It’s hard to believe, but in another week, the holiday festivities will be over. The gifts given and received, the feasts eaten, and the decorations ready to come down—which means “back to reality” in a way. The holidays are, for many, a whirlwind of decorating, shopping, wrapping, and baking—and many of the day-to-day concerns and chores get pushed aside for the time being.

Unfortunately, my “everyday worries” didn’t give me a break—our furnace stopped working last week (yes, on the day it was only 30 degrees!). And so my holiday cheer was broken up by calling the repairman, purchasing new parts for my old furnace, and receiving a very costly bill in the mail. Just what I need this time of year, right?

But—the experience did make my husband and I re-evaluate our existing furnace and weigh the pros and cons of repairing it or replacing it entirely. As with any home repair or improvement project, we considered the cost, longevity, quality, energy efficiency, etc. before we made our decision.

My point is this: my recent experience made me realize that, regardless what time of year it is, if you have an old piece of home “equipment”—whether it’s a furnace, windows and doors, roofing or siding—it is ALWAYS the right time to at least consider an upgrade. Weigh the benefits of undertaking a particular remodeling project against any downsides you see. You may just be surprised and realize that NOW is the perfect time to upgrade your windows, furnace, air conditioner or whatever it is your home needs!