Question
I just moved into my house 4 months ago and I have a Trane XR 80 unit
that was just put in last year. It heats the house very well, but on
occasion I noticed that when the unit comes on for ignition, the
combustion fan will come on but it does not light the first time. The
unit will then shut down momentarily  after the 15 seconds of trying
to light the burners, then it will come on 2-3 seconds later for
re-ignition and the burners will light. I’ve looked in the manuals for
troubleshooting  but it does not mention any type of probable cause.
Again, it only happens once in a while. I was just wondering if this
is normal or if not, what would be causing it. Thanks.

Answers
Just had almost the same identical problem.   Turned out to be the
flame sensor was slightly bent and not fully facing the first burner.
Blowing the dust off of it also helped.  Suggest you check yours and
make adjustments if necessary.  If still not working, replace the
flame sensor.

Associated Trane Xr 80 Furnace Question: I have a trane xr 80 furnace and its telling me the limit switch is bad. could anything else be wrong?
The troubleshooting light blinks 4 times indicating a bad limit switch.

• Answer:90% of the time when the control board is giving you a flah code then it it most likely the problem. Most technicians will diagnose exactly what the control board it saying is the problem. I would start with th elimit switch and if that is not the problem then go from there. There are lots of places that will ofer you technical suport when installing the part and to alsso find out what the problem is. One of those sites is www.phoenixairsuply.com yes this is my site but you can try others if you want.

Question
Last year SkySurfer posted an account of what happen to his Trane XE80
controller board to this news group. This is my story…

The circulation fan in my furnace stopped working so I called the
repair man from the same company who installed the furnace a couple of
years ago. He came, he saw, and he replaced the controller board that
burned out “…because the furnace filter was dirty.”

So what’s a guy to do? Hot summer, no airco? I had him replace the
board for $300+, plus $80 in labor. Ouch! Nowhere else to go, because
Trane does not sell parts to the public, you can get them only through
HVAC dealers.

So after surfing the web for a while I find this Technical Service
Bulletin put out by American Standard Companies (Trane’s parent
company). As it turns out they knew about this problem back in 2001
when they released the bulletin to the HVAC industry. It details the
replacement procedure and how the HVAC dealer can recoup the cost
(including labor) from the manufacturer. The bulleting even has
pictures showing the burnt relay pins like I have.

Either I had an ignoramus for an HVAC technician that came out, or I
got scammed. But it smells like a racket to me.

BTW, you can find replacement boards on the web for about half the
price.

Answers
First, Trane AND American Standard STINK at communication with dealers, their too darn busy selling
to Lowes etc. So, don’t blame your dealer.

YOUR SO DAMN LAZY you couldn’t even change your filter! Then you bitch because the guy wasn’t lazy
and showed up probably on a weekend when he’s trying to enjoy his family……. you selfish person!

Second, don’t come here bitching because the guy marked up a part. Get out of here you stinking
cheap jerk. You think were in business to give you the part for what we bought it for?  Your a jerk
pure and simple. You think that new car you drive was marked up $50? You think that dealer you
bought it from gave you a ‘great deal’ when his dealership is worth MILLIONS?

Your a JERK and we hope you get lost………

Associated Trane Furnace Filter Question: Filter Type/Dimensions for Trane XE 80 Furnace?
I boought this house which has Trane XE 80 Furnace. I have no manuals with me and finding it hard to find online, what replacement filter to buy [the dimensions] for this furnace. Any help would be appreciated. If you can forward the manual, that would be too great. Thanks in advance.

• Answer:Most likely it is in the return duct or blower cabinet. Best bet is to have the unit serviced and ask the tech while he is there.

Associated Trane Furnace Filter Question:where do I get a furnace filter 20 x 22??
they are not in the stores! and I have a fairly normal Trane furnace

• Answer:Thats a really odd size…. If you can’t find them in stores, you may want to try a local HVAC shop, and if they can’t help you… I’d try to modify it to a normal size such as 20 x 20…… Most hardware stores sell a cheap green filter that looks like a giant scrub pad that you can cut down to size.. But I wouldn’t recommend those, from the ones I seen they really don’t filter anything out.

Associated Trane Furnace Filter Question:Can you add a carbon prefilter in front of your furnace filter to help with dust, animal dander, and smells?
Notice that most air cleaners have a carbon prefilter and was wondering if this could also be done with a household furnace filter? Hi Efficiency furnace/air conditioner (TRANE)

• Answer:It really depends on several things. If you are currently using a high efficiency filter and then you add a second filter to the system you may encounter some of the problems that Thor mentions. But if you are only using a moderately efficient filter and install a second filter you may be fine. There are a couple of options for carbon filtration that I am aware of for home owners. One is the pleated type of carbon filter. These are made of a material with carbon fibers added to the filter material. They are black and look the same as a pleated panel filter. I think they work OK, I have used them several times for customers and they seem happy with the results. Another option is to install carbon media pads with your regular media pad. Media air filters are not the most efficient filters available but they do an adequate job and having the second pad, which is thinner, doesn’t have a drastic impact on air flow. If you are using an electronic filter, not electrostatic, you can add the pre-filter if you want. Electronic air filters have very little impact on air flow so adding the pre-filter would only be like having one filter in the system anyway. Also if there is a foam pre-filter with the electronic filter, remove it when you install the new one. If your duct system is undersized and air flow is already an issue, you should stay away from a pre-filter of any kind. If you do try adding a pre-filter, monitor the system closely and change the filters regularly. If you don’t, you are looking for trouble.

