My parents were the original odd couple.
Dad was the serious one, always worried about something, usually money related.
Mom was always optimistic and carefree. Her easy laugh kept us kids shielded from my dad’s grumpiness. Their dark side versus sunny side personalities meshed well. They were married for over 60 years and rarely argued. Another oddly matched pair that works well together is a home’s heating and air conditioning system. The “dark side” of HVAC is the furnace that circulates warm air throughout the house to stave off the cold of winter. The “sunny side” is the AC that typically is a split system with an outside compressor and coil and the inside evaporator coils. A blower or fan is used by both the furnace and AC to provide ventilation. My folks both lived into their 90s and were truly irreplaceable. HVAC systems eventually need replacing but not necessarily at the same time. A well-maintained AC can last 15-20 years while a furnace can keep us warm for over 30 years on average. Homeowners face the dilemma of choosing to replace a perfectly good furnace at the same time they replace a worn-out AC or replacing the AC only. Doing the latter is easier on the budget than a full HVAC switch-out but the risk is that the new AC unit may not match up well with the older furnace. A new high-efficiency AC with a higher SEER rating paired with an older air mover (blower) could lead to some problems. Most experts agree that if a furnace is over 15 years old, it is best to replace the entire HVAC system. If it is less than 10 years old, then replacing just the AC unit is more likely to result in a good match.