QUESTION: We are replacing a builder-grade furnace that is 20 years old. We could have paid for an air conditioner and furnace twice over with the cost of repairs, recalls, retrofitting, and emergency calls.How do I go about finding the best furnace with the best repair record? I've spoken to several people who, of course, promote their brand.ANSWER: There is no sure-fire way to guarantee that whatever you buy will be problem-free. You can do the Internet research, including chat sites, then comparison-shop, and ask your neighbors, friends, and relatives for recommendations.In the end, it is luck. Did the folks on the assembly line put all the pieces together correctly? Was quality control having an off day when the product was checked? Did it get damaged in transit, but not so anyone would notice? Was the technician who installed it properly trained, or even in a good mood?Ultimately, it's not a matter of if things will go wrong but when. The only thing consumers have going for them is the warranty and whether the manufacturer or installer will adhere to it.Whenever you buy a big-ticket item such as an HVAC system, or a car, or a front-loading washer, you need to ask what exactly the warranty covers, how long it will be honored, and who will cover the diagnostics to determine the cause of the problem, the parts needed, and installation.Of course, the proof of the pudding is in its eating, so you'll never know how serious the manufacturer or installer is about honoring the agreement until a problem arises.The bottom line is that consumers have to take risks. Instead of assuming that you are getting what you paid for, always believe the opposite, and set aside some funds in savings to cover repairs that are bound to arise.Try to learn as much as you can about the way the product works. Go online to those chat sites to see the kinds of problems the product you've purchased is causing so you can at least argue with the tech support people or the repair person so convincingly that they might actually listen to you.When something starts costing more to fix than it would to replace it, let it go. Even taking a risk usually is cheaper.