TommyK Posted October 23, 2008 Share Posted October 23, 2008 Mamma was cold last night so we decided it was late enough in the season to fire up the furnace. Guess WHat? it only hummed at us. I haven't a clue what's wrong with it. It's got so many safety features and gizmos it could be anything. Guess I'm going to have to part with some erstwhile guit tar buyin' bucks...' Better get 'er dun quick. Monday's supposed to get down to 'Hard Freeze', 28°. I likes 'snugglin' weather, but thats too snuggly... more like holdin' on for dear life. That H' Bird is just going to have to wait. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unclemac Posted October 23, 2008 Share Posted October 23, 2008 What was it humming? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TommyK Posted October 23, 2008 Author Share Posted October 23, 2008 What was it humming? The Ubiqutous 'Funeral Durge March'. Could be the blower motor. Without that kickin' in nothing else happens. Without cool air cooling the heat exchanger, the heat will build up and burn down the house. It's buried deep in the furnace. I've tried workin' on household appliances without much luck. Spent better'n a hunnert bux one time on a washing machine motor, only to have it buzz, then smoke... I'm pretty handy at repairs, but there's some things better left to the pros. Guess'n the HVAC guy's boy needs a guit tar for Christmas, so I guess it's all good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gilliangirl Posted October 23, 2008 Share Posted October 23, 2008 I hear ya! I've come so close to purchasing things that were important to me, only to be rudely interrupted by some needy responsibility, like the house or the car. Home ownership has its downside. Well, look at it this way..... the Hummingbird will always be there, when you're ready for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retrorod Posted October 23, 2008 Share Posted October 23, 2008 Home ownership has its downside. Hey Karen, Ya need to move across the border and buy! If it gets you down...the U.S. Government will BAIL ya out! What a country...:) Sorry 'bout your furnace Tommy K...Hopefully a minor repair! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jefleppard Posted October 23, 2008 Share Posted October 23, 2008 tommy, if it hums the maybe your intake pipe outside is blocked or covered (leaves, garbage, boxes, etc...)preventing air from getting in. if the intake is blocked, the motor will just hum but the furnace will not turn on. however, if the exhaust is covered, the furnace will work but CO will back up into the house and you'll die in your sleep. best to check em both! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thermionik Posted October 24, 2008 Share Posted October 24, 2008 . . Hope it ain't oil-fired - you'ld probably find someone done stole the oil, it's that expensive..... . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wonderful remark Posted October 24, 2008 Share Posted October 24, 2008 We just started using our furnace.. YESTERDAY!! the hydro company is saying they are raising the gas fee by 30%... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maninblack Posted October 24, 2008 Share Posted October 24, 2008 Mine did the same thing. Called the repair guy. $119 and 20 mintues later we had heat. Is it gas? If so, expect this issue every few years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onewilyfool Posted October 24, 2008 Share Posted October 24, 2008 Old Canadian saying: When the weather is hot and sticky, that's no time to dunk the dicky..... But when the frost is on the punkin, THAT'S the time for dicky dunkin'!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unclemac Posted October 24, 2008 Share Posted October 24, 2008 I guess that provides a reason to look forward to winter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TommyK Posted October 29, 2008 Author Share Posted October 29, 2008 Well... had it inspected and spoke with a "Comfort Consultant" (i.e. furnace salesman). he was quite pleasant and we didn't feel pressured. $600 to repair the old one whose other parts would still be old, including the dreaded heat exchanger with a potential cost to replace of $1000.00. Life expectancy, I confirmed outside our comfort consultation, 15-18 years. or $2800 for a new high efficiency furnace. 10 year guarantee, stainless steel heat exchanger. and.. and... a new fancy schmancy thermostat with LCD read out and... it talks to you.... Not sure that's necessarily good, but we'll keep the old in case it gets lippy. At this point in our lives we opted for the new unit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ksdaddy Posted October 29, 2008 Share Posted October 29, 2008 As much as I am a cheapskate, what with driving a 27 year old truck daily, I think you did the right thing. Sometimes it's better to spend the money and have the peace of mind. I follow that same notion sometimes but not until I get the "last word". I bought my house in 1983 and the furnace hadn't been used in a couple years (they used a wood stove). I ran the furnace a couple weeks and the blower motor went. The guy had a misfit unknown motor in his van and we basically wired it into place. He charged me $15. We then fired up the furnace and he showed me how the top of the chamber was rusted out along the edge from a humidifier that was likely used in the 60s and never shut off during the summer. He said it could be patched but probably only once, so might as well wait until I smelled fuel in the house.... he said it could be within a few months or maybe a few years. I didn't replace it until 1990 and never DID smell fumes. But when it was time for a new one, I spared no expense (at the time). So I milked that furnace for another 7 years and didn't put nickel one into it. I think I even sold it to someone for their garage for fifty bucks if I recall. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onewilyfool Posted October 29, 2008 Share Posted October 29, 2008 I'm pretty sure that that old furnace would work fine if you just installed Bob Colosi pins.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ksdaddy Posted October 29, 2008 Share Posted October 29, 2008 And a second strap button. But only if it could be installed by Jesus himself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TommyK Posted October 29, 2008 Author Share Posted October 29, 2008 ...We then fired up the furnace and he showed me how the top of the chamber was rusted out along the edge from a humidifier that was likely used in the 60s and never shut off during the summer. ..... At the risk of sounding cynical.. I suspect now we know why the furnace hadn't been run in two years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ksdaddy Posted October 29, 2008 Share Posted October 29, 2008 Naw, they were just too cheap to buy oil. I bought the house from my brother in law and between him and my sister they've got more money than God. But if it cost a nickel to poop, both of them would rather vomit. He had a wood stove down cellar that I think was made out of a 55 gallon drum or something. I asked that he get it out of there and hook up the oil furnace before I moved in; I would have burned the friggin' house down with that thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retrorod Posted October 29, 2008 Share Posted October 29, 2008 As much as I am a cheapskate' date=' what with driving a 27 year old truck daily, I think you did the right thing. Sometimes it's better to spend the money and have the peace of mind. I follow that same notion sometimes but not until I get the "last word". I bought my house in 1983 and the furnace hadn't been used in a couple years (they used a wood stove). I ran the furnace a couple weeks and the blower motor went. The guy had a misfit unknown motor in his van and we basically wired it into place. He charged me $15. We then fired up the furnace and he showed me how the top of the chamber was rusted out along the edge from a humidifier that was likely used in the 60s and never shut off during the summer. He said it could be patched but probably only once, so might as well wait until I smelled fuel in the house.... he said it could be within a few months or maybe a few years. I didn't replace it until 1990 and never DID smell fumes. But when it was time for a new one, I spared no expense (at the time). So I milked that furnace for another 7 years and didn't put nickel one into it. I think I even sold it to someone for their garage for fifty bucks if I recall.[/quote'] Ain't nothin' WRONG with being a 'cheapskate'.....but it would help to have GOOD insurance and some luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.