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Replace 65 year old furnace with 18 year old? (yes... furnace)?

3K views 20 replies 14 participants last post by  frascati 
#1 · (Edited)
Never mind. Just too frustrating
 
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#12 ·
I agree with you been for an 18 year old boiler that's already in service and operating several years trouble free. Maybe:no:

But to go to all the trouble removing a 65 year old unit and installing a 18 year old boiler no.

All the piping, wiring, setup, flue work, inspection, testing , no warranty,
Not for me that's for sure.

I don't think anybody should put that kind of labor, materials and money into that system.

Let me say I am open to all comments but I will never change my mind on this subject regardless.

Just think after all that beautiful work and set up nothing but trouble and calls in the middle of the night, week ends and holidays.
 
#13 ·
He's DIY it. So he has his labor. If he gets it for a hundred bucks or so. No real money loss.

How about a boiler that was in service for 26 years. Then removed and stored for 4 years, and then put back in service at another location. And has only had one problem in 5 years(a loose wire at the 3 HP burner motor). A new boiler would have cost $12,500.00 for this commercial place. They got the used one for a grand. Oh, and a new boiler for $12,500.00 didn't include the 4.3 million BTU burner.
 
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#14 · (Edited)
From the limited (nothing) information in post #1 I can't tell if he's DIY or just asking the question.
Either way even DIY no I wouldn't do it. It's still a lot of work for an 18 year old boiler.

DIY removing a 65 year old boiler and installing a 18 year old boiler a disaster waiting to happen.

The answer is no.

Didn't know the OP was referring to an Commercial/Industrial Boilers. Thought this site was residential. Even with the example you proposed I would think that would be more money and time wasted-ed installing such a large boiler with much more piping wiring , safeties, permits, inspection, start up. All to have a 18 year old boiler.
 
#15 ·
Apologies to all.

It's been so long since I posted this and have not revisited the forum since then. I can't remember, honestly, what the original post was. But it looks like I might have been in a really short temper that day and was irritated by the first few responses. Must have edited out the original message in disgust.

In any case. It's months later. The 300lb behemoth rests safely (from us) 'neath many more tons of scrap steel at Padnos reclamation. I dismantled it and loaded it in the pickup myself. Yes, there were a couple of 10x12x1/4 inch asbestos pads sandwiching the burner/plenum mounts. I soaked the crap out of them in clear acrylic paint and let it harden overnight. Then extremely carefully, with fully rated respirator, triple bagged them and properly disposed of them at a local hazardous waste site.

When dismantling I discovered that the exhaust, routed up the chimney, ran directly through the return air plenum on its way. Could have been to avoid having to route another pipe outside of the furnace on its way to the exit, or it might have been some mediocre attempt at recouping a little bit of heat on its way out. In any case, there was a 1.5 inch round hole rusted through this pipe right in middle of the fresh air return plenum. That had to contribute to the winter blahs a bit in this house.

Now the 18 year old furnace I'm replacing this with was indeed free.


It's in excellent condition and the efficiency sticker indicates 92.8. My old furnace was probably under 60 percent. The date I determined by the spec sheet inside the bottom panel. a-1995 at the middle bottom. I believe it was installed new approx four to five years after that date according to the friend who gave it to me. He installed geothermal on his 80 acre ranch and had this under a tarpaulin in the garage.




So under the heading of "nothing to lose" if it gives me poor service or poops out too early I will have made the space and provided the ductwork to simply slide-in a brand new identically dimensioned Rheem/Ruud in just a few hours. The old one should net 20 bucks in scrap.

These are the drawings I'm emailing around for estimates. The gray portions exist. The blue are needed to join the new furnace to supply and return boxes above. The 6" wide cabinet next to the furnace holds a 25x20x5 filter element. I was going to replace it with a thinner version for replacement cost sake (those fat ones are scary expensive) till I shopped a bit and discovered that they aren't bad if you buy a dozen at once and just store them.


Of four contacted, only one has gotten back to me yet with a price of 251.80. I neglected to ask what gauge he's using. Another place asked me which I required, 22 or 24? For three small pieces I ought to just go 22ga. Can't be much more in material cost.

Anyone know if these components can be purchased online, custom made, shipped flat, for less expense? Only one site I discovered did just that, but when contacted they did not sell retail.

***********************

So there's the (much) fuller version of the original post. My apologies again for leaving it to seed earlier.

I've thrown all this out there for comment. I've never done any HVAC. I have a nephew who worked in HVAC for ten years who will help me assemble the pieces and seams. Don't know if he's certified for inspections but I suppose that is a must for something like this for insurance purposes.

Any thoughts?
 
#17 · (Edited)
I have no problem with replacing the 65 year old unit with one that's 18, it's not the age that's the issue it's how it was treated and stored, and that 18 year old one looks very good.
There's little that can go wrong on a furnace or boiler, as long as the steel is not rusted, then there's only the controls and the blower motor that would cause any problem. As we all know, motors all eventually need service, if only to replace a worn bearing, no big deal to do that. A belt if used can break, a thermocouple can malfunction.

I replaced an ineficient 65% standing gas heater with a Lennox conservator G11E roughly 96,000 btu, 80% or 85% gas furnace from my workplace who was discarding 3 of them about 12-13 years ago. This one was only used to heat the front office and it was installed in a clean, dry location.
There was absolutely nothing wrong with them other than they wanted to get the 90%
furnaces.
I brought it home, installed it and it's given me 12-13 years of 100% trouble-free service all this time. I've never had to anything more to it than change the filter and vacuum the compartment. I'm guessing it was new around the early 1990s because it was there when I started work there in 1997.

I have a spare motor for it in case it's ever needed, I know where to get a replacement electronic board if that's needed some day (runs about $150)
 
#18 ·
Wow, that looks great for an 18yo unit. Kind of the equivalent of a used car driven rarely and by a little old lady. If the inside looks anything like the outside I say go for it. Nothing to lose. If it doesn't work out you can then decide whether to repair it or get a new one.
 
#21 ·
Thank you very much for that info. You just made my furnace three years newer!

Is that in the serial no.? I kind of wondered about that. It's only a three year difference but 92.8 seemed pretty good for a '95.

No need for pics of the heater exchange tubes. They look like new. He was running propane in this with a conversion and he kept all the original natural gas parts in a ziplok bag taped to the rear


I've already converted it back.
 
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