Riding the Trane to Homeownership

However, all that space does cause a major concern: heating and cooling bills. Keeping a two-bedroom apartment comfortable was easily attainable, and the in-laws (bless their souls) didn’t make us chip in for the utility bills.

However, to my joyful glee, heating bills won’t be much of a worry inside our 2,454-square-foot McMansion.

Upon our initial inspection of the short-sale home, which occurred way back in May (I’ll save my displeasure with the real-estate machine for another editorial…), I was immediately drawn to the basement, where the HVAC goodies dwell. As I opened the utility-room door, seemingly glowing with an angelic haze was a Trane XV 95. In its 96.7-percent AFUE glory, I swear the gas-fired furnace winked at me.

I screamed out loud — not because of my supposed wink-induced hallucination, but because I was absolutely enamored with the efficient machine the previous owners had blessed us with.

Upon a quick Google search of the modish machine, my ecstasy was further elevated as I read that the variable-speed device had earned The NEWS’ coveted Dealer Design Award for four consecutive years. Now, I’d heard about variable speed furnaces before, but to suddenly be the proud owner of a furnace our industry tags as the best of the best, is simply amazing. And to experience variable-speed comfort. Marvelous.

And let me tell you what, the first thing I did when we finally unlocked that door for the first time was rush down to the basement to fire up my new efficient friend. In fact (don’t tell my wife — she’ll think I’m weird), I gave it a hug as it whispered its warm breath out the registers. Ah. Comfort at the Woerpel residence will come efficiently and affordably. I think I’m going to really like this homeownership deal.