Hi everyone,

With natural gas prices rising anywhere from 35 to 50%, I'm going to need to replace the furnace in my house.  Currently it is a old gravity feed - converted from coal - ductwork wrapped in asbestos furnace heating the house.

My question is what to ask the dealers/ installers when I'm taking bids?  What, if anything, I should watch for when I'm getting estimates?  An example would be, when I had an estimate many, many years ago, they said the main floor heating ducts would have to be moved (they're toward the center of the house) and they couldn't do anything with the second floor ducts.  I'm also considering adding central air and maybe a new system for the workshop.

I just got a bunch of bills paid off so I might as well go into debt again.

Tom.

TVGordon,
     As VKTechnical pointed out, the volume and climatic conditions are very important, his most important comment was 'bigger is not better"; the system must be sized correctly.
     A few years ago I upgraded the gas furnace in my 3,000 sq.ft. 1870's Victorian in the course of finishing my basement. I was never happy with the results; later on, as I was completing the basement, a friend who worked part-time in HVAC was over and pointed out several 'flaws in my system'.
     Originally I had one large return duct in my front hallway, this was inadequate and resulted in a 'pressurized house' [which can leave you locked out!]. The first guy added return ducts at the outside edges of the first floor rooms and had a supply duct underneath the thermostat. My friend and I re-routed the entire first floor system by placing all supply ducts at the perimeter and adding several return ducts near the interior. What a tremendous difference!
     It will pay to consult a professional to design and spec out your system. The basic install and ductwork you can do yourself (if you so desire) and then as VKT suggested have a pro seal the deal.

Tom,
I assure you replacing a Furnace may appear to be overwhelming but it's really not that bad.  Think of it as a built in appliance.  Most of the time much of the work spent on modifying and connecting plenum to the homes duct system. 

I guess, my first line of business would be to assess your home's needs by a professional.  If you are able to tie into the existing duct work you are already a step ahead of the game.

Since you are already working on the furnace and plenum makes logical sense to add the air conditioning components.
This is a straight forward process that you really do not need to be certified to do.   For the condenser installlation you will need:
Find a location for the unit.  Preferably somewhere in the shade, away from areas where you entertain.
You will need to run 220v to the unit.  If this is something you can do, you will save yourself 700-1000.00   Material cost approx 125-150.00 nice savings.

You will need to make several penetrations to your home.  1st will be approx a 1" hole for the refrigeration lines.  Second for the 220v electrical line for the disconnect box.  Third you will need two 2 1/2" to 3"
penetrations for the furnace's intake and exhaust.  If your going to be drilling through concrete or brick, I highly recommend renting a Hilti drill and coring bits from H-depot.  Takes about 10 minutes and leaves a much better finish.

Your probably thinking"easy for him to say"  Tom I don't know your skill set, but if you are a DIY'er I would rate this a 7 on difficulty.  Your biggest challenge is going be obtaining information to minimize the learning curve.  Also, this is a great time to handle project yourself since you don't have AC to begin with and don't need the heat to keep you warm.

First have your home evaluated by a "no pressure" HVAC professional.  If you think you are up to the challenge please feel free to contact me via email and I will happy to layout an installation matrix for you.  I can also call my friend at Johnstone Supply to see if you can purchase the supplies under my account and pick it or ship to your state.

Victor

Have any links to info on this?  The tag on my furnace is dated December 1972, so I'm in the market for something new as well.

Follow the link you have above, WaterFurnace offers the Envision series in both an indoor and an outdoor split and offer the matching air handler for the indoor portion.
TC

The beauty of a ground source heat pump is that you are not dealing with air temperature.  The deciding facture is ground temperature at a given depth.  Imagine a cave in the middle of the summer.  It is cooler than the outside air.  Well your heat pump wants to get rid of hot air.  It is easier to get rid of hot air to cold air than  it is to already hot air.  Let's go to winter.  I live in Virginia and winters are not brutal, but this region is on the border line of whatworks for a heat pump.  A typical winter night.  Temperature outside is 29 degrees.  A heat pump will try to extract heat out of the outside air.  Not much there I guess.  Now let's go downstairs into the earth.  That heat pump may be be trying to get heat from a place that is 50 to 60 degrees based on the design of the system.  A whole lot more efficient.

Please don't be insulted by the wat I try to explain this.  It's just my way - It is not meant to reflect on any knowledge of you or anyone else.

Ground soource hatpump systems need to be designed based on the local climate.  The basis is just like you car.  The radiator uses airflow to cool the water in the cooling system.  This system uses this in the earth to do so and the earth at the appropriate depth is more constant.

If you are more interested, just let me know and I will try to pull together some articles from some magazines.  It is a wonderful concept  in this country it just will not become affordable unti the energy costs become too high.

Just my thoughts,

Peter

Steve,

WaterFurnace now makes both an Indoor Split and an Outdoor Split heat pump. In addition, we now have our own AHRI rated Air Handling Unit to provide a matched system where a package unit like our Envision system will not work. Or where a homeowner wants to use a natural gas furnace as their backup heat source, they can use our AHRI rated DX coil.[/quote]

Thanks Peter, I understood the basics of the system.  When I had heard that heat pumps worked best in mild climates, it was probaby not refferring to ground source heat pumps.

Steve, I would have to call someone, but I live in the city limits and yet to see anyone drilling a well.  They probably just dig a trench, but I could be wrong (it's happened once or twice ).

It seems a ground source heat pump would pay for itself in the long run.  But my wife and I haven't decided if we are going to try to sell the house in a few years and move out of the city.  If we are going to stay, the heat pump would be the way to go.  If we are going to sell, we will install a furnace because the houses in our neighborhood don't sell for much and they don't sell quick.   

Tom.

Tom, I hear you.  I struggled with the same decision since we are now empty nesters and were considering downsizing.  The rate natural gas was going up at the time tilted me over to the heat pump.  I think I will be in this house at least another 2 years so will have most of the payback complete if not all.  I really look at the ground source heat pump as being a good selling point (assuming there are buyers of course).  If I knew for sure I would be moving in 5 years or less, I would not have gone this route.
Steve

                   The replacement of furnace  have its depends on the placement or location like in the 2nd floor.

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