We'll be fine.
The furnace will be installed Firday. We can make it until then, even though we drop into the negative numbers for the first time this week. We had a wonderfully warm spell all of last week, but it has turned.
Yesterday, (Mon)
High: 13 C, 55 F
Low: 5 C, 41 F
It was gorgeous: golden and sunny. We even had Bible study outside. It was only cold when the wind blew up. My daughter wrapped herself in a blanket. "Just like camping."
Today (Tues)
High: 15 C, 59 F
Low: 3 C, 39.2 F
Sunny
Wednesday
High: 8 C, 46.4 F
Low, 5 C, 41 F
Cloudy.
Thursday,
High: 9 C, 48.2 F
Low: -4 C, 24.8 F
Sunny
Friday
High: 7 C, 44.6 F
Low: -5 C, 23 F
Sunny
Saturday
High: 10 C, 50 F
Low: -5C, 23F
But who cares! We should be warm and toasty by then!
We've decided on a Lennox, 92.0 % efficiency with the variable speed DC motor. 7,000 btu.
It was either that or a Kenmore. The Lennox was a bit more expensive, but 1) I actually figured out how to look up stock recommendations on Google finance (Wende, aren't you proud?) and just liked the look of Lennox better. 2) The husband was a bit concerned that with the Kenmore, it wasn't entirely clear who would be manufacturing the furnace. And 3), service from the folk selling us the Lennox seemed to be top notch. They're local (no 1-800 number to a "call centre") and they have a live person taking their calls. Apparently, we get bumped up in the proirity sequence for service, too, for having purchased out furnace from them.
Cost: $6,000. The furnace itself is only about 1/2, though. The installers have to cut two separate holes into my basement walls for air exchange, intake and exhaust, install a pump and small tube to "exhaust" the water the furnace will produce (and cut into out sewer stack for it to drain). They have to re-line our chimney (less exhaust means we need a smaller channel inside it) and cap it. And then, of course, because new efficient models are smaller, they need to fit sheet metal around our current ducting.
And yes, apparently they can do all this in one day. Friday. None too soon.
Glad to hear warmth is on its way to you! It was -1 here this morning.
ReplyDeleteYay, furnace!
ReplyDelete(And yes, I'm proud of you on the Google Finance discovery. While financial literacy isn't in the classical trivium and quadrivium, you're eventually going to want to do better than the "how to balance your checkbook" training that your kids would get in a public high school.)
Okay I won't complain about it having lows in the 50s here!! the furnace sounds like a good choice. I always like their ads anyway, with the old timey looking Lennox guy. That's got to count for something!
ReplyDeleteNo--go ahead and complain, if you really want too! I get to feel all virtuous, then.
ReplyDeleteWell, the one we're replacing is a Lennox--and it's old "inspection" sticker is dated 1975. So, if it's installed right, then it should last and last. And, more importantly, I expect they'll be around in 10 years to still be manufacturing parts. (Fingers crossed).