I have heat!

This is the before:

This is the after:

The new furnace is the least energy efficient model which is typical of city repairs. The city contractor kept saying he was going to get me 90% efficient because he wanted me happy. Yeah right. I knew that would never happen because it would cut into his profits. Actually I’m not sure if the new one is sufficient for a two story, four bedroom house. I can only hope someday I’ll have the money to upgrade to an energy efficient model or perhaps mini-splits.

My neighbor told me the brand is a good one. I wouldn’t know because I’ve never bought a furnace before. To me, it’s a cheap alternative for none at all. That’s not a complaint, just an observation. Don’t the people running these programs realize that the people who can least afford to replace a furnace are the very one’s with the most need for energy efficiency? I mean seriously, since it’s being replaced anyway wouldn’t it be better to spend just a little more for something more in the mid-range energy efficient that would help low income people be less dependent on federal energy funds?

Never underestimate the power of complaining when necessary. I rarely actually complain but I was determined another year would NOT go by without having a working furnace. I was also growing tired of the contractor’s excuses to put me off time after time. He’d tell me one thing and do another. The nights when it was so cold I could see my breath inside the house was the last straw.

I made phone calls and more phone calls until I finally got results. A phone call to the alderman for my district got things rolling. That phone call worked when I explained to her I had been waiting since July of 2022 for a furnace under the “emergency repairs” program. I explained the bidding process had been completed back in August and awarded the first week of September of this year. A year and four months is a long time to wait for “emergency” repairs.

As I said, I rarely complain because I prefer to find alternatives for myself. I take pride in knowing I’m not the type person who believes government owes me a life. However, when I actually qualify for a program I take advantage of it by applying. After all that’s what the programs are for. I respect the resulting gifts by using it wisely. Just because it was free doesn’t mean I can keep the house at 90° while I walk around in summer clothes or neglect changing the filter.

The filters for the old furnace costs about $80 each and required a hvac person to change it. The filters were nearly impossible to find so I had asked the guys to make the new one use a smaller filter. I’ll be buying a reusable filter that I can change myself and be cleaned to use again. I’m not sure, I may need to buy two. One to be used while the other dries. That’s something I’ll need to learn about.

When the furnace was finally installed the first thing I thought was I could bake bread again. Without heat the dough would not rise. Right away I made a loaf then ate half of it while still warm.

I hope those in the path of the winter storms are staying safe and warm. I’m going to get busy putting my house back in order.

Anita