“I need help” was what I said when my friend answered his phone on Christmas Eve. Without skipping a beat, he replied, “OK. What can I do?“
I had spent the night tossing and turning in my sleep. We were at the start of a three day record cold snap that was blasting across the country. Here in Raleigh, we had torrential rains followed by a drop in temps from the 40s to under 10 degrees. We also had howling, gale force winds. I assume the noise had disturbed my sleep. It was kind of cold inside too and my furnace seemed to be turning on and off a lot.
I woke up and noticed the temperature inside was a few degrees below what had my thermostat set for. I wasn’t worried because I figured that must be due to the extreme cold weather outside.
Four hours later, my furnace stopped blowing warm air and the temps inside plummeted.
Across the country and my state, there were reports of extended power outages, people without heat and emergency shelters being opened due to the cold.
This wasn’t good.
I did the usual troubleshooting. I checked the circuits and the thermostat. I googled to diagnose the problem and see if there were any DIY fixes I could do. I tried doing several of the google “fixes” – resting the furnace, changing the air filters, checking the air flow, and even opening the furnace to clean the flame sensor.
By this time, the furnace wouldn’t even cycle on. I checked the manual for troubleshooting. Everything listed was far beyond my skill set – it was a manual written for HVAC installers and technicians not DIY homeowners.
So I knew I needed to find a repairman and fast. It was Christmas Eve. It was the afternoon. I had seen HVAC repairmen all over my neighborhood during the past month as heating season kicked in and people needed service. I hadn’t had any issues – until now, Christmas Eve on the coldest day of the past 5 years.
I called three companies recommended on Nextdoor whose websites said 24/7 emergency service. I only spoke to one person who said the soonest they could come would be two days later.
With that, I thought I should start calling to find a hotel where I could go with my two dogs and hope my pipes didn’t burst in my house.
I wasn’t panicked yet. Worse things have happened.
This was when I called my friend Craig. He’s a handy. level-headed guy. I figured I should run my plan by him. He asked me a few questions and complimented me on my actions and my plan. He told me I should call back and get on the schedule for the Monday repair appointment. Then he told me to run out to Lowes or Home Depot before they close for Christmas and buy 3 space heaters. He said I could manage to keep myself, the dogs and the house warm enough with them. The last thing he told me was, “You called the the wrong guy. I don’t know anything about furnace repair. You should call Bruce. If there is any kind of DIY fix, Bruce will know what to do.”
I saw that Home Depot was open for a few more hours, so I called Bruce. He and I had just spoken that morning before I realized I had a problem. We had caught up on our usual once a month call and wishing each other Merry Christmas so he probably thought I was only calling to mention something I had forgotten. My call went to voicemail. I knew Bruce was preparing for a family Christmas dinner and figured I wouldn’t reach him.
I sent this text: “I need your help. I have a heater problem.”
Immediately he called back.
I’ll spare you the details of how Bruce coached me over the next hour troubleshooting my furnace and trying to fix the problem. Let’s just say it involved him walking me through a methodical, step by step procedure that included climbing in and out of my attic half a dozen times, checking drain lines, dissembling the furnace to try to read diagnostic lights, me reading the manual to him, etc.
Picture a kindergarten kid (me) describing what he was doing and seeing to repair a car engine while talking to an engineer on the phone and you’ll get an idea of what Bruce went through with me for an hour.
At the end of the hour, we had found the problem and fixed it. The furnace roared to life and hot air began blowing through my ducts.
That is friendship.
Bruce, Craig and I are all friends with each other. We’ve been friends for 20 years. Although I moved away from them 18 years ago, we stay in regular touch by phone. Occasionally I saw them when I traveled back to Pittsburgh for work.
Sometimes we grow weary of each other. I’m kind of an asshole. They can sometimes get whiny and self absorbed. Sometimes we blather on about ourselves and the victim on the other end of the phone never gets a chance to say a word. Sometimes we annoy each other.
But when one of truly needs something, the others drop everything and help. Period.
Even on Christmas Eve on the coldest day of the year. Maybe, especially because it was.
I’m ecstatic that my furnace is running. In stopped again the next day, but I knew exactly what to do to get it back running within a few hours. Once Home Depot reopens tomorrow, I’ll pickup some supplies to prevent this problem from recurring.
My friends saved me from panic. They saved me hundreds or thousands of dollars in repairs. They kept me from having to drive around desperately looking for a hotel room on Christmas Eve. They got my house warm. Those are all wonderful Christmas gifts.
But what I am truly grateful for is that I have friends like this.
Merry Christmas.