Dang it's cold!

[Ohiosam]

Got up this morning and the furnace isn't running. :smiley_boos:

We just had the furnace serviced about 3 weeks ago. I really can't complain, it's in the 30's outside and about 55 in the house it's just annoying. I have a woodburner in the cellar for backup but till I light it the service man should be here.

 

[Dannmann801]

I feel your pain...

Actually, I don't...I'm toasty right now:smiley_crocodile:
sorry bro

 

[saddlepants]

Got up this morning and the furnace isn't running. :smiley_boos:

We just had the furnace serviced about 3 weeks ago. I really can't complain, it's in the 30's outside and about 55 in the house it's just annoying. I have a woodburner in the cellar for backup but till I light it the service man should be here.

Thats sucks. Is it gas or electric? I had mine go out and had to have a guy come out. Pissed me off, seems the gutter was leaking and dripped on the breather hole and it froze over. Cost me a hundred bucks for him to melt it with a blow dryer. Geesh. That will never happen again. If this is happening its an easy quick fix but put a bucket over it to stop the water from dripping on it but so it can still breath leave plenty of space under....then fix the gutter , lol. If its gas.

 

[bowhunter1023]

The thermocouple on our furnace is just about shot, so I lose my pilot light a little TOO often for my liking. Makes for some chilly mornings!!!

 

[Huckleberry Finn]

Ours blew the heat exchanger last week, so we've had a few days on the backup electric baseboard heat (still not as good). Apparently this has happened so much on this make and model that its not only under warranty, Carrier will pay some of the replacement labor. Supposed to get fixed tomorrow...been waiting over the holiday for the dang part!

 

[jagermeister]

I feel your pain, Sam... My furnace went out last week... I had to replace a blower motor, but I installed a new thermocouple and did some re-wiring also. It's always something... Especially around the holidays it seems.

 

[Ohiosam]

It's working again. It's an oil furnace and it turn out to be a bad transformer. I knew it was electrical because I tried the reset button and it pumped oil but wouldn't ignite. We replaced the furnace 4 or 5 years ago and I think this is the first time it quit on us.

 

[jagermeister]

It's working again. It's an oil furnace and it turn out to be a bad transformer. I knew it was electrical because I tried the reset button and it pumped oil but wouldn't ignite. We replaced the furnace 4 or 5 years ago and I think this is the first time it quit on us.

Glad to hear you got it figured out, man... Just in time, too... The snow is coming! lol

 

[finelyshedded]

Glad you got it fixed Sam. Better to have problems fixed now before the really cold weather hits.

 

[Hoytmania]

Ours blew the heat exchanger last week, so we've had a few days on the backup electric baseboard heat (still not as good). Apparently this has happened so much on this make and model that its not only under warranty, Carrier will pay some of the replacement labor. Supposed to get fixed tomorrow...been waiting over the holiday for the dang part!

Sam Glad to hear that you got it figured out. It isn't fun getting hit by one of those transformers. It happened to me twice. Less than 1 amp but 10,000 volts sure will send you for a loop.

As far as heat exchangers go. Anyone considering a new furnace should definitely check out Armstrong. They are the only manufactures out there to make a 100% 409 stainless steel heat exchanger. It has a lifetime warranty on the heat exchanger due to that.

Anyone that has a thermocouple has a furnace that is out of date and is using up to much gas to lack of efficiency. Start budgeting it in for a new furnace in the next year or so.

 

[saddlepants]

Hoyt, do you have a suggestion for the next step up for those of us on and already gas poor budget...I know my furnace is at least 15-17 years old, thinkin about getting away from Propane all together as its so high anyways and such a pita to have delivered and always the fear of running out. $400 bucks only gets us to 40% when near empty so a whole tanks worth could probably buy us a new furnace.

 

[hickslawns]

Saddlepants- I would think tightening up any airgaps and leaks would do more for you than the furnace. Stop the heat loss, save some money on the heat bill, then upgrade the furnace. Insulation and stopping the air leaks pays you back all year round.

 

[Hoytmania]

Natural gas is the best way to go if possible. It has the most stable price range out of the three fossil fuels we mainly use for heat. The other two being LP and Fuel Oil are dependent upon the price of oil per barrel. Just like the fuel for your vehicles.

As far as BTU per gallon, oil is the best.