Associated Trane Furnace Filter Question:how to replace filter in trane gas furnace xe 60?

• Answer:dont know this one for sure but in the two inspection panels on the front of the furnace the top one may have the filter access – the filters may be missing. or the filter may be located at the return air duct

Associated Trane Furnace Filter Question:trane xe 80 furnace in my garage is the filter in the grill for air intake on the second floor ceiling?

• Answer:Look in the rear of the air handler/ furnace for a 1 inch filter rack. Look for a metal washable filter. There’s likely one in the ceiling of the house, too.

Associated Trane Furnace Filter Question:i had a trane heat pump and furnace installed about 14 mos ago. ever since the dust is terrible.?
i think maybe the blower motor is stronger. i have the expensive 5 inch filter. i cant afford to have the duct work cleaned. i can dust furniture and 2 days later i can write my name. i am afraid it is very unhealthy. any suggestions?

• Answer:You can’t afford to NOT have the ducts cleaned. Have you thought about renting a machine and doing it yourself?

Associated Trane Furnace Filter Question:Is a pre-filter required for my furnace?
The previous owner of my house installed a very complex furnace and air purification system. It’s a Trane XV80 furnace with a Perfect Fit Dual Filtration Electronic Cleaner System as well as a Sanuvox Ultraviolet Air Purfier. Some time ago, there was a frequent static discharge coming from the bottom of the furnace near where the furnace meets the air intake tunnel. Upon investigation, I determined there was a metal pre-filter at the bottom of the furnace right below the two electronic cleaner modules. The static discharge was coming from near this pre-filter. I decided to clean that pre-filter but I damaged it during removal and had to throw it away. I wasn’t sure if the electronic cleaner required that pre-filter, so I removed the electronic cleaner modules and replaced them with a standard 5″ thick replaceable filter and have been running it like that ever since. What I’d like to know is if I can put the electronic cleaner modules back in without that metal pre-filter or if I need to find a replacement pre-filter. The pre-filter size is 17″x25″x1″ and I can’t seem to find any replacement filter of that size. The furnace is a bottom intake and sits on sort of an air intake tunnel. There’s a filter on the metal screen at the end of the tunnel where it meets my living room wall.

• Answer:You should have a pre-filter. It picks up the large particles before the electronic air cleaner. You can buy a Metal filter from a refrigeration supply house. Like RSD, ARS, US Air, or an air filter company.

Associated Trane Furnace Filter Question:Trane 2 stage furnace will not blow hot into house..why?
If I take doors off furnace it kicks in both stages and blows good and hot into house. Filter looks clean. As soon as I put doors back on it doesn’t seem to get the signal from the thermostat. Is it an air flow problem of some kind?

• Answer:You take the doors OFF and it kicks on? Is this like immediately? If so… It depends on the model of course, but most furnaces (Trane included) have two removable panels. One over the burner compartment and one over the blower compartment. Normally, accessing the burner compartment doesn’t affect operation. However, removing the panel over the blower will open a switch on the panel and locks out furnace operation. This is a safety feature. I’m very surprised, and alarmed, that the operation appears to be reversed. Have this checked by a qualified HVAC tech pronto! If it starts after a few minutes of removing the panels, then follow Dan’s lead. Your unit’s high temp limit switch is probably shutting down the burner. Dirty filters are suspect #1, but you checked that. So look for another obstruction… dirty evaporator coils? All your supply registers fully open? I’d still be worried about the furnace operating with the panels off though. As for both stages firing, the t-stat probably commands the 2nd stage. Since the furnace wasn’t heating the space with stage 1, it long ago decided to add stage 2. The t-stat has no feedback that the furnace wasn’t actually operating. Only that the temperature didn’t rise to its satisfaction with the 1st stage. No apparent problem there.

Associated Trane Furnace Filter Question:Trane XE90 gas furnace problem?Our Trane XE90 stopped heating the air, though the blower is running. The diagnostic light was in a pattern of two red flickers, pause, two flickers. Then the heat kicked back in. Now the light is doing a steady flicker (red). I can’t locate our manual, and I haven’t been able to find one online, either. Can anyone tell me what might be going on and what the red flickers indicate? We had the unit checked and the filter changed just last week. Thanks!

• Answer:If you remove the front panel on the furnace you will see the wiring diagram along with the flashing codes. If it is gone just contact a trane dealer near you and give them the info off the furnace ie: model number, serial number. What it’s doing is going out due to flame sensor failure. Take some fine sandpaper or steel wool and clean the flame sensor it is located right next to the pilot. It should be a 3″ metal rod with white porcelain around the bottom. Lightly clean the metal rod, it has carbon build up on it due to the gas. This should take care of your problem. Hope this helps.

Associated Trane Furnace Filter Question:Is it true that High Efficiency furnaces/air conditioners run better with the cheaper air filters?
Was told that the air filters with a lower MERV rating allow the furnace/air conditioner to get air more easily and makes them run more efficiently. Said the higher rated filters trap more pollutants (dust, animal dander, etc), but that cuts down on the amount of air which makes the furnace/air conditioner work harder (cost more to run). Trane Hi Efficiency Furnace(92%) and air conditioner (13 SEER)

• Answer:better to use the better filters by not filtering the air, more of this material can penetrate and potentially clog your evaporator/i.e. reduce its efficiency that being said, no matter what filters you use they should be checked regularly because once dirty will cause the compressor to work harder shortening its life

Question
I went into a restaraunt supply store the other day and saw some wicked
burners for stoves. About twenty or so jets pointed in every upward angle
being fed by what appeared to be a cast iron ring.

