This do-hickie is the flames-coming-out-of the-many-holes do-hickie. The furnace is 30+ years old, and a big pile (literally) of rust has accumulated under it...I'd guess maybe a pint or 2 of rust dust. Other than turning off the gas line that feeds the furnace, what else do I need to do before replacing the do-hickie? My wife says to increase my life insurance and our homeowner's insurance..
2006-10-25 06:54:11 · 7 answers · asked by asperens 2 in Home & Garden ➔ Do It Yourself (DIY)
Your wife is right. Don't even bother fixing and just replace the unit, 30 years is ancient for a furnace. For what a service tech would charge you to fix the problem would be cheaper to have a brand new high efficiency furnace with a warranty. Talk to your wife about it. Have fun!
2006-10-26 17:20:33 · answer #1 · answered by Fivi 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Replacing the burners inside the furnace isn't the problem. The heat exchanger inside the furnace is where the rust is coming from. You should call a HVAC company and have them do an inspection on your furnace using an inspecter cam. It's a camera that is on a flexible rod that they can stick up inside the furnace and inspect the heat exchanger for crack. If the heat exchanger is cracked, it needs to be replaced immediately! Carbon Monoxide will leak into your house and can cause some serious health issues, even death. Replacing the 30+ year old burner will still leave you with a 30+ year old furnace. Replace it!
2006-10-28 22:35:46 · answer #2 · answered by Doug H 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
That much rust sounds like a more serious problem than rust from a gas burner (aka do-hickie, or thing-a-ma-bob.)
Call a gas technician, eg your gas utility, for a free checkup. They want customers, not gas problems.
The tech will check your furnace for gas leaks, problems with pipes, flame color, venting, etc. And most important, they can check for a broken heat exchanger, which can leak combustion exhaust gas and carbon monoxide into your air ducts - a very serious and fatal problem.
And they won't try to sell you a new furnace, though they may strongly suggest you contact an HVAC company if your furnace is on it's last legs (30 years old is very old, and inefficient.)
Good luck and do this very soon. CO leaks in gas furnaces have recently killed a number of people in the Chicago area.
2006-10-25 14:25:54 · answer #3 · answered by Tom-SJ 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I'm with your wife on this one. Replacing the burners is a dangerous job, call someone to have it fixed.
If its 30 years old you actually look into replacing because it is not fuel efficent.
2006-10-26 15:03:07 · answer #4 · answered by jsnmlk 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'd call someone because if you don't know what the do-hickie is called then how confident are you that your house won't blow up. Either that or go with your wife's suggestion.
2006-10-25 15:35:38 · answer #5 · answered by Dolby21 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Call a professional. This can be a dangerous repair.
Your local gas company may do it for free.
2006-10-25 14:02:52 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Turn off the gas,,,,, unplug the unit. If you have found new "burners", you can then replace them.
2006-10-25 14:03:10 · answer #7 · answered by bugear001 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