Fuel oil = 138,000 BTU per Gallon
LP = 92,000 Btu per Gallon
Natural Gas is not measured by gallons but by therms, which means you need to do some math to change per gallon to therms.
Multiply the oil heat price per gallon by 0.72 to give the equivalent price per therm of natural gas
Multiply the propane price per gallon by 1.087 to give the equivalent price per therm of natural gas
Multiply the electricity price per kWh by 29.3 to give the equivalent price per therm of natural gas

LP is the least bang per gallon.

If there is no natural gas then you have limited choices. LP, fuel oil, or electric.

Pros of oil- High BTU per gallon of fuel and that is about it.
Cons of oil- High maintenance (Yearly changing of the fuel filter and nozzles), very stinky if there is ever a spill (I have heard of instances where someone had 200 gallon pumped into there basement on accident), there is no way of proving if you get a bad batch of oil ( I have changed filters and nozzles up to 5 times on one tank of fuel for some customers. They had to pay a service call every time), 80% efficiency is the highest you can get with oil, with the higher efficiency standards there is tolerances of operation are much tighter and the oil is much more prone to sooting up.

Pros of LP- Up to 96% efficient, clean burning, less maintenance,
Cons of LP- Price fluctuation due to market.

About the best thing you can due for your conservation of gas is to make sure you minimize you heat loss. Heat loss comes from sources such as windows and doors. These are your highest sources of heat loss in the winter and heat gain in the summer. The newer and tighter your windows and doors are the less heat loss there is. The other piece is making sure your house is well insulated. With you being in Morrow county I am guessing that the land in your area is relatively flat and wide open. So the wind rips through houses. If you can create any type of wind break that will help also.

SP I hope some of this helps, and as far as getting away from the propane the only way I would do that is if you are converting to natural gas.

 

[Ohiosam]

When talking about pros and cons of different fuels don't forget that every once in a while a house explodes from gas leaks and it seems most cases of CO poisoning involve gas furnaces and appliances.

 

[saddlepants]

Not doing the oil, no way dont like it. No natural gas here. I know this stupid house needs new windows and that sliding glass door is the worst and its slated for replacement soon but its a special size and cost more of course. Gonna replace it with a much better quality french type door. Contrary to though I live in the bottom of a valley and our barn was built in a good spot - it and the garage and a huge huge pine tree block a ton of wind. my house is surrounded by a big hill, the barn, the garage and the tree from the prevailing wind sides, then the creek with its following of large trees cover the other two sides. I guess I just need a newer furnace and better windows. I have an edenpure and a fireplace and it helps some but also want to replace the fireplace with an insert - Im thinkin the insert should help a ton! But again it has to be rated for manufactured home (modular) and of course...more expensive...for insurance to cover it. The land here is definitely not flat, im on the knox county edge.

 

[Ohiosam]

The plastic that you put over window and it shrinks when heat is applied with a hair dryer works very well and doesn't cost much.

 

["J"]

SP box the patio door in too make it a standard size too save the money.....

 

[saddlepants]

Yeah. We had a tree fall on the house last summer and take out part of the porch roof. Insurance cover the old style roof but we decided we are gonna build a better one and close it in like a screen room. Then make covers for the screen parts or just install big windows instead and then french door the slider. Summer project. That way we will increase summer living space and create a winter entry way, cold break, mud room, firewood place, all in one. Im likin that idea. I have a couple exotic birds (and a finch aviary) that spend summers on the porch with us and that will be a nice misquito free place to hang as well. We are also talkin hot tub...yeah baby! Half my problem is I like the outdoors I Like windows!!! I need to see outside or I go nutz!! But yall know how that is, lol. The finch Aviary is going to be outside the porch as it is now. I really need a new furnace and wanted to know more about this whole thermocouple/ obsolete thing that was spoken of.

 

[Hoytmania]

Does your house a manufactured home that is on a foundation with a basement? If it is than we can do some good things with it. If it is just a modular home than that kinda limits us on what efficiencies we can hit.

 

[dante322]

Tis the season.

Had all kinds of trouble with our furnace when we went to fire it up this year. First was the belt that turns the blower, $10. then the blower itself went out , $50. Then the thermocouple went out , $12,. in order to change the thermocouple I had to pull the burner. but this thing is old and when it was installed there wasnt a union put on the gas line. So I had to cut it out and put in a flex gas line, $20. Then last but not least, a $110 baso switch.

Runs great now. It better after almost $200 worth of parts.