The furnace installed into my home is at least twenty years old. I’ve made sure to take very good care of it. I change the air filter every month throughout the heating season and schedule professional maintenance every fall. Although the furnace is still operating reliably, it’s definitely showing signs of age. I’ve noticed that it needs to run much longer to maintain a comfortable temperature. On especially cold nights, the house feels somewhat chilly. There is more dust floating around in the air and accumulating on surfaces, which forces me to dust and vacuum more frequently. The operational sounds are gradually increasing, as are monthly energy bills. I know that the furnace will eventually quit and cost too much to repair. I would rather not be required to replace the heating system during the middle of a winter blizzard. It makes more sense to take a proactive approach and schedule the installation project during the summer. This would give me plenty of time to choose the best model and size of furnace for my home and budget. I’ve done a bit of research into options and am very impressed with the AFUE ratings. My current furnace, when it was brand new, was able to achieve 86% efficiency. There are models that now reach 98% and offer superior safety features. These systems are able to automatically adjust capacity anywhere between 40 and 100% to provide very even temperature, lower sound levels and less issues with overly dry air. I’ve spoken with a local HVAC contractor, gotten a free estimate, but am a little reluctant to tackle the project.