These came in various sizes but were all priced at $35.

All of them looked like they put out some serious heat, but… It seems to
me that there would be a need to get oxygen in the furnace to keep it
burning and the burners themselves would quickly melt within a furnace
environment.

Anybody else ever seen these things and thought the same thing I did?

Answers
Those are commercial Wok burners, for asian cooking.
Theya re called Jet burners for good reason.
They are designed to get a BIG Wok really hot really fast.
All they need is a big opening below to suck air in.

Associated Homemade Furnace Question: how can I make coke for my homemade furnace?
I want to melt some scrap iron to make a spear head, but i don’t know how to make the coke to burn.

• Answer:making your own is risky business, better to use the fuel sold to those who do horse shoeing. it works well for small jobs like a home furnace. i used to do bronze casting, making numerous molds, useing the lost wax method, as well as several other methods. play it safe, try searching out those who do horse shoeing and ask them for the name of the dealer who supplies them the fuel for their forge, i think the smith forge co. has supplies and tools for the forge. dont forget a suitable apron, foot, hand and eye protection, as well…. good luck..

Associated Homemade Furnace Question: Laws regarding a homemade smelting furnace?
I have been looking into blacksmithing as a hobby and was wondering if there are any laws i should be worried about, I live in Derby Connecticut.

• Answer:Well, while the first answer sort of covers part of what you said, in fact, you have used three different sets of terms which conflict with each other. Blacksmithing is heating malleable steel to form it. The metal is heated over a hard coal forge or in a propane enclosed forge and never gets close to melting. Foundry work melting metal with the exception of making puddle iron does not connect in most ways with steel or pounding shaping. Cast metal typically does not hammer well. Smelting is converting ore to metal and reducing metal oxides to metals. Again with the exception of puddle iron, it is rarely done at the amateur level. For more information contact Artist Blacksmiths at www.abana.org or wander a bit on my site from here http://www.mikegigi.com/metalctr.htm

Associated Homemade Furnace Question:Homemade Iron/Aluminium Furnace?
I am trying to make a homemade furnace that can melt iron and aluminium, to start out im am trying to melt aluminium foil. I have two furnaces and i can’t decide which one is better and why. The first furnace is an Electric Arc furnace that runs of a dc battery charger that can spit out 75A at 12V, i use a graphite pencil lead for my electrode but that burns out to quick. I think this could be solved by using a larger carbon electrode like those in 6V zinc-carbon batteries. The second furnace is a propane blow torch furnace powered by a little hand blow torch, this gets the aluminium red hot but i think its being oxidized into aluminium oxide which raises it melting temperature. I ran it for about 3 minutes and it didn’t melt anything. Im guessing if i added some fibreglass insulation it would get hotter faster and if i let it run longer it might melt the foil. The other idea i have but haven’t tried yet is to directly connect the aluminium foil to the battery charger and have a current limiting device in between so the chargers breaker doesn’t blow. I would like to know which of these is the best and by best i mean easiest, fastest, hottest and cheapest.

• Answer:Check out instructables.com. I know there are several aluminum melting furnaces on there which were built on the cheap. Melting anything like iron is really beyond the home craftsman because of the temperatures required.

Associated Homemade Furnace Question:Homemade furnace insulation?
I am looking to make a homemade aluminum foundry. I would like to know what kinds of insulation I could use with it. I was thinking about using some high strength concrete I have in my garage but I heard that it would explode. Is that true?

• Answer:I know that anything that has water trapped in it can explode. The water gets hot, expands, and explodes. I have had it happen in dry seeming rocks in a fire pit. I have no direct experience with an aluminum kiln, but a friend of mine had a hobyist forge which he modified and he bought some fire bricks and they were really cheap – the cheapest part of the whole thing. Were I you, I would play it safe and get fire brick.

Associated Homemade Furnace Question:Does anyone know how to bulid a homemade burner for a kiln?
I’m building a furnace at home to melt metal, fire clay, and melt glass. My dad recomended using an LP weed torch as the burner, but I don’t really want to pay $35 if it may not work. So if anyone knows how to make a burner, or a really cheap one, I’d greatly appreciate it. Thanks!

• Answer:Anything you build will probably cost a lot more that $35 and any money you save building it, you will spend many times over for fuel. To get at all hot, like 1200F or more, the heat has to go in faster than it goes out, and you pay dearly for all that goes anywhere. Building one furnace to do all those things is also not a real good idea, each of them has needs that make a furnace for one thing not good for another, and a furnace to melt aluminum, would be different than one to melt bronze, and pottery is a dozen more different needs, depending on what you are doing. If you just want to experiment, I would suggest that you keep a sharp eye out for a small electric ceramic kiln. A lot of people get started with molded pottery, and give up on the idea when there house is full of the finished pots and there friends are threatening them If they give one more for a present In any case such electric kilns are often very much cheaper than new because the people just want to be rid of them.Another advantage is that an electric kiln is much safer and simpler to run. You can melt aluminum, and fire pots to modest temps with a fair amount of ease, and in the meantime learn a lot about what you are doing. One word on melting glass, tiny pieces like little gems less than a half inch in diameter are generally ok, but as you get a little bigger, things begin to get a lot more dangerous. If you want to learn about glass be sure to go to a school for glass blowing, or at least one that teaches what you are looking to do Unlike metal and pottery, glass is very hard and brittle. If it is heated to melting, and cooled too quickly the outside gets hard while the inside is still molten. As it continues to cool the inside shrinks, but the outside is still hard so it cannot shrink. This sets up tremendous forces in the glass that can let go quickly, or even several years later, exploding like there was a firecracker in it. Obviously if someone was nearby when it did, they could be injured badly. I have seen it happen.

