It was going to be a long bus ride.
I had a book and earphones that would be enough to keep me busy during the three-and-a-half-hour journey.
I was not lucky enough to get a window seat, but I hoped my neighbor would open the window when it got too hot or stuffy. An hour into the journey, the passager beside me asked if I knew anything about whole-home heating systems. I hesitated before I answered him because it was an odd question. I told him that I am an HVAC repairman, and then he smiled. Whinstallation and ductwork five years ago. I was surprised that I gave him a confused look. He asked if I worked for a specific heating corp and when I said yes, he told me that he remembered me from the crew that worked on his boiler installation. He told me it was hard to forget the only lady in a team of men. We talked about the gas furnace, and I asked him if it had been serving him well. He told me that he had not had any issues with it because he tried his best to apply most of the energy-saving help tips we had given him. He also ensured that he contacted the home services company every year for furnace/heater tune-up. He also told me that he had switched to a washable filter that he found worked better. I asked him if he kept an eye on his HVAC duct, and he admitted that other than sealing a leak once. I advised him to contact a heating provider to do a duct cleaning. He also told me some minor issues with his gas fireplace, and I told him a few things he could try.