Oil furnace, can firebox be replaced?
Rodney Lake
under the house in the crawl space, replaced by a new Bryant unit. At that
time I also replaced the heat piping with the insulated type. These are big
furnaces, about 6 feet long, and it was a real job for the contractor to
snake the old one out and get the new one in place. I replaced the
Westinghouse because it was starting to leak fumes into the house.
I am now told that there is a buildup of carbon inside the firebox and I
have not located someone who can clean that out. I suspect this one will
also develop leaks sometime in the future.
It seems to me that it might be possible to just replace the firebox unit
rather than put in another new furnace. Is that possible on the Bryant
furnace?
Rod
CBHvac
"Rodney Lake" <rod_...@prodigy.net> wrote in message
news:DRyV9.68$op3.11...@newssvr17.news.prodigy.com...
> About 7 years ago I had my old Westinghouse forced air oil furnace,
located
> under the house in the crawl space, replaced by a new Bryant unit. At that
> time I also replaced the heat piping with the insulated type. These are
big
> furnaces, about 6 feet long, and it was a real job for the contractor to
> snake the old one out and get the new one in place. I replaced the
> Westinghouse because it was starting to leak fumes into the house.
Cracked heat exchanger...or sooted HE..or both..
>
> I am now told that there is a buildup of carbon inside the firebox and I
> have not located someone who can clean that out. I suspect this one will
> also develop leaks sometime in the future.
Ok..hold on..
Your contractor cant clean it out???!!
When you say build up....how much? If its a ton, thats a sign he didnt, or
hasnt set the combustion rate.
>
> It seems to me that it might be possible to just replace the firebox unit
> rather than put in another new furnace. Is that possible on the Bryant
> furnace?
>
Its possible...I didnt see anything listed in the Totaline catalog, but...
> Rod
>
>
Rodney Lake
serviced it went down. The regular serviceman was out of town and I called
the sub who put in a different nozzle and told me about the carbon. He also
gave me the name of a furnace cleaner, but it turns out he just likes to
clean the air piping. I need the fireside cleaned. I will talk to the
regular serviceman when he services the unit again this summer and maybe he
can clean it. If the firebox starts to leak again I just don't want to go
through a complete furnace replacement again if I can avoid it. It isn't
the cost so much as the hassle.
Rod
"CBHvac" <webm...@removethis.carolinabreezehvac.com> wrote in message
news:MSAV9.29$_f3....@eagle.america.net...
Michael Taurus
"Rodney Lake" <rod_...@prodigy.net> wrote
> I have the furnace serviced every year. This past autumn, after it had
been
> serviced it went down. The regular serviceman was out of town and I
called
> the sub who put in a different nozzle and told me about the carbon. He
also
> gave me the name of a furnace cleaner, but it turns out he just likes to
> clean the air piping. I need the fireside cleaned.
Sounds like you need to find a different company. I work for an oil company
(well, for NOW I do....;-] ) and when we do a "clean and service" we CLEAN
AND SERVICE IT! Carbon in the firebox?? Sounds like they didn't service it
at all (O.K., so maybe the changed the nozzle and the filter. You have to
check and adjust the combustion with the proper test equipment!!). You mean
they don't even open it up and vacuum it when they service it? Hell! I can
be a "parts changer"!
Call another company and have them CLEAN & SERVICE it. and PROPERLY!!!
(Didn't mean to rant there, but that really bugs me!)
CBHvac
"Michael Taurus" <WeAr...@home.now> wrote in message
news:b07g2o$qiv$1...@bob.news.rcn.net...
Yup...me too.
>
>
Rodney Lake
different company" probably means the same people contracting with another
oil delivery firm. My regular serviceman seems OK, but defiantly does not
open and vacuum the firebox.
When the furnace failed last fall it did so with black smoke poring from the
chimney for possibly an extended period, since it occurred at night. That
may be the reason for the carbon.
My question about the firebox replacement was not to criticize the
serviceman, but to see if I might replace a failed firebox without the
hassle of tearing things apart to get a new 6 foot furnace under the house.
Thanks for your help.
Rod
"CBHvac" <webm...@removethis.carolinabreezehvac.com> wrote in message
news:OSIV9.72$_f3....@eagle.america.net...
John Barry
> Oil furnaces are pretty rare around here in the pacific northwest so a "
> different company" probably means the same people contracting with another
> oil delivery firm. My regular serviceman seems OK, but defiantly does not
> open and vacuum the firebox.
> When the furnace failed last fall it did so with black smoke poring from the
> chimney for possibly an extended period, since it occurred at night. That
> may be the reason for the carbon.
>
> My question about the firebox replacement was not to criticize the
> serviceman, but to see if I might replace a failed firebox without the
> hassle of tearing things apart to get a new 6 foot furnace under the house.
>
> Thanks for your help.
>
> Rod
If he doesn't open it up and clean it, he's worthless. IMHO.
No matter what the furnace's size at some point in time, later models will
be smaller- a "6 foot furnace" (ht, width, or depth) is pretty huge.
Better yet, for you- have you looked into alternatives to oil?
Regards,
John