Associated Homemade Furnace Question:Good Metal Furnace Insulator?
I am trying to make a homemade furnace, so far i have decided to use a propane blow torch (hopefully thats hot enough for aluminium) as my heat source. I’ll use a steel can as my crucible and flower pot coated with some insulation for my refractory. But i don’t know what a good insulator is, i have fibreglass, cement stuff (haven’t really given it a good look), dirt and sand. I’d prefer using the cheapest insulator even if it takes longer time to start melting. My concerns are that the insulator won’t be strong enough or that my blow torch won’t get hot enough.

• Answer:i would think sand

Associated Homemade Furnace Question:What is the difference between clay OM4 and SGP1 I want to make Refractory and can’t source any fire clay?
What is the difference between clay OM4 and SGP1 I want to make Refractory for a homemade furnace/kiln and can’t source any fire clay to add to my Portland Cement / sand mixture

• Answer:I am right out on the edges of my knowledge, but I don’t think that Portland cement is going to stand up to kiln temperatures (over 1000F.) Unless you have a specific assurance that it will, I recommend caution. As for the difference in clays, I would suggest contacting either Trinity Ceramic Supply www.trinityceramic.com/ here in Dallas or Seattle Pottery Supply both of which provide raw clay for industrial and pottery users and should have information on the difference between the clays. This http://www.mikegigi.com/crucible.htm is about the limits of my knowledge

Associated Homemade Furnace Question:zinc and aluminium chemical reaction?
I was melting zinc in a small homemade furnace in my backyard and started stirring it with an aluminium stick and it suddenly started burning blue/green flames and produced a strange looking foam. can anyone explain this?

• Answer: This Question has not been answered yet! Send us Your best homemade furnace Answer!

Associated Homemade Furnace Question:How do I wire this furnace blower/fan motor to plug into 110 power?
I have a diagram and a picture of the motor and it’s wiring here: http://s227.photobucket.com/albums/dd87/Stacker51/ I was told I could run the motor off 110 but cannot figure out how to wire it so I can just plug it into the wall. I am trying to make a homemade shop air cleaner. Sounds like it has to be 220. The wires are so small though and it’s wired into the capacitor so that the power feed comes from one 22 gauge wire. Seems funny to me. How would I wire it for 220?

• Answer:Before you try to wire anything with that motor, Check the Specs from the tag on the housing. I notice the Transformer voltage to L1 & L2 is 240v, but does not show the motor voltage. The tag on the motor should have the voltage the motor requires.

Associated Homemade Furnace Question:What is the best media for homemade pond filter?
I put together a filter in a 5 gal bucket. A pump runs from the bottom of the pond to the top of the five gallon bucket (Outside the pond but buried in the ground). Then the water goes through a permanent furnace filter material (hog’s hair) supported by a grate. Then empty space (to be filled with recommended media) supported by another grate. Then to another pump which pump out the bottom to a waterfall. I have heard curlers, pallet tape, etc… for the media.

• Answer:Maybe charcoal.

Question
I have water spraying out the stainless steel vent line leading out the
top of my oil-fired furnace. The furnace supplies hot water to my house
for the radiators. Any ideas what is wrong before I call a technician?
Answers
I have water spraying out the stainless steel vent line leading out the
top of my oil-fired furnace. The furnace supplies hot water to my house
for the radiators. Any ideas what is wrong before I call a technician?
I just had the furnace cleaned one month ago and I was told that
everything looked OK.
Associated Furnace Supplies Question:How much would it cost to replace an oil furnace in Central Maine & what company does it?
I live in Central Maine in a 1500 square foot house and think I need to replace my oil furnace which supplies my hot water and heats the house through the hot water base board. Does anyone know how much it would cost to purchase a new oil furnace and have it installed as well as who I might contact to do it? Thank you!!

• Answer:Most all your local oil suppliers do this or will recommend people they use. Central maine is a big area. Here in Augusta/ Waterville area there is OBrian , Fabian, Dead River, J&S, just to name a few. But check your supplier if you have questions as to who to call. Its a start. GL

Associated Furnace Supplies Question:What is the ratio of furnace supply ducts to return ducts?
My house does not heat uniformly – some rooms are colder than others. We think the return air ducts may be too small in comparision to the heating ducts, but don’t know what the ratio should be.

• Answer:If u feel that u have good air supply ducts and are getting plenty of air movement rooms being cool is more of an insulation problem or leaking windows or just more sun on warmer rooms during day. Lots of furnaces have a central return no air ducts for return air and work well in heating not as good for cooling thou. as for tech before me do not want him to fix my furnace if hot air falls how does a hot air balloon work hmmmmm.maybe im on wrong planet?

Associated Furnace Supplies Question:In Ontario, who can I call to report a landlord who is not supplying a furnace in his rented house?
My friend has two kids and when she moved in the furnace had not been used in years. There is a wood stove that doesn’t provide enough heat in the winter months. The landlord has said he would do something about the furnace last fall.This family is going to have to worry again this winter about how they are going to keep warm,and how they can afford the wood. Is it legal for the landlord to ignore the furnace issue? Can he be made to upgrade and supply heat to his house. The temperature can fall to well below freezing here. I am just wondering for her sake.

• Answer:Try this link. I have a strange feeling I have already answered this. I maybe having a senior moment.

