unable to find air filter location for Bard fc095d36e oil furnace

[Ruk]

I have a fifteen year old Bard oil furnace, FC095D36E which came in a
house I recently purchased. Although I was able to change the nozzle
and oil filter before it got colder, I have been unable to find the
location of the air filter. I know it might sound silly, but there are
no screws or any covers that I can see on the unit where the filter may
be and of course I don't have the furnace manual so any help would be
welcome. Thanks.

[trader_4]

There is no cover on the compartment where the blower is housed?
Has to be, even if there is no filter, you'd need to be able to access
it to replace the blower motor if it failed, etc. Usually there are a
couple of obvious screws, typically thumbscrews that secure one
end of the cover.

[Dean Hoffman]

This help?
<https://www.manualsdir.com/manuals/59086/bard-oil-furnace-flf085d36f-oil-furnace-fc085d36f-oil-furnace-fh110d60f-oil-furnace-flf110d48f-oil-furnace-flr085d36f-oil-furnace-flr110d60f-oil-furnace-fh085d36f-oil-furnace-flr110d48f-oil-furnace-flf110d60f-oil-furnace-flr140d60f.html?page=32>
The text on one page says something about swell latches. Aren't those the ones that release when a person just pulls
on the door?

[Ruk]

I've uploaded some pictures:

https://imgur.com/a/8QE43lS

There doesn't seem to be any definite area that I can find to remove.
You can see the tag mentioning the filters, so I am guessing that this
is the right area but nothing stands out.

[Bob F]

The filter will be where the cold air return duct comes into the
furnace, probably in the chamber with the big fan circulation motor. I
could not see any sign of the cold air return in the pics. The air
outlet seems to be behind the furnace, so the filter may be at the
bottom back or side.

[trader_4]

Where does the return plenum connect to the furnace? The filter would be
right there, where the air enters the blower chamber. Can't figure out anything
from those pics. It should be at the opposite side from where the burner is.

[Dean Hoffman]

What is that horizontal cylinder in the top left corner of the 4th picture? The picture
shows part of the tag.

[hub...@ccanoemail.ca]

I've seen where it is just a lift-off panel of folded sheet metal.
... no handle or latches at all.
And the 2 filters just sat on / against sheet metal "ledges"
inside - and had to be installed in a specific way -
angling them in through the "door" and then straightening
them into position - to avoid bending & damaging them.
John T.

["\"Re...@home.com]

Based on the Model number starting with FC, and Figure 17 at
https://www.manualsdir.com/manuals/59086/bard-oil-furnace-flf085d36f-oil-furnace-fc085d36f-oil-furnace-fh110d60f-oil-furnace-flf110d48f-oil-furnace-flr085d36f-oil-furnace-flr110d60f-oil-furnace-fh085d36f-oil-furnace-flr110d48f-oil-furnace-flf110d60f-oil-furnace-flr140d60f.html?page=32


it appears Ruk has a Counterflow model where the filter, if any, is on
top of the furnace. From his pic of the top, it appears he does not have
the factory option filter box.

Probably his house is a ranch on a slab, like my first house was , and
the furnace "blew" down, not up, as the hot air ducts are in the slab
floor.

[Ruk]

I made an error with the original furnace number, should be FC085D36E.
Unfortunately, I think I found out why I can't locate any filters
because it doesn't have any, according to a "kit" that was to be installed:

http://www.bardhvac.com/digcat/s3364_techdoc_cd/TechDoc-PDF/7960-511.pdf

There are certainly no latches as indicated in the pdf for easy filter
removal. I can't imagine why someone would install a heater and not
have filters.

[Ruk]

[Ruk]

[Ruk]

Not sure. This model apparently was supposed to use two filters in that
configuration:

[Ruk]

On 11/24/21 12:43 PM, "\"Retired"@home.com wrote:
> Based on the Model number starting with FC, and Figure 17 at
> https://www.manualsdir.com/manuals/59086/bard-oil-furnace-flf085d36f-oil-furnace-fc085d36f-oil-furnace-fh110d60f-oil-furnace-flf110d48f-oil-furnace-flr085d36f-oil-furnace-flr110d60f-oil-furnace-fh085d36f-oil-furnace-flr110d48f-oil-furnace-flf110d60f-oil-furnace-flr140d60f.html?page=32
>
>
> it appears Ruk has a Counterflow model where the filter, if any, is on
> top of the furnace. From his pic of the top, it appears he does not have
> the factory option filter box.

Correct, according to a pdf I found, no filter box that had to be
installed separately. I made an error with the original furnace number,
should be FC085D36E.
>

> Probably his house is a ranch on a slab, like my first house was , and
> the furnace "blew" down, not up, as the hot air ducts are in the slab
> floor.

