My husband and I spent nearly a year touring different properties for sale.
We were looking for a big enough house to accommodate five kids and two dogs.
We wanted a safe location with plenty of property and needed to remain within our budget. When we finally came across the perfect house, it was in need of some updates. I was happy to replace the appliances and finally have a brand new refrigerator, oven, washer and dryer. The house was desperate for a new water heater, windows and doors. We had to make some improvements to the plumbing and electrical system to bring everything up to code. That didn’t leave any money to replace the ancient oil furnace. Although the heating system was operational, I wasn’t happy using oil for fuel. We had an ugly tank sitting in the backyard, and I was worried about it leaking. I also needed to schedule delivery for fuel. I was fearful of running out of oil in the middle of a blizzard and being left without heat. Since the winter temperature is often below zero, the heating system is extremely important. The outdated oil furnace struggled to keep up and wasn’t energy efficient. Our monthly heating bills were a constant concern. I assumed that the conversion from oil to natural gas was cost-prohibitive and that I’d be stuck with an oil furnace forever. When I had a licensed technician at the house to service the heater, I mentioned my unhappiness with it. The technician drew up a free estimate for the installation of a natural gas furnace. While the project was certainly expensive, it was doable. I also realized that by installing a more energy efficient furnace, the savings on the monthly bills would help to pay for it. I’ve now gotten rid of the cumbersome fuel tank and no longer need to schedule delivery. The gas furnace is quieter, cleaner and more environmentally friendly. Our house is so much more comfortable now that we have gas heating.