Associated Furnace Supplies Question:How can I hook-up my furnace to existing HVAC supply ductwork?
My existing HVAC system has insulated ductboard and I need to know what type of connection pipe should be used to connect my furnace into the ductboard? Part 2: Can you use crimped galvanized pipe without taking apart the ductboard?

• Answer:Sleeve the new metal plenum into the existing ductboard and tape with foil (metal) tape.

Associated Furnace Supplies Question:How can I get an answer about my  How can I tell how many amps my electric furnace uses? An attached sheet sheet shows Dual supplies with circuits A and B and also shows a Single circuit. It is 53,500 BTUH. Circuit A has 44.7 amps and B 20.8. Single supply 65.5 amps. I do not understand single and dual supply. Will you please explain?

• Answer:heat pump air handlers can have different “electric heat packages” installed depending on the expected needs of the home its going into….if you have 2 large 240 volt wires entering the unit then you have 2 circuits [ one wire probably #6 copper and the other #10 copper]… if you only have one large wire,,probably #6 copper,than you only have one circuit…………the larger circuit supplies power to 2 auxillary heaters [about 20amps each,or about 10kw total ] as well as the blower and the transformer..the smaller circuit usually only supplies a 3rd auxillary heater that draws about 20 amps or 5 kw…therefore,if your heat package contains 3 heaters,you probably have 15kw of auxillary heat…1 watt=3.4 btu’s…..so 15 kw supplies about 53,500 btu….you probably have 2 breakers in the main panel for the air handler [electric furnace]..one will be 60amp,,the other 30amp..its also possible that one circuit is feeding a 15kw package,,if so,its probably a 90 amp breaker with #2 copper….if its a heat pump system the electric heaters come on to assist the heat pump in the normal heat mode….if straight electric heat,,then the heaters are your only source of heat,,very expensive to have straight electric heat….if a heat pump system,,only the electric heaters will run if you set tstat switch to emergency heat,,sometimes abbreviated “em heat” or “supp heat”……..dan

Associated Furnace Supplies Question:Where should I store my paint, paint supplies, and paint thinners?
Hi. We currently have our paint and paint supplies stored near an open flame furnace in our basement, and we are definitely moving them away from them, problem is, where? There is a workshop near the furnace that is separated off from direct exposure to the furnace, there is a large room in the basement away from the furnace where we could store it as well. Other options include on our sunporch or in our garage which both don’t have a/c or heat to keep from heating or freezing. Any ideas where we could store them at, or should we cut back on paint altogether. Thanks!

• Answer:Tightly sealed (to prevent the escape of volatile fumes) and off concrete floors (which can deteriorate the metal cans) set on pieces of wood. Never store on high shelves (in the event they should be knocked over). Away from the boiler or other sources of ignition in an out of the way spot, one that remains cool and dry all year. Just remember, never open the cans in the basement, bring the upstairs or better yet outside where there is proper ventilation.

Associated Furnace Supplies Question:Furnace efficiency in a condo building. How can we lower our gas bill?
I live in a 5 floor condo building with about 25 units in the building. Heat is supplied to each unit via hot water baseboard radiators. The hot water is supplied by one furnace for the whole building. Individual units have no control over the amount of heat they get but temperatures inside each unit generally range from 68 to 74 degrees. The association has informed us that the gas bill for this winter is so high that we are going to be charged a special assessment to cover the costs that the building’s normal budget cannot cover. The building is about 35 years old and I suspect that our furnace has a very low Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency rating. Are there companies that will look at our furnace and recommend ways we can boost its efficiency? I understand gas prices are very high right now but there has got to be a way to control the building’s gas consumption. The association is meeting tonight to discuss this.

• Answer:what does your lease say??? if it says heat included, then by law they cant charge you for heat…if they do have the right to charge you for heat, then you have the right to control your own heat…they cant have it both ways…

Associated Furnace Supplies Question:Were can i buy a new electric blower motor for my furnace?
the furnace (bit thing that supplies the heat and cool air) got its blower motor fried, and i was curious does anybody know any places that i could buy one, and also around how much is one

• Answer:Try www.Grainger.com They carry all types of parts

Associated Furnace Supplies Question:pressure on oil furnace keeps getting too high so can somebody help me and tell whats the problem?
I had changed pressure valve, expansion tank all the cold water are open, It seems that not enough water gets supplied in the furnace. all the pipes make noise until pressure is regulated manually.

• Answer:do you mean you replaced the pressure relief valve,,or the water pressure regulater [fill valve]…..i think you meant the relief valve [30psi..? ]…..also,did you replaced the expansion tank or just make sure the valve to it was open…..if you have the old style exp tank it needs to be drained..the old style is large,holds about 15-20 gallons,usually mounted at the ceiling above the boiler somewhere in the basement ..its not enough just to turn the shutoof valve off and the drain valve open…you have to introduce air into the tank to break the vacuum created by the water leaving,otherwise you get very little water out and think its empty..to introduce air,,you need to open or remove the bleed port/plug on the drain valve [ if it has one] while the drain valve is open…if no bleed port exists on the drain valve or elsewhere on the tank,,then look for a union in the inlet pipe between the shutoff and the tank,,open the union while drain valve is open….if no union exists then you have to leave the drain valve open with hose attached for a long while,usually the water will eventually gurgle out while air goes in in spurts………if you have the newer type exp tank,,compact,capacity of around 2-4 gallons,,you should just replace it….the relief valve may have just been doing its job,,although old relief valves often dont reset , [ re-close], after opening…..after all is done,,pressure in system should be around 12-15 psi,,whether regulated by auto-fill valve or by you manually….hope your problem was related to this,,i didnt fully understand the question……i assume you have a hot water boiler……….dan

