My neighbor had a mother raccoon and three babies make a home in her chimney. She waited until they were old enough to climb out, then had a cover put on while they were away. My chimney has a cover that can be opened if using the fireplace. The chimney needs repaired, so it hasn't been used for many years.
Time For a New Furnace
- Thread starter Chetlaham
- Start date
phillymatt53
Well-known member
Then the homeowner should install a screened chimney cap to prevent such issues.
Almost, if not all furnace brands have a ten year parts warranty. Some require registration for the second 5 years. They do not come with a labor warranty, only what the installer provides, or you can purchase extra. 20 years on the heat exchanger is also standard, some have lifetime. But the labor will kill the deal.
This is what we use for out 95+ furnace to keep out critters and insects:
https://pvcventscreens.com/?srsltid=AfmBOopUAklmcRr05VfdSovPzs5HEFaPkaQBMk6C4sxvoUX04tto5vE3
Our neighbors use nothing, only issue they have had is wasp nests. They love those pipes.
And to the other poster what extra maintenance does a 95+ furnace require? I'll tell you...NONE.
2 weeks ago I had a new metal roof installed. In the middle of the night, things were falling off my fireplace mantle. Went back to sleep and the next night, same thing. I got up in the middle of the night, turned the lights on and there was 3 flying squirrels on the rafters. Next morning I got in touch with an exterminator who came the next day and set traps and by the next morning they were caught. He said the old flashing around the chimney was loose enough so they squeezed thru it to get into the house and trapped in with the new flashing.
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My neighbor down the street put insect screen netting held in place with hose clamps on his direct vent PVC pipes. I've been meaning to do the same for 15 years but keep pushing it aside LOL. I've never had anything big enter my furnace but I guess it is only a matter of time before I am kicking myself.
phillymatt53
Well-known member
Those chimney caps are not expensive, and are good insurance against critters invading the chimney.
The cost of having a servicer come out to repair the heater or clear the critter stuck in there would be substantially more expensive.
They also make them for the air vent pipes that are part of the sewer lines like the toilet, sinks, etc.
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You're preaching to the choir here
In all seriousness I need to get them installed on my pipes.
phillymatt53
Well-known member
You're preaching to the choir here
In all seriousness I need to get them installed on my pipes.
What I can't figure out is- and perhaps again its entirely due to overly zealous listing standards- why they can't make a 95% gas furnace which works like a gas dryer or oven and without any electronics.
Basically the furnace I imagine in my mind has an inducer blower that starts via 24 volt call for heat relay. Once the inducer pics up speed this causes a proving pressure switch to close energizing a high inertia hot surface igniter and one of the primary gas holding coils and one of the primary gas assist coils. The glowing red hot surface igniter then triggers the radiant sensor to open energizing the secondary main coil allowing gas to flow into the nozzles to become ignited by the hot surface igniter. When the radiant sensor opens, this drops power to the hot surface igniter.
The flame heats the heat exchanger, and when the body of the heat exchanger plate becomes hot enough a 140*F thermostat closes energizing the main blower's heating speed.
Once the call for heat ends power is dropped to the gas valves and both the inducer and blower run until the heat exchanger cools.
Some what ifs:
If for what ever reason the flame drops out while burning, the radiant sensor cools down thereby closing its contacts back in. This deenerigzes the secondary gas valve coil and re-energizes the hot surface igniter to repeat the ignition cycle. In that time the inducer will run long enough to bring fresh air into the heat exchanger and combustion system.
If there is brief power drop out and re-energization causing the flame to drop out before the radiant sensor closes the primary section of the gas valve will not open because the assist coil must be energized first to allow such, and for that to happen the radiant sensor must first cool and close to re-start the ignition cycle.
If any over heating occurs, any flame roll out occurs, or if the pressure switch opens due to poor air induction, the entire gas and ignition system will shut down due to hi-limit thermostats and the pressure switch being electrically in series.
This system would result in zero semi conductors and very few operating relays while providing superior protection.
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