When my wife and I purchased our home, the heating system was already outdated and in poor condition.
At that time, we couldn’t afford to replace the furnace.
We had too many other home improvements that took precedence. We’d gotten the house quite cheap because the windows all needed to be replaced, the roof leaked and all of the appliances were positively ancient. My wife and I hoped to have the budget for a new furnace within five years. However, during the following years, other jobs once again took priority. The water heater ruptured and flooded the basement, causing a great deal of damage. We had problems with the septic system, safety issues with the electrical system and concerns with the water well. We were forced to live with the old heating unit for nearly six more years. Every year, we complained about the cost of our winter utility bills. We were unhappy with our chilly house and the dust and musty smell that poured from the vents. We kept the thermostat at the lowest tolerable setting, attempting to trim expenses, and dressed in layers of warm clothes. We slept under heated blankets and getting out of bed in the mornings was pure torture. I was diligent about replacing the air filter every month and calling for professional maintenance every fall. The HVAC contractor who completed the cleaning and tuning of the furnace always warned us that the system was on the verge of failure. I thought we were saving money by keeping the old furnace running. It eventually quit entirely during a January blizzard, when the outside temperature had dropped into the negative digits. Since we couldn’t go without heat, we were forced to get financing for a new furnace.