high efficiency gas furnace

hammer6315

I have a high efficiency gas furnace and am wondering what type of servicing it requires other than keeping the filter changed. It has electronic ignition and a two stage burner with a variable speed blower. How complicated is the yearly service? Is it something that can be done by me?

Thanks , Geo

delstu

Your owners manual should give you the manufacturers recommendations.

On older furnaces it was recommended you clean your furnace annually and oil the bearings.

The high efficiency furnaces today do not produce as much suite as the older units, so probably won't require cleaning as often. Most bearings are now sealed, so don't require lubrication.

Be careful not to touch the igniter as just the oil from your skin will cause it to burn out.

As long as you keep your filters in good order your furnace won't require much servicing.

Nestor_Kelebay

Is it a "condensing" gas furnace?

That is, is the flue gas leaving the furnace so cool that condensation forms and has to be directed to a drain?

If so, you should be aware that that condensation is highly corrosive. It's true that it's just water, but when CO2 dissolves in water, it forms something called carbonic acid. It's that carbonic acid that gives carbonated beverages their "bite", and it's also what could cause cast iron drain piping to rust out prematurely.

If your drain piping is plastic, I wouldn't worry. If it's cast iron, I'd run that condensate through a 5 foot long 2 1/2 or 3 inch diameter piece of PVC pipe full of limestone before directing the condensate into any metal drain piping.

You can also use landscaping marble, but beware. There are two different kinds of white marble; calcitic marble and dolomitic marble. You need calcitic marble because dolomitic marble is almost unreactive with carbonic acid. Your best bet, however is a high purity limestone because it'll be more reactive than even calcitic marble.