Associated Furnace Supplies Question:Which motor is better to use for a electric furnace?
AC Motor or a DC motor is better for building a electric furnace? And how many Volts, hp, rpm and khz is more suitable for electric furnace in Malaysia where the voltage supply is 240V? AC Motor or a DC motor is better for building a electric furnace? And how many Volts, hp, rpm and khz is more suitable for electric furnace in Malaysia where the voltage supply is 240V? And is a car radiator motor with 12vdc avaible to use as the electric furnace? What type of steel material should i use to construct the body of electric furnace? Is it possible if i make it with two layer with normal steel as the outer layer and aluminium layer as inner layer or vice versa?
BestAnswer:Match the motor to the electrical supply. If it is 240VAC, choose a motor designed for the frequency of the electrical supply. If the power supply is 240VDC, get a 240VDC motor. Choose a motor sufficiently big enough in HP to handle the load. It’s better to oversize the motor somewhat, to avoid reliability problems. Choose an RPM that is convenient, so as to minimize the need for gearing.

Question
Have you pulled the flue pipe off to make sure the chimney/flue piping isnt
full of soot & stuff?
Answers
I don’t know why they built it that way to start but, its
usually better to get as much vertical rise as you can
directly over the furnace outlet. This helps get the flow
in the vent started and should reduce the spillage you may
be experiencing.

The venting system, including the chimney, is meant to
operate at a slight negative pressure, caused by the natural
bouyancy. So, it is not normally needed to seal the seams
of the vent. If the spillage continues you need to look at
the rest of the system, including blockage of the chimney or
if the vent system is just too small to handle the size of
your furnace.

Associated Furnace Chimney Question:What is the minimum distance a furnace chimney must be away from a wall/roof?
And does the chimney have to extend above roof peak? We are removing the old brick chimney in the center of the house and moving the furnace out of the center of the basement. The furnace will be moved to the side of the basement and the chimney will run up along the foundation up through the 1st floor and into the knee wall/attic space in the attic where it will run along the roof on about a 45 deg angle to near the peak and extend through the roof. Does this meet code or does the chimney have to be vertical.

• Answer:I have installed central heat units in San Antonio Texas in the past and the min space that their local codes required was 18″ all around and it should go above the ridge. As far as running the pipes in the attic at a 45 deg. angle, I’m not sure about any codes but at the price of triple wall pipe , I would sure run the shortest distance possible. I hope this helps.. Mike

Associated Furnace Chimney Question:Is a standard 6″ gas furnace chimney flue acceptable for an add on wood burning furnace?
We are thinking about getting an add on wood burning furnace. Wondering if we need to make changes to the existing flue, or need to go with a wood burning stove instead. Advice as well as informative links would be appreciated. Thank you.

• Answer:No you cannot use a class B vent pipe for a wood stove. For wood, coal, or oil you must use a class A chimney. You cannot have a gas furnace venting in the same stack as a solid fuel burning appliane either. You should either get a wood stove with it’s own chimney or install a seperate class A chimney for the wood furnace.

Associated Furnace Chimney Question:What causes soot to build up in the wall furnace chimney that goes out through the attic.?
through the summer small bit,s of black soot came down through the furnace, and landed on the living room floor. we went through the process of tapping the pipe,s but only got black dust, no chunk,s but now after a week of furnace being lit , small chunks are coming out again. is this a danger of a fire starting?

• Answer:Soot and tar are carried up into the chimney by the smoke and rising hot air. The further from thefire, the cooler they become, and become attached to the sides of the chimney wall itself. Creosite is a dangerous deposit which can cause “flue” fires. A good reputable chimney sweep can take care of this in one visit.

Associated Furnace Chimney Question:Why is there excess steam coming out of the top of my gas furnace chimney? It’s so thick it looks like smoke?
This is causing a lot of condensation and has for a long time. I recently had the chimney relined and there is still condensation coming through walls in the house where the chimney passes through. How could the flue gases be venting up the chimney outside of the new liner inside the chimney?

• Answer:when a chimney is relined,usually with a flexible metal pipe,the “flue gases” should no longer come in contact with the masonry walls of the chimney…call the company back that did the work,something is wrong……as far as the “steam” being thick like smoke,might be normal if very cold outside… i assume your furnace is 80% eff or less and vents with a metal pipe ……if the furnace is 90%+eff,it should vent with a plastic pipe,and NOT to a chimney……dan

Associated Furnace Chimney Question:want a wood stove but furnace is taking up the chimney?
My furnace is using the chimney but I want a wood stove and cant have them both on the same flu. any ideas on the cheapest but still safe way i can change it to have a woodstove by next winter

• Answer:I may be incorrect, but I believe they make direct-vent furnaces that can be directly vented to the outside through a wall. You then would be able to free up your chimney flu to make use of a wood stove. However, this means that you have to buy two new appliances plus installation. Defiantly not worth it. Instead, I would recommend that you purchase a freestanding wood stove and vent it through its own metal chimney. I’m sure you seen metal chimney flus attached to the side of a house and vents straight up above the roof. I bet you their all wood stoves. And theirs nothing wrong in doing so, as long as all of the installation is is accordance with the manufactures instructions, or if that does not apply, the local building codes of your town. This is either going to require a lot of research and work on your part, or the money to hire a knowledgeable company to do the job the right way the first time. Good luck.

