• The TUGBBS forums are completely free and open to the public and exist as the absolute best place for owners to get help and advice about their timeshares for more than 30 years!

    Join Tens of Thousands of other Owners just like you here to get any and all Timeshare questions answered 24 hours a day!
  • TUG started 30 years ago in October 1993 as a group of regular Timeshare owners just like you!

    Read about our 30th anniversary: Happy 30th Birthday TUG!
  • TUG has a YouTube Channel to produce weekly short informative videos on popular Timeshare topics!

    Free memberships for every 50 subscribers!

    Visit TUG on Youtube!
  • TUG has now saved timeshare owners more than $21,000,000 dollars just by finding us in time to rescind a new Timeshare purchase! A truly incredible milestone!

    Read more here: TUG saves owners more than $21 Million dollars
  • Sign up to get the TUG Newsletter for free!

    60,000+ subscribing owners! A weekly recap of the best Timeshare resort reviews and the most popular topics discussed by owners!
  • Our official "end my sales presentation early" T-shirts are available again! Also come with the option for a free membership extension with purchase to offset the cost!

    All T-shirt options here!
  • A few of the most common links here on the forums for newbies and guests!

Need a New Furnace --- Recommendations Really Needed

Sugarcubesea

TUG Review Crew
TUG Member
Joined
Mar 9, 2014
Messages
4,029
Reaction score
2,940
Points
449
Location
Novi, Michigan
Resorts Owned
QH, HBC, VBHC, & Pinestead Reef
It's been around 25 to 30 degrees the last few day in MI and I noticed on Friday that even though we had our furnace set at 69 it dropped to 54 in the house. We are planning on selling the house this year and I really don't want to drop $5K on a new furnace and installation.

Should I call a company to replace the parts or just get a new furnace?

We are heading out of town first week of February and don't want to come home to a house with no heat and busted pipes.

I would love everyones thoughts...thanks
 

Passepartout

TUG Review Crew: Veteran
TUG Member
Joined
Feb 10, 2007
Messages
28,462
Reaction score
17,213
Points
1,299
Location
Twin Falls, Eye-Duh-Hoe
Are you SURE that the existing one is shot? If you are unsure, you should have a professional go over it and see what it's condition is. Perhaps it can be put back in shape reasonably. OTOH, if it truly needs replacement, that becomes a valid selling point, and should or included in the selling price you ask, so you're not really out the full cost.

I'd start by getting it looked at rather than asking TUGgers. I know. I had ours replaced 2 years ago and TUG never knew. ;)

Jim
 

vacationhopeful

TUG Review Crew: Rookie
TUG Member
Joined
Sep 11, 2007
Messages
12,760
Reaction score
1,699
Points
498
Location
Northeast USA
Oil heater? More than 20 years old? If a gas heater, more than 25 years old?

New furnace time. Besides, home inspectors LOVE their job and even it was running JUST FINE, they will come up with an ISSUE with the furnace to justify their inspection fees. And hope to get a "a referral fee" from their 'regular' 'go to heating company'.

Had this issue last month with a gas heater .... on a house I lived in for several years. Just weeks before closing. I had replaced the air conditioning compressor 2 years earlier.

PS This was a ASIS sale .... and NO, I was NOT happy. But I had no mortgage on the house and had owned it for 30+ years. And it was just 2 weeks before closing. Just write if off ... and enjoy your new furnace.
 

Sugarcubesea

TUG Review Crew
TUG Member
Joined
Mar 9, 2014
Messages
4,029
Reaction score
2,940
Points
449
Location
Novi, Michigan
Resorts Owned
QH, HBC, VBHC, & Pinestead Reef
Are you SURE that the existing one is shot? If you are unsure, you should have a professional go over it and see what it's condition is. Perhaps it can be put back in shape reasonably. OTOH, if it truly needs replacement, that becomes a valid selling point, and should or included in the selling price you ask, so you're not really out the full cost.

