I definitely waited too long to replace my furnace.
As the heating system neared the end of its service life, it showed warning signs of failing. It made an odd sound whenever it started up. Despite running for much longer cycles, the furnace had trouble meeting the demands of an Ashtabula winter. On especially cold January and February nights, the house felt chilly. Turning up the thermostat simply puts greater wear and tear on the furnace. While I was always conscientious about filter changes and seasonal maintenance, the air from the vents was a bit dusty. I noticed contaminants circulating in the air whenever the furnace ran. I worried over the health issues caused by poor indoor air quality. Because the furnace was running so often, we experienced especially dry indoor air. I was still reluctant to invest into a new heating system installation. I knew the project would be disruptive, messy, stressful and expensive. I didn’t want to take out a loan to afford a furnace and then be responsible for payments. While the heating unit continued to operate, I refused to consider a new system. However, the old furnace experienced multiple minor repairs. The cost of those repairs added up quickly. I should have been proactive, rather than waiting for the furnace to quit. The unit failed in the middle of January, during a blizzard. Getting an HVAC technician to agree to an energy heating system installation during such horrible weather conditions was difficult. I had no opportunity to research different models of furnaces. I needed to accept whatever was available. The winters in Ashtabula make heating a necessity. I worried that our water pipes might freeze if I delayed.