In Focus: No warm greeting to the new year, but hey, it could be worse

Published: Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2014, 12:01a.m. Updated 13 hours ago

Last Tuesday's record-breaking cold weather became even more difficult when our furnace stopped working.

When I first noticed the house getting chilly at 1:30 a.m. I tried cranking the thermostat to 80 degrees to see if it would kick on.

Nothing.

Then, my boyfriend and I went to the basement, neither of us knowing anything about furnaces, and stared at it for a couple of minutes while it tried to start.

Tick, tick, tick, tick. Again, nothing.

We called one heating-and-cooling company that boasted 24/7 service on its website. No one answered.

Our second try, with a different company, was more successful, and about 45 minutes later, a technician arrived at our house.

Unfortunately, though, he didn't bring great news.

After examining our furnace, he told us it was as old as he was 26 and well over its expected lifespan.

More here:
In Focus: No warm greeting to the new year, but hey, it could be worse