Last week, my wife and I gave our Gibson furnace its last rites. Rest in peace old friend. Thanks for keeping our house cool during the summer and warm during the winter. To stress the importance of a furnace, try imagining your house without air conditioning or heat. It’s a horrible thought. But it’s how I lived in the 70s and 80s.
If you grew up in those days, you can relate. Air-conditioning meant a box fan. It was like living in the prehistoric ages. Thankfully, modern technology has gotten comfort down to pushing on a button or twisting a knob.
Our Gibson unit lasted for nearly eleven years because we cared for it. We cleaned the filters and signed up for a maintenance plan through Willis One Hour Heating & Air Conditioning—a local HVAC company that serves Clermont County and other locations. They can be seen driving around in their bright yellow vans. Also, Willis didn’t pay me to endorse them. I am not used to receiving such excellent customer service. I usually receive bad service, okay service or just enough service for me not to complain. So whenever someone shows complete professionalism, I thank them.
We have had our maintenance plan with them for several years. They come out every six months and check our furnace for any potential problems. With our plan, we can keep our unit maintained.
After deciding to bury our Gibson, we asked Willis for a quote on a new unit. The salesman, a gentleman named Scott promptly arrived at our home and explained our options. My wife and I ordered a new unit. After scheduling an appointment, the company techs promptly installed our new furnace. They explained how to use the new thermostat and showed me how to change the filter. Our new thermostat is digital which is convenient. So far the unit is incredible. Although our Gibson unit cooled, it never made our house feel like the North Pole.
During the summer, I prefer frigid air. One installer said he had seen many neglected systems. Negligence is when homeowners don’t change their filters or hire a professional to inspect their units. These people don’t address problems until their unit stops working. A furnace is like a car, it needs maintenance if you want to keep it working.
Just remember, a furnace won’t last forever. It will break down sooner than necessary if you skip maintenance checks. So hats off to Willis Heating and Air. Thanks for your promptness and the professionalism. With summer ending, I can sleep better at night knowing that my house is prepared for winter.
Marc is a grandparent and longtime resident of Clermont County. Visit his author page at http://www.lifewithgrandpa.com and his blog at http://www.wisegrandpa.com.