Darn it! Might be tapping into that emergency fund already!

**Daisygirl** · 01-18-2008, 02:49 PM

Another part on my furnace has gone kaput! My heat guy repaired it last time but said if it happens again I will be looking at a bill of nearly $400. Whatever it is causes the heater not to blow warm - it just blows air the temp of the house.

So my newly stocked emergency fund may take a hit. That really blows, but I am glad to have it. I am going to try to go without touching it if I can at all. I am really happy to have done all that stockpiling recently. We can get away with spend $20 or less at the store this week if we need to.

Anyway, hopefully he will make it over here today, as it is starting to get kind of chilly in the house. It has already dropped in here to 66 degrees. I am going to Walmart later to get a little space heater in case we all need to bundle into one room tonight.

Wish me luck!

**Holly** · 01-18-2008, 03:04 PM

Good Luck Karen,
Better to use the EF than get sick girls.
Thats what they are there for..

**FreesiaE** · 01-18-2008, 03:14 PM

Ugh, isn't that the worst! We had to get a new boiler this December and the grand total----$7,000. Yes, you read right. Talk about sticker shock! I sort of feel that I spent all that money for something I can't even show off (like new furniture, a new car, etc). Oh well, it had to be done, and hopefully it will last another 48 years like the last one. So, if you're feeling bad you can say "at least I got off cheaper than FreesiaE"!

**FreesiaE** · 01-18-2008, 03:16 PM

BTW we got a really cool space heater from Lowe's maybe 3 years ago that came with a remote control, auto shutoff when the room reaches your set temp, and a timer so you could just set it for 1, 2, or 3 hours. I also really like it because it is somewhat "off the ground" so I don't worry about the floor next to it getting too hot. I just wanted to put in my 2 cents about this style of space heater.

**Daisygirl** · 01-18-2008, 07:41 PM

Oy. Now the stupid thing is working. I can't decide whether to have it fixed or not! Do I spend money now and pre-empt the need to have the repair done down the road? Do I say yippeee and hope to get through the winter?

AHHHHHHH!!!!!!!

**sdrjeolsen** · 01-18-2008, 07:46 PM

If it was me, I'd say yipee, and start putting some money aside from each paycheck to go toward a repair. But that's just me, hate to throw money at something that's working, even if its a bit on the fringe.

Also, can you get another opinion about the problem? Do you know exactly what it is that 's wrong? Maybe someone at work or church knows someone who works on them or knows something about it? I had a similar problem, but got a book from the library and long-distance advise from my dad via the phone and ended up replacing a 4.00 part myself. It was pretty easy.

In any event, hope it keeps working for a long time!

**Daisygirl** · 01-18-2008, 08:03 PM

Denise, I am pretty much of the same opinion.

I really like my heat guy. He came out on Boxing Day last year and did a repair without charging me extra, although it was a holiday. When I told him, "I only have $200, can you do anything to get it working for that amount?" He took $100 and a postdated check for the other hundred because he did not want us to be broke. He repaired it in November and warned me it would not be a permanent repair, that this part was going to go. Basically, if it was a car, it would be the alternator, this part has a bad bearing causing it to overheat which in turn causes the heat to shut off when it is on automatic. When it is on fan, then it overheats and shuts down a little later, but still overheats and shuts down. I am down inthe basement now, and I can hear that stupid little bearing.

Fingers crossed that if it does go I am able to pay for it while keepig my paws off that emergency fund.

To be on the safe side I got a couple of high effieciency space heaters today - something I have been planning for some chilly spots in the house. That way if it does go we have at least some heat till it is repaired.

**Daisygirl** · 01-19-2008, 11:00 AM

All right, the furnace is making it's demise public. It is making death throe noises, and has worked intermittently throughout the night. I have to get the heating guy in and get it fixed.

Hopefully it is a cheap repair - I'll let you know.

**FrugalMomof3** · 01-19-2008, 12:20 PM

Karen, I am sorry this is happening but the only thing I can say is atleast you have an EF

you should be proud.

I am a little confused though, if this keeps needing fixing what is the main cause? You going to have to keep paying for repairs over and over if the repair cant get a permanant repair in place or replacing the whole unit (which is cheaper in the long run).

Anyway let us know how things go!

**Daisygirl** · 01-19-2008, 12:31 PM

It is just different little parts and pieces that have gone. This is the 2nd thing to have replaced in two years. The first item cost around $200 and this will probably be about $400. The cost of a new furnace is about $4000. My heat guy recommends just doing the small repairs for now, seems to happen about once a year. He figures the main unit should last another 7-10 years.

So I will just continue rebuilding the darn thing piece by piece, lol. I said, "In about 4 years I should have built a brand new furnce at this rate!"

**momishem** · 01-19-2008, 12:38 PM

I agree! At least you have an EF! I am so desperately trying to get mine started. I am so tired of borrowing money from my mom when things go bad. We are trying to keep afloat and crossing our fingers that nothing happens. Our first thing to do with our tax check is fund the EF. No ifs, ands, or buts!

It is soooo cold here. At least part of our house has electric baseboard heat and a gas fireplace. If our furnace goes bad, we could live like that for a while. Plus, when we had our ice storm about 3 years ago, we lit the burners on the stove (gas) and it kept the house warm during those 7 days without electircity. Although I don't recommend it, it really scared me!

Good luck!

**emily_hope** · 01-19-2008, 12:44 PM

Sorry you are having furnace troubles. I am glad though that you have your EF. Hope you are able to stay warm!

**Monner 1** · 01-19-2008, 01:06 PM

Those darn furnaces. Mine broke down last year when my husband was out of the country. He always does the repairs so I had to find a repair man. He fixed it but I sure hated paying for something like that. I hope it all works out for you and it gets fixed without it costing too much. Maybe your repair guy will take mercy on you. Good luck.

Monner

**miss_thrifty** · 01-19-2008, 04:27 PM

I hear ya girl!!! I remember the last house we owned and how many times we had the reapirman out looking at it one winter i almost cried, plus that year our sewage backed up in the bath tub. ughhhh
Had to dig in January , get clean out twice and then put new sewage in that spring. Plus the furnace that winter seeemed to get all new overall before we sold. almost like new lol

**KJayEsq** · 01-19-2008, 05:01 PM

I hate it when stuff like that happens. At least you do have the EF. However, if your budget is on paper, maybe there are a few things you can tweak to where you don't have to touch the EF or at least don't have to dip into it too much. Good luck and keep us posted!