Gas and Oil Home Heating Furnaces - Fix floor furnace?
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09-24-00, 12:55 PM
One heating company told me floor heaters are only supposed to work about 20 years and since mine is nearly 80, there's no point in fixing the leak.
Another one told me they're supposed to work forever and they can be fixed even if they're cracked. He did say once they've been cracked, I'd have to tell any new buyer of the home that it needs to be fixed, so that doesn't sound good.
I don't know yet how serious the problem is. If it isn't cracked, is it dependable to fix it?
If I don't fix it, are there any new floor furnaces that come with attractive grills? I only found furnaces by Empire on the Internet and they're modern and ugly. And they need a 6 inch clearance from the wall, which I don't have in my hallway.
Since I'm concerned about keeping the character of the house, I don't want a wall furnace. If the floor furnace can't be worked out, I'm thinking of just going for a forced air system, maybe with air conditioning, even though the house is very small.
Should I forget fixing the furnace?
Another one told me they're supposed to work forever and they can be fixed even if they're cracked. He did say once they've been cracked, I'd have to tell any new buyer of the home that it needs to be fixed, so that doesn't sound good.
I don't know yet how serious the problem is. If it isn't cracked, is it dependable to fix it?
If I don't fix it, are there any new floor furnaces that come with attractive grills? I only found furnaces by Empire on the Internet and they're modern and ugly. And they need a 6 inch clearance from the wall, which I don't have in my hallway.
Since I'm concerned about keeping the character of the house, I don't want a wall furnace. If the floor furnace can't be worked out, I'm thinking of just going for a forced air system, maybe with air conditioning, even though the house is very small.
Should I forget fixing the furnace?
09-24-00, 06:55 PM
Hi:Sondra
My suggestion is to replace that floor furnace with the forced air heater with or without A/C. Either unit and you'll appreciate the homes valve, save energy costs and warm the house quicker.
Floor furnaces with cracked fireboxes are dangerous. Once the firebox cracks, it's time to replace the entire unit with either a wall furnace or forced air unit.
There isn't any manufacturer I know of with a replacement firebox for any floor furnace these days.
Disclosing the condition of the existing floor furnace may not eliminate you from lability in your state. Check with a real estate lawyer on that matter.
Good Luck,
TomBartco
Natural Gas Energy Technician and Consultant.
My suggestion is to replace that floor furnace with the forced air heater with or without A/C. Either unit and you'll appreciate the homes valve, save energy costs and warm the house quicker.
Floor furnaces with cracked fireboxes are dangerous. Once the firebox cracks, it's time to replace the entire unit with either a wall furnace or forced air unit.
There isn't any manufacturer I know of with a replacement firebox for any floor furnace these days.
Disclosing the condition of the existing floor furnace may not eliminate you from lability in your state. Check with a real estate lawyer on that matter.
Good Luck,
TomBartco
Natural Gas Energy Technician and Consultant.
09-24-00, 08:33 PM
Sondra, you say floor furnace, now do you mean one built into the floor or the old Seigler type that sit all alone in a corner... Federal makes a floor furnace that goes in the floor..Perfection/schwank makes a oil space heater...