I'd start by getting it looked at rather than asking TUGgers. I know. I had ours replaced 2 years ago and TUG never knew. ;)

Jim

I spent all day yesterday dealing with this... I had a HVAC company out and they cleaned the whole unit and tested it and determined that it could last another year or 10 more years but no one can guarantee when a furnace goes. Its not back up to 69 so whatever he did worked...so happy but I'm still going to get quotes for a new furnace.
 

Sugarcubesea

TUG Review Crew
TUG Member
Joined
Mar 9, 2014
Messages
4,029
Reaction score
2,940
Points
449
Location
Novi, Michigan
Resorts Owned
QH, HBC, VBHC, & Pinestead Reef
Oil heater? More than 20 years old? If a gas heater, more than 25 years old?

New furnace time. Besides, home inspectors LOVE their job and even it was running JUST FINE, they will come up with an ISSUE with the furnace to justify their inspection fees. And hope to get a "a referral fee" from their 'regular' 'go to heating company'.

Had this issue last month with a gas heater .... on a house I lived in for several years. Just weeks before closing. I had replaced the air conditioning compressor 2 years earlier.

PS This was a ASIS sale .... and NO, I was NOT happy. But I had no mortgage on the house and had owned it for 30+ years. And it was just 2 weeks before closing. Just write if off ... and enjoy your new furnace.


Its a gas heater and its only 13 years old....
 

Sugarcubesea

TUG Review Crew
TUG Member
Joined
Mar 9, 2014
Messages
4,029
Reaction score
2,940
Points
449
Location
Novi, Michigan
Resorts Owned
QH, HBC, VBHC, & Pinestead Reef
The reason I was asking was to determine if there was a model or brand that folks liked, should have posted that vs what I posted as I was doing it from an HVAC store...
 

WinniWoman

TUG Review Crew: Veteran
TUG Member
Joined
Jul 16, 2010
Messages
10,762
Reaction score
7,057
Points
749
Location
The Weirs, New Hampshire
Resorts Owned
Innseason Pollard Brook
We had put in an energy efficient System 2000 years ago in our former home and loved it. It can handle oil or propane. We had baseboard hot water heat. And it had a 20 gallon hot water reserve tank on demand hot water system. Never ran out if hot water. Really good.

A good selling point for a house. Maybe you could recoup some of the cost?

But if the furnace is only 13 years old, I would just try to fix it unless suggested otherwise by a HVAC professional.
 
Last edited:

zinger1457

Guest
Joined
Aug 21, 2005
Messages
695
Reaction score
45
Points
338
Not sure why you would need a new one if a little cleaning fixed the problem and it's working fine. Just have the HVAC guy come out again before you list it for sale and have him do a complete inspection report.
 

sjsharkie

TUG Member
Joined
Dec 26, 2012
Messages
2,321
Reaction score
441
Points
293
Its a gas heater and its only 13 years old....
Most gas heaters should last longer than 13 years. I'd say if the HVAC person has fixed it and it is working fine, then you are all good to go.

When you get your sellers' home inspection done, most inspectors will just note the date of the unit manufacture, test it and if everything works out OK, you are fine. And if it doesn't last you the year, then you can replace it then with a cheap unit or just give the buyer a credit. I wouldn't drop any more cash on it now if it is fully operational.

-ryan
 

BJRSanDiego

TUG Review Crew: Expert
TUG Member
Joined
Jan 8, 2012
Messages
3,439
Reaction score
1,913
Points
398
Location
San Diego
Resorts Owned
Sands of Kahana, Desert Springs I, DSV2, Shadow Ridge Enclaves Dlx
Your furnace isn't all that old. It appears to now be working. Be thankful that it is working and don't put anymore money into it until you need to.

In 20 plus years in the same house, I had one furnace igniter fail ($20) plus an incident of a sticky gas control (fixed with a well placed "technical tap" with a small ball pen hammer). The AC has crapped out 4 times (2 times it was a $15 start capacitor, once (or twice) it was a $5 cartridge fuse (yes, they have a finite life - - perhaps a few thousand cycles) and once it was an AC contactor ($20). I suspect that I may end up having to replace the system eventually as it is old But it is surprising how the common failure items are often very cheap to fix/replace. I suspect that if I had called out the "pros" that they would have tried to talk me into replacing the system - - perhaps once, or twice or....
 

