Even though it 80 degrees here, I thought I'd do my yearly cleaning. Don't think we've used since last March/April?
Who else is still heating with a old girl.
Who else is still heating with a old girl.
How about old furnace is still in use
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norgeway
Well-known member
Those old!
Gas floor furnaces would literally last forever, I have a old oil burning one that I plan to use in my building, For a small house a floor furnace is great, lots of them in the South, although most were oil burning.
Gas floor furnaces would literally last forever, I have a old oil burning one that I plan to use in my building, For a small house a floor furnace is great, lots of them in the South, although most were oil burning.
lordkenmore
Well-known member
The furnace here is probably about 50 years old. However, it's probably not the oldest one that will be mentioned here, knowing the people on this site!
Although it's forced air electric, and I think those can probably be kept going more or less forever. This one certainly has been repaired, and is not original. How knows how many sequencers have been in the thing? (Note to those who don't know: sequencers turn the furnace on and off slowly, one element at a time. An electric furnace pulls a lot of power, and switching it all on/off at once would not be good.) The original design certainly used a different sequencer scheme where at least one element would start up before the blower did. (Now the blower is first on/last off.) The blower motor is also not original.
Although it's forced air electric, and I think those can probably be kept going more or less forever. This one certainly has been repaired, and is not original. How knows how many sequencers have been in the thing? (Note to those who don't know: sequencers turn the furnace on and off slowly, one element at a time. An electric furnace pulls a lot of power, and switching it all on/off at once would not be good.) The original design certainly used a different sequencer scheme where at least one element would start up before the blower did. (Now the blower is first on/last off.) The blower motor is also not original.
toploader55
Well-known member
Old Floor Furnace
WOW !!!
We used to have one of those in our summer cottage on the Cape.
Toasty Warm. I used to stand on it while it was warming up until I couldn't stand the heat anymore. Uneven heat, but hey, it worked on chilly mornings.
WOW !!!
We used to have one of those in our summer cottage on the Cape.
Toasty Warm. I used to stand on it while it was warming up until I couldn't stand the heat anymore. Uneven heat, but hey, it worked on chilly mornings.
Empire
I wonder if its the same company. I have a (propane) gas fireplace that is an Empire in my downstairs and a gas Hearthstone up. Both work without power so I always have heat, just no power unless I want to mess with the generator.
I wonder if its the same company. I have a (propane) gas fireplace that is an Empire in my downstairs and a gas Hearthstone up. Both work without power so I always have heat, just no power unless I want to mess with the generator.
Thermostat
Is original and still working. I put two white dots on it because the numbers are too hard to read.
There's no forced air? When turned on, you can hear burners ignite, and some poping sounds. I also hear it when it shuts off..a click..and yes I stand over it when chilled LOL
Is original and still working. I put two white dots on it because the numbers are too hard to read.
There's no forced air? When turned on, you can hear burners ignite, and some poping sounds. I also hear it when it shuts off..a click..and yes I stand over it when chilled LOL
With grate
In place.
In place.
norgeway
Well-known member
It works on a millivolt thermostat
In other words gas going thru the valve generates enough current to operate the thermostat with no external power source, no fan, it works by convection, cold air falls in around the edges and rises up around the heat exchanger creating circulation, they still make this furnace and so it is replaceable.
In other words gas going thru the valve generates enough current to operate the thermostat with no external power source, no fan, it works by convection, cold air falls in around the edges and rises up around the heat exchanger creating circulation, they still make this furnace and so it is replaceable.
norgeway
Well-known member
Old Furnaces...
I know of a few in my hometown,there is a Methodist church that has the original 1947 York Heat oil furnace, the last time I serviced it it was running like a top, smooth and very quiet, There are lots of old 50s Lennoxes and Waterburys still running, the shame is the older furnace men have either retired or died and the first thing a new so called tech does is say its old and not safe, scaring a elderly homeowner into changing it to a new POS that is not a tenth as good.
I know of a few in my hometown,there is a Methodist church that has the original 1947 York Heat oil furnace, the last time I serviced it it was running like a top, smooth and very quiet, There are lots of old 50s Lennoxes and Waterburys still running, the shame is the older furnace men have either retired or died and the first thing a new so called tech does is say its old and not safe, scaring a elderly homeowner into changing it to a new POS that is not a tenth as good.
Grandmother
had an Empire propane floor furnace in her house. We were taught from a very young age to tiptoe around it when it was on. During the ice storm of 94 when the power was out, she cooked breakfast sitting on the floor beside it stirring the eggs while they slowly cooked. My grandfather said those were the best eggs he'd ever eaten!
had an Empire propane floor furnace in her house. We were taught from a very young age to tiptoe around it when it was on. During the ice storm of 94 when the power was out, she cooked breakfast sitting on the floor beside it stirring the eggs while they slowly cooked. My grandfather said those were the best eggs he'd ever eaten!
Hans
Thanks for the info, never did know exactly how it worked.
As far as I know this is the original furnace to the house (1934)
It's placed in the center hall, no heat upstairs.. Just have to open the door to the upstairs and let the heat go up for a short time to knock the chill off up there. In a cold climate this furnace wouldn't be enough to heat the square footage of this house, plus the 30 old double hung windows no insulation ect
I've lived with it for so long that I'm use to it. Its a matter of closing certain doors, and opening others part way to keep the house as evenly heated as possible. Ceiling fans help a little..
I notice during spring cleaning.. a type of grey soot that collects on the ceiling above the furnace, and on the tops of the door casting near it. Washes off easy enough with soap and water?
Was thinking I might have PG&E come out and do a safety check on it, as it hasn't been checked in years. (Hasn't tripped the Carbon Monoxide Detector yet! )
Thanks for the info, never did know exactly how it worked.
As far as I know this is the original furnace to the house (1934)
It's placed in the center hall, no heat upstairs.. Just have to open the door to the upstairs and let the heat go up for a short time to knock the chill off up there. In a cold climate this furnace wouldn't be enough to heat the square footage of this house, plus the 30 old double hung windows no insulation ect
I've lived with it for so long that I'm use to it. Its a matter of closing certain doors, and opening others part way to keep the house as evenly heated as possible. Ceiling fans help a little..
I notice during spring cleaning.. a type of grey soot that collects on the ceiling above the furnace, and on the tops of the door casting near it. Washes off easy enough with soap and water?
Was thinking I might have PG&E come out and do a safety check on it, as it hasn't been checked in years. (Hasn't tripped the Carbon Monoxide Detector yet! )
beekeyknee
Well-known member
Since I'm at my parents house I thought I'd take some pictures of their boiler. This furnace was put in fifty years ago and is still going strong. Lovely even hot water heat.
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