The furnace in my house is old.
- It was already installed when we bought the property fifteen years ago.
The heater wasn’t new when we moved in. It had not been well cared for. One of my first tasks after purchasing the house was to schedule professional maintenance for the furnace. I hired a reputable HVAC contractor and enrolled in a service contract. I made sure to have a technician come to the house every fall for a complete comprehensive troubleshooting, cleaning and tuning. Removing dust buildup, tightening electrical connections, lubricating moving parts and resolving any concerns has kept the heating system operational. It has been wonderfully reliable over the years. We’ve never faced any major breakdowns. Despite outside temperatures well below zero, the furnace does a decent job of keeping the house warm. Over the last two winters, I’ve noticed that the heater is starting to struggle a bit. I’ve needed to raise the thermostat setting just a bit. The system makes more noise than it used to and runs for longer cycles. There’s been a slow but gradual increase in the monthly heating bills. Anticipating the failure of the furnace, I’ve been setting aside money. I’m saving up for a new heating system. I’ve done a whole lot of research into the different makes and models on the market. I plan to spend more to take advantage of a higher AFUE rating and the latest features. There are heating systems now that automatically adjust capacity to meet the changing demands of the indoor environment. These smart systems consume less energy yet maintain very even temperature. They are more environmentally friendly, accommodate zone control and allow wifi connectivity. However, this time of advanced heater is also expensive. I need my current furnace to last one more winter.