Winter arrived especially early this year.
One day, the temperature was in the low sixties and the next, it plummeted below freezing.
We went from blue skies and sunshine to clouds and endless snowfall. I had not yet gotten around to scheduling maintenance for the furnace when it was necessary to raise the thermostat setting. I noticed that the heating system made some odd noises and the odor of burning hair and dust spewed from the vents. I should have immediately called a local HVAC contractor and scheduled service. Unfortunately, I was way too busy trying to prepare the house for the unexpected arrival of winter conditions. I needed to put away the barbecue, patio furniture, pool pump and lawn mower. I started hauling my family’s winter coats, boots and accessories down from the attic, located the snow shovels and ice scrapers and purchased rock salt. I called to schedule a snow plowing service for the driveway. I went around and made sure all of the windows were shut properly and added a bit of caulk here and there. I ignored all of the warning signs of furnace failure. The heating system eventually quit at the end of January. Because of an outdoor temperature of twelve degrees, I had no choice but to pay extra for emergency repairs on a weekend. The technician who inspected the furnace told me that the cause of the malfunction was a significant buildup of dust on the inner workings. The problem could have been prevented with a tune-up in the fall. I was lucky that the furnace overheating didn’t crack the heat exchanger and necessitate a full system replacement.