Gas and Oil Home Heating Furnaces - advice on affordable,dependable new furnace?
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michael4244
01-27-04, 09:56 AM
my furnace is brand spanking 43 years old and its no secret i need a new one. i have my thermostat set to go on at 530am to 72 degrees.
while the overnite setting is 65 degrees, it took 4 hours to get to 70! a whole 5 degrees!!! granted its 20 degrees outside, however i feel like im paying two mortgages when i get my heating bill.
i am interested in knowing what type of furnace i should be in the market for so i know what to think when sears or homedepot invade my home. these are the specs on my house
i have a forced air furnace
3 bedrooms
kitchen
livingroom
unfinished, heated basement.(oneday, oneday i'll finish it)
thanks for anyhelp!!!
a fffrigid newyorker:D
while the overnite setting is 65 degrees, it took 4 hours to get to 70! a whole 5 degrees!!! granted its 20 degrees outside, however i feel like im paying two mortgages when i get my heating bill.
i am interested in knowing what type of furnace i should be in the market for so i know what to think when sears or homedepot invade my home. these are the specs on my house
i have a forced air furnace
3 bedrooms
kitchen
livingroom
unfinished, heated basement.(oneday, oneday i'll finish it)
thanks for anyhelp!!!
a fffrigid newyorker:D
Jay11J
01-27-04, 10:03 AM
4 hours sounds like a long time for 5 degrees. Is this something just started to do, or slowly be doing this over the years?
have you checked to make sure you have a new/clean filter in your system?
Blower cage isn't caked up with dust over the years?
Belt in good shape, not slipping?
Have central A/C? Maybe the coil is plugged up.
But i would agree with you, it's time to replace this unit and save your money on your gas bill!
Your gas bill may drop down almost half with a new furnace.
My suggestion for brands.
-Trane/American Standard
-Rheem/Rudd
Call in a dealer, and have them do a heat lost/gain figure on your home to get the right size equipement. To do this, the dealer will go around the whole house to messure the walls, windows.. figured R-value in your walls, and attic. He/she should provide you a print out report of the results.
Chances are your new system maybe way over sized!
have you checked to make sure you have a new/clean filter in your system?
Blower cage isn't caked up with dust over the years?
Belt in good shape, not slipping?
Have central A/C? Maybe the coil is plugged up.
But i would agree with you, it's time to replace this unit and save your money on your gas bill!
Your gas bill may drop down almost half with a new furnace.
My suggestion for brands.
-Trane/American Standard
-Rheem/Rudd
Call in a dealer, and have them do a heat lost/gain figure on your home to get the right size equipement. To do this, the dealer will go around the whole house to messure the walls, windows.. figured R-value in your walls, and attic. He/she should provide you a print out report of the results.
Chances are your new system maybe way over sized!
Ed Imeduc
01-27-04, 10:22 AM
Im with Jay is it clean, filters, blower,AC coil if you have one on the furnace. If you had it for 43 years and it worked it should now
Go to www.warmair.net and compare fuel cost for where you are.
Get 3 bid for the new furnace. Up there in the north Id get a price on a 90 AFUE furnace.
ED;)
Go to www.warmair.net and compare fuel cost for where you are.
Get 3 bid for the new furnace. Up there in the north Id get a price on a 90 AFUE furnace.
ED;)
binford
01-27-04, 10:37 AM
Your old furnace is most likely about 65-70% efficient. Just because it old does not mean they did not know how to build a furnace back then. Hell we went to moon in the 60's. So with new top of the line furnace you will save about 30% on your heating bills. Coldest winter in 10 years, everyone is getting a new furnace, so prices could be higher than last year.
Checking the filter and vacuum everything out is always a good idea.
Sounds like your losing heat faster than you can make it. I would still look into other ways to save, You can hang blankets over windows than are not needed for light. With it been so cold outside it should be easier to find those leaks. Your ducts could be leaking too, try to check them if possible. Growing up my dad was cheap, he would keep the temp a 59 degrees. Nothing has changed, I was at his house the other day and it was about 55 and he was watching TV in his coat.
As for furnaces. there are 80% single stage, two stage, and two stage variable. Then you have 93+ single stage, two stage, and two stage variable. read up on Trane.com
Checking the filter and vacuum everything out is always a good idea.
Sounds like your losing heat faster than you can make it. I would still look into other ways to save, You can hang blankets over windows than are not needed for light. With it been so cold outside it should be easier to find those leaks. Your ducts could be leaking too, try to check them if possible. Growing up my dad was cheap, he would keep the temp a 59 degrees. Nothing has changed, I was at his house the other day and it was about 55 and he was watching TV in his coat.
As for furnaces. there are 80% single stage, two stage, and two stage variable. Then you have 93+ single stage, two stage, and two stage variable. read up on Trane.com
michael4244
01-27-04, 02:58 PM
thanks for the replies~
i've changed the filter to one of those 20-30 $ filters that you can use for 2-4 months, i found some at work and they were so kind to "donate" them, hehe
as for the blower, and the belt, perhaps i'll check that too.
and im in the house 3 years and i havent had the vents cleaned, so perhaps i should consider that too huh?
and being a dam cold winter, i was worried about getting raped for a new furnace in the middle of winter, so im considering waiting till early spring perhaps, unless we snap out of this cold soon!!!
once again, thanks for the replies guys!
i love this site!:cool:
i've changed the filter to one of those 20-30 $ filters that you can use for 2-4 months, i found some at work and they were so kind to "donate" them, hehe
as for the blower, and the belt, perhaps i'll check that too.
and im in the house 3 years and i havent had the vents cleaned, so perhaps i should consider that too huh?
and being a dam cold winter, i was worried about getting raped for a new furnace in the middle of winter, so im considering waiting till early spring perhaps, unless we snap out of this cold soon!!!
once again, thanks for the replies guys!
i love this site!:cool:
Ed Imeduc
01-27-04, 04:53 PM
Dont blow money to clean the ducts. Do get on that belt drive if so 43 years should be a belt drive get a new belt and kick up the pulley speed a little;) ED
hvac4u
01-27-04, 05:50 PM
pull that high dollar filter, it may be too restrictive.
Jay11J
01-27-04, 09:27 PM
I am with HVAC about the filter.. What band name is the filter?
Do you have central air?
As for duct cleaning. Don't do it now.. Do it when you replace your system this summer. But if you meaning behind your vents, it's plugged up w/ pet hair and what not, then just pull the vents out and clean behind it.
But yeah, check the belt, and you more likely need to oil the motor, and the blower bearing on the shaft (if you have the oil cups)
Do you have central air?
As for duct cleaning. Don't do it now.. Do it when you replace your system this summer. But if you meaning behind your vents, it's plugged up w/ pet hair and what not, then just pull the vents out and clean behind it.
But yeah, check the belt, and you more likely need to oil the motor, and the blower bearing on the shaft (if you have the oil cups)