e.g., thermostat issues, dirty sensors).

Replace if:

  • Repairs are costing more than 50% of the price of a new system.
  • You’re experiencing multiple breakdowns within a year.

Helpful tip: Track your repair costs and compare them to current furnace pricing.

4. Uneven or Inconsistent Heating

Are some rooms in your home too cold, while others feel like a sauna? Inconsistent heating can signal declining performance.

Repair if:

  • You have airflow blockages or ductwork issues.

Replace if:

  • The system struggles to keep up no matter what, especially during cold snaps.
  • The blower or heat exchanger is failing.

5. Strange Noises or Smells

Clanking, banging, squealing, or musty odors? These are your furnace’s ways of crying for help.

Repair if:

  • You hear short bursts of noise during startup (often fixable).
  • Smells occur after long periods of disuse (dust burning off).

Replace if:

  • There are persistent noises indicating worn-out internal parts.
  • You smell gas or burning electricity, which could be dangerous.

Safety tip: Always shut off your furnace and call a professional if you smell gas.

When in Doubt, Get a Professional Opinion

Still unsure whether to repair or replace your furnace? That’s where we come in. At Thomas Hoffmann Air Conditioning & Heating, our experienced technicians can evaluate your system, explain your options, and never upsell you on something you don’t need.
We proudly serve the entire St. Louis metro area, from Ballwin to O’Fallon.

Schedule a furnace evaluation today and take the guesswork out of winter comfort. Call us at (314) 471-7625 or contact us online.

24/7 Service Call Now

At Thomas Hoffmann Air Conditioning & Heating, we pride ourselves on being a locally owned and operated HVAC company. With more than 30 years of experience and a master technician and mechanical engineer as our owner, we can replace, repair, and maintain your business or home’s HVAC system.

Contact Request
Call (314) 471-7625

Leave a Comment