1978 house furnace replacement

[medler]

So I’m looking at buying a house built in the late 70’s.
It has two furnaces. They look original to me and my realtor.
Some one told me you can’t buy a mid efficient furnace now. Has to be high efficiency with the vents going out the walls. Is this true ?
The HWT is new in 2017 but furnaces are original.
And what is a rough cost to R&R a furnace ?

Thanks in advance

 

[retiredpop]

Lenox has a standard efficiency furnace. https://www.lennox.com/products/heating-cooling/furnaces/ml180

 

[Caper11]

Yes that is true, no more B Vent large furnaces.

 

[medler]

Yes that is true, no more B Vent large furnaces.

So is “B” vent through the roof then ?

 

[1200]

Why would you want old low efficiency furnce ? U can the vent out the roof with the high efficiency and way cheaper to run and so quite. I upgrade mine 60 s furnace with a york with ac works great i mostly use my wood burning stove in the basement. Furnace is just back up.

 

[getzcold]

Upgrade to a high efficiency, don’t go with the supper high efficiency there’s no pay back there and too many bells and whistles. You can run your venting up you old vent to the roof. You can fit your fresh air up there as well. You will have to upgrade your hot water tank as well and vent up the old chimney too. I’ve done a few this way it’s way easier then venting out the side of your house and putting a liner in for your hot water tank.

 

[Caper11]

So is “B” vent through the roof then ?

Yes it is. Not a big deal really, You will have to put a teflon liner in your roof vent to prevent the condensation from rotting the main vent.
Even better if the older home has a drop ceiling.

 

[medler]

Well I’m no plumber so I don’t know about it. But thanks guys. But what about costs .?

 

[Caper11]

Well I’m no plumber so I don’t know about it. But thanks guys. But what about costs .?

Not knowing your location, it was approximately $6000 for 1 high efficiency Trane furnace, with the teflon liner with a local contractor.

 

[getzcold]

How many square feet per floor? What are you looking for a btu output on each furnace.

 

[medler]

How many square feet per floor? What are you looking for a btu output on each furnace.

It’s 1380 sq ft bi level

 

[medler]

Not knowing your location, it was approximately $6000 for 1 high efficiency Trane furnace, with the teflon liner with a local contractor.

It’s In Stettler. East of red deer

 

[rknight111]

The other things you need to consider is Asbestos. When you buy any residence Pre 1980, Asbestos is found in many items, in the 70's even more so. If the tape on the furnce pipes and plenums is white that contains greater than 75 % Asbestos. Asbestos is also found in drywall joint compound, ceiling texture, vynal floor tiles (all sizes), sheet linoleum flooring. So renovations can get pricy. Consider this as well.

 

[Caper11]

The other things you need to consider is Asbestos. When you buy any residence Pre 1980, Asbestos is found in many items, in the 70's even more so. If the tape on the furnce pipes and plenums is white that contains greater than 75 % Asbestos. Asbestos is also found in drywall joint compound, ceiling texture, vynal floor tiles (all sizes), sheet linoleum flooring. So renovations can get pricy. Consider this as well.

Great advice!!!

 

[gunner3006]

Hey Medler. You can no longer get a mid-efficiency furnace. So a couple things to consider. Doing away with your chimney all together and put high efficiency in for furnaces and water heater. I would consider keeping both furnaces as well. Pretty handy having a back up. I know lots of people run just one until deep into winter due to most of them being grossly oversized. Do your furnaces have a common return? You can always keep your water heater a mid-efficient and drop a chimney liner down as well to. In the end tho your only saving a couple bucks. Mid-efficient water heaters will soon be no more, so might as well go hi-efficient.

 

[medler]

Hey Medler. You can no longer get a mid-efficiency furnace. So a couple things to consider. Doing away with your chimney all together and put high efficiency in for furnaces and water heater. I would consider keeping both furnaces as well. Pretty handy having a back up. I know lots of people run just one until deep into winter due to most of them being grossly oversized. Do your furnaces have a common return? You can always keep your water heater a mid-efficient and drop a chimney liner down as well to. In the end tho your only saving a couple bucks. Mid-efficient water heaters will soon be no more, so might as well go hi-efficient.

Thanks buddy

 

[medler]

The other things you need to consider is Asbestos. When you buy any residence Pre 1980, Asbestos is found in many items, in the 70's even more so. If the tape on the furnce pipes and plenums is white that contains greater than 75 % Asbestos. Asbestos is also found in drywall joint compound, ceiling texture, vynal floor tiles (all sizes), sheet linoleum flooring. So renovations can get pricy. Consider this as well.

Thanks Ron

 

[hbar218]

I think you would be hard pressed to get venting for 2 furnaces and a Water heater vent up one common stack.
If the hot water tank is a 2017 i would run a 4” chimney liner and vent the furnaces out the wall. $4000 each furnace is a good ballpark figure.

 

[hadster]

Yes it cost me a boat load of cash to clean the asbestos out of my new (old) house before I am aloud to demolish it.

 

[Ronaha]

If you can get a heating and air conditioning guy on a side job or cash job it would only cost a few thousand but average joe will take you to the cleaners.And yeah I'd not mention asbestos.These new furnaces are made in China for a few hundred dollars most parts on them are made of plastic.