I’ve learned the importance of taking especially good care of the furnace.
For the first few years after purchasing the heating system, I neglected the essential upkeep. I only replaced the air filter when it was completely clogged and affecting performance, and I never bothered to hire a professional for service. The furnace was extremely expensive, and the cost of installation was considerable. It is probably the most important system in the house. In my local area, we can’t get along without a working heater. My family relies on the furnace for anywhere from six to eight months of the year. The temperature frequently remains below freezing and sometimes drops down into the negative digits. It’s not unusual for the forecast to call for temperatures of negative twenty-five and a wind chill that makes it feel considerably colder. The monthly heating bills add up to around half of the household energy consumption. I just never made the upkeep of the furnace a priority until recently. When the furnace started having some issues, the cost of the repair was super high. The technician who came to the house told me that all of the problems were caused by a lack of maintenance. He showed me the buildup of dust inside the cabinet. The accumulation of debris was restricting airflow through the system, hindering the operation of moving parts and causing the equipment to run longer and work harder. It was using way more energy, experiencing greater wear and tear yet putting out less air. I’d turned up the thermostat several times, making the situation worse. The technician said I was lucky that the heat exchanger didn’t crack. Otherwise, I’d have needed to purchase a whole new furnace. As it was, my family was exposed to polluted air quality every time the furnace ran.