New Furnace Needed?

DiFerris1

We have a Carrier 58SX Deluxe Gas-Fired Condensing Furnace. Our home was built in 1987 and we've been here since '02.

For a couple of years, our furnace has made a strange whining sound. We've had it looked at, and no one could find the reason. We were finally told that there was probably something thing in the duct work making this sound.

On Wednesday, the noise seemed a bit louder. Then on Thursday morning, I came home after being gone a couple of hours and I thought our house was on fire. Distinct smell of smoke and burning -- coming from the furnace.

Turned the furnace off and called repair. I was told the motor wires were burning. They replaced the motor and told me that would give me about a month before we'd need to replace the entire furnace. That our furnace is really over it's 15 year life expectancy.

I've searched all over the internet, trying to find out if this is really the life expectancy of this type of furnace but have found nothing.

Any opinions? Should our furnace really need to be replaced or should replacing the motor give us a few more years?

Also, the repair man told me that his company wouldn't be able to replace our furnace for a month or two, but he had a friend that could do it, and he gave us his friends business card -- that sounded fishy to us.

Bjd

Yea thats about right, it should be replaced. However I would give some thought as to getting a 2nd price and just for shirts and giggles have him check it out for you.
I woud not spend any money on a furnace that is this old.
Think about it, how many computers have you bought in just the past 10 years and how much did you pay for them.
What I am saying is it may be time to upgrade your heating system.
As to the tec giving out his friend card, I would call his boss and just say you lost the guys card and would like to know his number as his price was the lowest bid.

Bernie

HVAC Doc

I would definately stay away from the guy referring a "friend" for the job. BJD is correct in saying it sounds fishy. Chances are the guy is not fully licensed, bonded or insured or that permits will be pulled on the job. I would fire any of my guys if I caught them doing something like that.

If your furnace is a Carrier SXC model, there have been soem issues as of late with the secondary heat exchangers on these units. The coating they used on the secondary is coming off and plugging up the exchanger causing roll-out conditions as well as cracks in the cells themselves. Nothing "official" has been done by Carrier Corp yet, but we have had to condem a couple already this year and have heard of other companys condeming almost every one they run across. If you are happy with the company that has been doing your service as a whole, call up the boss and ask for a quote. If you are unsure of the price get a couple more bids as well. Do keep one thing in mind, since you have a Carrier 90%+ furnace right now, the easiest swap is with another Carrier 90% furnace.

Mike Finley

I was under the impression that a blower could be replaced, I did it on our old Rheem furnace. I was also under the impression that while 15 years may be a rule of thumb, if the plenum ain't cracked then don't replace it. The last house I owned the Rheem unit was going on 33 years old.

tinner73

the plenum won't be cracked but the heat exchanger might be. there is where your problem would lie. anybody putting $ into a 30+ yr/old furnace is wasting $$. trust me the extra $$ that went up your chimney with the old inefficient furnace would have paid for a new one. you didn't save anything. in regard to the 15 yr old Carrier trash it and put your $$ towards a new system. would you fix a tired 15 yr/old car?...30/yr/old?

Mike Finley

tinner73 - I guess that depends on how long you are living in the home, what part of the country you live in and how much a replacement is going to cost you. It is no different then replacement windows paying themselves back over time. I've never owned a home for more than 6 years.