Big Matt

TUG Review Crew: Veteran
TUG Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2005
Messages
6,146
Reaction score
1,608
Points
599
Location
Northern Virginia
Don't do anything else. I don't know if you ever get/got annual maintenance checks, but usually you get some sort of guaranteed repair window or discount on parts. I find those plans to be worth the money. Furnaces are very simple machines, but parts can get worn out if not kept clean and maintained. On a gas furnace the most common problem is the igniter.
 

isisdave

TUG Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2005
Messages
2,762
Reaction score
1,284
Points
548
Location
Evansville IN
Resorts Owned
Marriott Waiohai
In 20 plus years in the same house, I had one furnace igniter fail ($20) plus an incident of a sticky gas control (fixed with a well placed "technical tap" with a small ball pen hammer).

We used to call that a "service rap."
 

DrQ

TUG Member
Joined
Jun 13, 2005
Messages
5,818
Reaction score
3,802
Points
648
Location
DFW
Resorts Owned
HICV, Westgate (second cousin, twice removed)
I spent all day yesterday dealing with this... I had a HVAC company out and they cleaned the whole unit and tested it and determined that it could last another year or 10 more years but no one can guarantee when a furnace goes. Its not back up to 69 so whatever he did worked...so happy but I'm still going to get quotes for a new furnace.
Before you replace the furnace, you need to get a really GOOD HVAC company to look at it.

They should place a probe in the combustion chamber to measure if the output is at the rated BTUs.
They should look at the temperatures throughout the ductwork to see if the distribution is correct.
Do a heat load analysis on the house to see if it is properly sized.

It's not just a furnace, it is a SYSTEM.
 

Sugarcubesea

TUG Review Crew
TUG Member
Joined
Mar 9, 2014
Messages
4,029
Reaction score
2,940
Points
449
Location
Novi, Michigan
Resorts Owned
QH, HBC, VBHC, & Pinestead Reef
I have yearly maintenance on our furnace and the HVAC Company told me a sensor went out... They have replaced that sensor and its been working great this week... Thank you for all of your great tips and help...Really Appreciate the advice and tips...
 

Passepartout

TUG Review Crew: Veteran
TUG Member
Joined
Feb 10, 2007
Messages
28,462
Reaction score
17,213
Points
1,299
Location
Twin Falls, Eye-Duh-Hoe
I signed up for a local HVAC outfit's maintenance plan where they come out twice a year and inspect and lube and check it out.

One year, 2 guys came and only brought one box of tools. Shortly, the lead guy asked me down to the basement. They had opened up the furnace, and put an endoscope in the fire box. They said it was cracked and would flood the house with carbon monoxide and we'd die. They shut off the gas and said I couldn't turn it back on and that the business owner would be along to sell me a new furnace. He came and after drawing pictures and diagrams, shot me a 'today only' price like a TS salesweasel. I called the HVAC guy that takes care of DWs office. He checked the unit, turned on the gas and restarted it. I bought a CO detector to put in the bedroom near the register, just in case. It never detected any CO.

Eventually, the fan quit and we did replace the furnace with a new one, but I guarantee those first guys lost my business!

Jim
 

easyrider

TUG Review Crew: Elite
TUG Member
Joined
Aug 21, 2005
Messages
15,044
Reaction score
8,001
Points
948
Location
Palm Springs of Washinton
Resorts Owned
Worldmark * * Villa Del Palmar UVCI * * Vacation Internationale*
Its a gas heater and its only 13 years old....
Sometimes the vent gets clogged up by things like bees nests when the furnace is off. This can cause co2 build up and poor heating functions.

Bill
 

presley

TUG Review Crew: Expert
TUG Member
Joined
Aug 20, 2011
Messages
6,313
Reaction score
1,121
Points
448
I have yearly maintenance on our furnace and the HVAC Company told me a sensor went out... They have replaced that sensor and its been working great this week... Thank you for all of your great tips and help...Really Appreciate the advice and tips...
That's great to hear. Easy fix and not a lot of money.
 
Top