Warm response from Saskatoon family after furnace installation

Watch above: A local family who otherwise wouldn’t be able to afford it, had a new furnace installed today. Aaron Streck tells us a Saskatoon company wanted to give back to the community so it held a contest.

SASKATOON – “My husband tells everybody I won the lottery, then he says oh and a furnace,” said Beverly Goertzen, the winner of the Aire Serv “Heat for the Holidays” contest.

Their house was built in 1957, and the furnace heating it was the original until Friday.

“You know how it is, you try for everything, like entering a contest and you figure maybe, there’s always a maybe, everybody else wins not us,” said Goertzen.

Beverly and John Goertzen’s luck has changed as the couple were the winners of a new furnace.

“It seemed surreal for us to win this, because we’ve been thinking of one for a long time but always kind of wishing for a new furnace and a few times this one at different times has gone out and it howls lots,” said Goertzen.

“John drives truck and he’s on the road and he worries about his wife and her safety and being comfortable in their home so the timing is great since it is getting cold,” said Derek Zimmerman, the owner of Aire Serv Heating & Air Conditioning.

READ MORE: Tips to prevent a furnace breakdown this winter

The Goertzen’s three children nominated their parents in Air Serve’s inaugural “Heat for the Holidays” contest. Picking a winner out of 25 entries wasn’t easy for Zimmerman and company but they know deep down they chose the right one.

“We had certain parameters that we had laid out at the beginning of our campaign and the Goertzen’s were the family that met most of those requirements or all of them because it was a very difficult situation to be in to pick that family,” said Zimmerman.

While the Goertzen’s old furnace was about 40 per cent efficient, the update is about 95 per cent, saving the couple all around.

“Our old one could have quit at any time so this one we know isn’t just going to quit, we’ll have it for a lot of years,” said Goertzen.

In their 41 years of marriage, this is the first and only home the Goertzen’s have owned. Both are dealing with different health issues, so this is one less concern the couple has to worry about.

“I just want to say thank you so much, like we appreciate it and it sure was unexpected,” said Goertzen.

Air Serve Heating & Air Conditioning hopes this is the first of many, expecting even more nominations for next year’s “Heat for the Holidays.”