My furnace was only a couple years old when it needed to be torn out and restored. It was me and my mom’s fault for not taking better care of the component. Since the Heating and Air Conditioning business had insisted that I enroll in their maintenance place but I figured it was a waste of money. I had been updating my home’s air filter every month and guessed it would be enough to keep the HVAC unit operating adequately. Unfortunately, dust, pollen and irritants managed to get inside the outer cabinet and settled on the inner workings. This collection restrained airflow, resulting in much longer running times, and caused a relative amount of stress on the component. I realize my energy costs were higher than normal, and my house was a bit colder, but I did nothing. In the end, the furnace quit working in the middle of December, during a blizzard no less. The outside temperature was under seven degrees, combining brutal wind chill as well as tons of snow. I couldn’t deny I needed a new furnace any longer and I called for professional assistance. I assumed the repair costs would be covered under our manufacturer’s warranty but because I didn’t keep up with correct maintenance, the warranty was null. The furnace had overheated which caused a hairline crack in my heat exchanger. The Heating and Air Conditioning company informed me that the cost of substituting the heating exchanger is more than the purchase price of a whole new furnace. No, I wasn’t glad about the situation but with no options I had to buy a up-to-date furnace. I have been taught a lesson, and signed up with a maintenance agreement with our local Heating and Air Conditioning business.