Associated Furnace Chimney Question:can i install a wood stove in an existing chimney that has a furnace attached to it?
i have a small wood stove and want to put it in my kitchen. the chimney has an oil furnace attached to it in the basement and the gas water heater above the furnace. the wood stove will be about 8 feet above the furnace. id prefer to just vent it into the existing furnace without having to use the chimney liners.

• Answer:Big NO NO. A wood stove presents hazards that the other two don’t, and opening the existing flue above the other appliances can decrease the draft. That flue was designed and approved for use as is. Changing it should only be done after review and calculations even if a wood stove were not involved.

Associated Furnace Chimney Question:What is the right way to connect a furnace flue pipe to an old chimney ?
Bought an old house with a gas furnace in the basement. The flue pipe is connected to the old chimney. There is no pipe or cap visible on top of the chimney and the pilot light keeps blowing out. Not an induced draft furnace. Good strong pilot light when it is lit.Should the flue pipe extend all the way to the top of the chimney?

• Answer:From one Brian to another Corky and Dan gave really good answers, the only thing that I can add is you may need a properly formed witches hat (chimney cover) to stop prevailing winds from blowing down the chimney and blowing out that pilot. Since it’s not an induced draft furnace there should be plenty of fresh air very close to the furnace. If there is not, a negative pressure could be created in your basement and actually draw the combustion gasses back down the chimney and extinguishing your pilot. It’s just another thought on what can be a difficult problem to track down without a lot of sensitive diagnostic equipment. GL!

Associated Furnace Chimney Question:gas furnace, gas water heater use same chimney. furnace now using different source for exaust,is water heate
is si alright to use the old chimney for water heater exhaust

• Answer:Yes, with two conditions. – The abandoned section is capped and sealed. – the flue continues to draft adequately. Your gas supplier can check this for you with a CO detector. .

Associated Furnace Chimney Question:Is it normal for chimney to have lots of smoke on start up of furnace?
I just put my furnace on for the first time since last winter and I noticed lots of smoke coming out of my chimney. The smoke is not black. Is this normal? Thanks!

• Answer:was it truly smoke or h2o vapor???if it dissipated in a few seconds it was h2o vapor and normal and nothing to worry about,,if it did not dissipate quickly then it may be smoke and u should call a service tech

Associated Furnace Chimney Question:Should I be concerned about ice forming at the top of my chimney for my furnace?
Michigan here with temps falling to ZERO. On the downwind side of the chimney cap ice is forming and slowly making a huge icicle.

• Answer:Number one: You didn’t say what you were burning with: Gas: Oil: what fuel? This is simply condensation from the heat, your getting extra condensation from the fuel your using. If it were wood, I’d say the wood is to “green” you need dryer wood. This has been an exceptional winter, with the wind, the below zero wind tolerances. Special care has been needed to care for the heating of a house. Check with your fuel supplier and see what they have to say. This could be corroding the inside liner of your chimney and making it easier for the cement grout or the liner to crack, allowing the fumes, smoke and even the fire if there were a chimney fire, to enter the house, mine burned down this way.

Question

I want to find companies that make or sell what one company calls a

“Fireplace Furnace”.  It looks just like an ordinary fireplace from the

front, but has blowers that can connect into the ductwork of a house.

I have a brochure from a company called Country Flame.  Theirs has a big

steel firebox with baffles on the outside of the box.  The blowers circulate

air across the baffles and into the ductwork of the house.  It is also

thermostatically controlled somehow.

I am interested in putting one of these in a new house to be built next year.

There is not a big demand for these sort of things here in Texas, so I was

hoping some of you that live where their are cold winters might have more

information about these things.

Answers

There is a gas fireplace manufactor called Mendota. They claim to be 80%

efficent. I’m looking into to one of these. they fit in like a standard

zero clearance fire place. They are manufactors of freestanding gas

stoves (like woodstoves).

Associated Fireplace Furnace Question:

What is more efficiant gas fireplace or gas furnace?

I live in a brand new 2600 sq feet house. I was wondering what would be more efficient to run the gas fireplace or the gas furnace. I would want to keep the temperature around 21 deg C if that makes a difference.

• Since this is a brand new house I am going to assume that the builder was not stupid enough to put a gas log in it. By gas fireplace please tel me you mean you have a direct vent gas fireplace that vents horizontally through pipes in the wall? If you have a direct vent fireplace it will run around 85% efficient nd a direct vent furnace will run around 92% efficient and it will distribute your heat better. If on the off chance you have a vented gas log fireplace (a fireplace where you can reach in the firebox and touch the ceramic logs and has a standard vertical chimney) you should first of all not use it because it wastes more heat than it produces. The second thing you should do is put a chimney balloon in it because it cant have a metal damper in it, but you will still need to plug the flue to prevent heat loss. the third thing you should do it go see your builder and kick him in the jimmy for being an idiot. I really hope you have a direct vent gas fireplace.

Associated Fireplace Furnace Question:

Why do I still get this smell from my furnace when the fireplace is burning? Help Help Help?main furnace – heatpump. emergency backup – oil burner. only use oil when pump cant sustain. when fireplace is burning and furnace comes on – i get a gassy smell from the registers blowing out. read all about this backdrafting and added a fresh air vent (although not very big) that leads right to the furnace. still getting smell, but only when fireplace is burning. have been reduced to turning off furnace when burning fireplace. have since read furnace materials and for the oil burner it specifically says to not vent into chimney if it’s used with an open fireplace. DING DING DING! mine is. my question is – why do i still get the smell when not using oil burner? is the air from the chimney with fire gases still being sucked down into the blower and spread throughout the house even though the heatpump doesnt need vented? if the fire is creating mad draft up the chimney, how does that stuff get sucked back down at the same time into the blower? this is keeping me up at night! help me! let me make clear that this only happens when we are burning the fireplace which is only on weekends from about dinner time until we go to bed. it’s not that we have this going on 24/7 or even 24/1.