Yes, a house on a slab. The prior owner did mention something about an
odor everytime the heater ran and I now smell this. Hard to describe,
but certainly doesn't smell like oil. My first thought was that maybe
the filter needed changed, but since there is none I don't have a clue.
When it runs, it is smooth as can be (meaning flame and combustion
seem fine and not running rough) and heats the house accordingly, but
the odor is stronger in some rooms than in others. It also comes and
goes.

["\"Re...@home.com]

On 11/24/21 12:53 PM, Ruk wrote:
> On 11/24/21 12:43 PM, "\"Retired"@home.com wrote:
>> Based on the Model number starting with FC, and Figure 17 at
>> https://www.manualsdir.com/manuals/59086/bard-oil-furnace-flf085d36f-oil-furnace-fc085d36f-oil-furnace-fh110d60f-oil-furnace-flf110d48f-oil-furnace-flr085d36f-oil-furnace-flr110d60f-oil-furnace-fh085d36f-oil-furnace-flr110d48f-oil-furnace-flf110d60f-oil-furnace-flr140d60f.html?page=32
>>
>>
>> it appears Ruk has a Counterflow model where the filter, if any, is
>> on top of the furnace. From his pic of the top, it appears he does
>> not have the factory option filter box.
>
> Correct, according to a pdf I found, no filter box that had to be
> installed separately.  I made an error with the original furnace
> number, should be FC085D36E.
>>
>> Probably his house is a ranch on a slab, like my first house was ,
>> and the furnace "blew" down, not up, as the hot air ducts are in the
>> slab floor.
>
> Yes, a house on a slab.  The prior owner did mention something about
> an odor everytime the heater ran and I now smell this.  Hard to
> describe, but certainly doesn't smell like oil.  My first thought was
> that maybe the filter needed changed, but since there is none I don't
> have a clue.  When it runs, it is smooth as can be (meaning flame and
> combustion seem fine and not running rough) and heats the house
> accordingly, but the odor is stronger in some rooms than in others. 
> It also comes and goes.
>
>>
>>

You might consider having the ducts cleaned. My slab house was a new
build, and we were only there 2 years, but I suspect that over time
moisture ( and mold) could build up in them.

In my next new house, with a basement, I found lots of construction
debris under the registers in several rooms !!

[Bob F]

On 11/24/2021 9:53 AM, Ruk wrote:
> On 11/24/21 12:43 PM, "\"Retired"@home.com wrote:
>> Based on the Model number starting with FC, and Figure 17 at
>> https://www.manualsdir.com/manuals/59086/bard-oil-furnace-flf085d36f-oil-furnace-fc085d36f-oil-furnace-fh110d60f-oil-furnace-flf110d48f-oil-furnace-flr085d36f-oil-furnace-flr110d60f-oil-furnace-fh085d36f-oil-furnace-flr110d48f-oil-furnace-flf110d60f-oil-furnace-flr140d60f.html?page=32
>>
>>
>> it appears Ruk has a Counterflow model where the filter, if any, is on
>> top of the furnace. From his pic of the top, it appears he does not
>> have the factory option filter box.
>
> Correct, according to a pdf I found, no filter box that had to be
> installed separately.  I made an error with the original furnace number,
> should be FC085D36E.
>>
>> Probably his house is a ranch on a slab, like my first house was , and
>> the furnace "blew" down, not up, as the hot air ducts are in the slab
>> floor.
>
> Yes, a house on a slab.  The prior owner did mention something about an
> odor everytime the heater ran and I now smell this.  Hard to describe,
> but certainly doesn't smell like oil.  My first thought was that maybe
> the filter needed changed, but since there is none I don't have a clue.
>  When it runs, it is smooth as can be (meaning flame and combustion
> seem fine and not running rough) and heats the house accordingly, but
> the odor is stronger in some rooms than in others.  It also comes and goes.

If the ducts are under the slab, there could be moisture leaking into
one or more ducts. You could try testing with a humidity gauge at each
heat register. If some show more moisture, it might be time to inspect
them with a scope. I wonder if there is a way to have a spray on sealant
applied in such a situation.

Or, there could be a dead animal in a duct.

https://inspectapedia.com/aircond/Ducts_in_Slabs.php

[gfre...@aol.com]

On Wed, 24 Nov 2021 11:22:41 -0500, Ruk <rthek...@zed.net> wrote:

Is it behind the return air grill? That is common here because it
traps the dust before it gets into the return air duct.

[Bob F]

I have seen one house that had filters on the cold air return grates in
the house.

[gfre...@aol.com]

It is very common here. That is why I mentioned it. The thought is you
are not putting dust in your return ducts.

[Scott Lurndal]

Sometimes the filters are at the air return vent(s).