Because of the road conditions and heavily falling snow, we had difficulty finding a company that was willing to offer service.
My local area experiences winter weather that can be dangerous. There are times when the temperature drops well below zero and remains there. At the same time, we get several feet of snow accumulating in a matter of hours. Along with icy pavement, the wind creates white-outs that make driving especially hazardous. There are frequent driving bans, travel advisories and winter weather warnings. We worry about losing power and the potential of water pipes freezing. Several people die every year from hypothermia. Having a functioning heating system is a necessity. Last February, during a particularly nasty blizzard, my furnace quit. My husband and I tried everything to get the heating system operating again. We replaced the air filter as well as the batteries in the thermostat. We checked the breakers, vacuumed out the vents and hit the reset button. Nothing worked, and the indoor temperature dropped rapidly. We bundled up in multiple layers of sweaters, winter coats, hats and mittens. We wrapped ourselves in heavy blankets and found a couple of space heaters in the attic. We also started making calls, looking for an HVAC contractor to provide emergency repairs. Because of the road conditions and heavily falling snow, we had difficulty finding a company that was willing to offer service. We were very appreciative of the technician who showed up at our house at four in the morning to repair our furnace. He needed to replace several parts and make numerous adjustments to get the heating system running again. He encouraged us to schedule a thorough maintenance of the furnace as soon as the weather became more cooperative.