• I don’t know weather you own or rent your house but, for what I’m reading here, you have a very dangerous situation. Stop using the furnace and the fireplace until you can find out what is going on. Remember, your breathing in these fumes, and you eventually feel the effects of it, not to mention the threat of a fire breaking out in your house. Call the gas company to come out and check your furnace. Good Luck

Associated Fireplace Furnace Question:

Need advice on corn-fed fireplace or furnace?

Want to put in small (l000 sq. ft.) house dining area, so it must be small and not ugly in appearance. Direct vent probably best, but stove pipe thru the roof is also an option. Footprint must be small so a big honking hopper is questionable?

• There are several options out there when it comes to alternative heat sources. Corn fed is only one. there is also peanut shell, and sawdust pellets(which I’d recommend, due to price of pellets). The heaters themselves are pretty compact and most are direct vents. The intial investment for purchase and set up is somewhere in the range of $3,000.00. The pellets can range from $10.00 to $60.00 per bag, depending on how many pounds you buy at at time. You can also buy the machine that makes the pellets for about $1,500.00, which would allow you to save money in the long run. The way I began my research was to use Google and so a search on pellet fed heaters. I found several companies that deal only with these types of heat sources. Good luck. Hope this helps. Please vote for this to be best answer, I need the points. Lol!!!

Associated Fireplace Furnace Question:

Is a furnace or fireplace more efficient?

• My parents and I are wondering which is more efficient. The fireplace is on continuously. Which will cost less money?

BestAnswer:Im not sure where these other percentages are coming from. WP&L Energy sent out a newsletter that said using your wood fireplace will make your furnace heat bill go up 10%. According to their study Wood Fireplaces use more heat than they produce, they operate at negative 10% efficiency. So hands a furnace is better to heat with. If you are serious about heating with wood a wood stove or insert with blower is about the only option, but the $3K and up price tag is a bit daunting for some. I have seen plenty of retrofit heat exchanger/blower contraptions and they kick out some heat, but they dont make up for the heated air the fireplace sucks from your home. You have to have a good free wood supply to make it worth the investment in a stove or insert.

Associated Fireplace Furnace Question:

Which would be more fuel efficient, to run my furnace or my gas fireplace?

To leave the house at 58 degrees and just run the gas fireplace in the room that I’m working in, or keep the gas furnace set at 72 degrees and heat the whole house even though I’m not using most of it?

• Get a thermostat with a timer. When you are not home, set it to 60 degrees or so. Have the thermostat turn on about 1/2 hour before you get home from work. The “at home” temperature should be one you are comfortable living in (mine is at 68). When you are sleeping, have the temperature set to about 60. Have the heater kick on to about 1/2 hour before you wake up to the “at home” temperature 68 or so. Close all vents in rooms you don’t use and shut doors to those rooms. I live in Michigan, use this method, have some cold rooms, but never have frozen pipes. The heating bill is quite low.

Associated Fireplace Furnace Question:

Is it more economical to run your natural gas log fireplace and keep your furnace temperature set lower?

If we run the gas logs on low and keep ceiling fans on it keeps the furnace from running as much. So is this an economical way to heat your house rather then running your furnace all the time?

• In my experience the answer is very much to the NO side. Gas logs are hugely expensive as most of the heat goes up the chimney. And the draft of a fireplace pulls heat out of a room, even after it is off. Do you have glass doors on it to control the draft? If you have a built in unit with a fan and to capture and exhaust more of the heat with doors on it then those are a little better, but still costly. Furnaces are very efficient, gas logs are not at all.

Associated Fireplace Furnace Question:

What effect do you think cap and trade will have on wood for the fireplace/wood-burning furnace?

I just cannot imagine the politicians allowing that opportunity to gouge us with taxes on wood untouched.

• They have already said they are not regulating consumers.

Associated Fireplace Furnace Question:

If a home has a gas-fired, natural-draft furnace, a hot-water heater and a solid-fuel-fired fireplace?

If a home has a gas-fired, natural-draft furnace, a hot-water heater and a solid-fuel-fired fireplace, what type of home is it? If a home has a gas-fired, natural-draft furnace, a hot-water heater and a solid-fuel-fired fireplace, what type of home is it? this is a question from my heating and ventilation course! Need a technical answer plz! =D

• a very nice warm home

Associated Fireplace Furnace Question:

Will it be cheaper to heat my home with my gas fireplace than using my gas furnace?

The house is staying warm @ 20-30 degrees outside. If i keep my furnace set @ 45. Will I save money?

• Cheaper? no. a fireplace isn’t going to match the efficiency of a furnace. they’re designed to provide a little extra warmth, not to function as a main heating source.

Question:10

Subject:Is it cheaper to run your Gas Fireplace and turn down your furnace?

Content::Or will it cost us more to do that? Our furnace is a Forced Hot Air Gas Furnace

BestAnswer:Depends, if you shut the furnace off and only burn the gas fireplace where you are at most of the time and then turn the furnace on to heat the whole house at night, etc. Then it may be a savings. Keep in mind if you don’t heat enough to keep the water pipes from freezing in the kitchen, bath and supply areas, it may cost more to fix that than you save.