Uncooked rice often contains the bacteria Bacillus cereus. These bacteria can form protective spores that survive the cooking process and if the rice is cooled slowly (and left between 5 Â°C and 60 Â°C for a long time), these bacteria spores can germinate, grow and produce a toxin (poison) that causes vomiting.
Obviously the colder a climate is, the more a furnace is required to run, and the shorter its life expectancy. With our relatively mild climate here in Seattle and the rest of the Puget Sound, the average life expectancy for a gas furnace is 15 to 20 years if well maintained, properly installed, and properly sized.
This should help keep repair costs down over the life of the furnace, and lengthen a gas furnace's life expectancy. Knowing whether regular maintenance has occured on your furnace is easy if you have owned the home for the furnace's entire life.