I substituted the natural gas furnace in our house a little over seven years ago. I was forced to buy a new gas furnace when the old 1 rapidly malfunctioned in the middle of a blizzard. The cause of the failure was an excessive buildup of dust and debris within the inner workings. The accumulation of contaminants had congested airflow, leading to longer running times and added wear and tear. The furnace ultimately overheated which caused a crack in the heat exchanger. Because a new heat exchanger costs as much as a whole new gas furnace, I opted for the upgrade of a new furnace. I spent extra for a higher AFUE rating, better safety features and extended manufacturer’s warranty. I also made sure to enroll in a service contract with the Heating as well as Air Conditioning supplier that handled the upgrade. The service program includes annual cleaning and problem shooting of the furnace every year. This repair fulfills the obligations of the manufacturer’s warranty and ensures continued coverage. Plus, the service contract provides priority scheduling, discount on parts and labor, and no added charges for overtime service. I can call on the Heating as well as Air Conditioning supplier at anytime, morning or evening or weekends, and get a licensed serviceman to the house within the hour. They guarantee their work, and offer flat rate pricing. The serviceman wears foot coverings to keep from tracking dirt through the house, and picks up any discarded parts or debris. Through the service plan, I also benefit from a discount when I eventually purchase a new furnace. The proactive annual repair keeps our heating device operating at peak efficiency, capacity and reliability.