Furnace longevity and a side benefit of insulating heavily

So we moved into our house in central Pa in July of 2001. The attic appeared to be insulated. That first winter while we were getting used to the house and PA winters, we burned more fuel oil than we have in the succeeding 18 years.
That first winter, we discovered the attic had virtually no insulation because the pink batts had been thrown around at random, with huge gaps, compressed spots, etc. We were keeping the upstairs pipes from freezing by heating the attic.

When we moved in, we had an oil burning furnace (Oneida) installed in 1986. How long do furnaces last? I did the maintenance faithfully and had the furnace filter changed every single month. Those are the only two things a homeowner can do to keep a furnace in tip-top shape.

Or so I thought.

So here we are today, after the furnace guys came out and did the annual maintenance. They mentioned the oil pump (a Webster old enough to have razor blades in its throat to chop up sludge) sounded 'not good'. The furnace is 33 years old. Keystone sent out a rep and we discussed what to do.

We can replace the furnace with various options (big $$$) OR I can replace the pump and install a de-aerator (much smaller $).

The reason I have this choice isn't just my faithful maintenance.

It's that we insulated the house as much as possible, weather-stripped every door and window, installed insulated drapes and window quilts, and keep the winter thermostat set to 64 degrees during the day and 55 degrees at night. The insulation matters the most because it's passive and it never stops working. Because my furnace doesn't have to work as hard, it's lasted longer than expected. My heat exchanger is still good.

Replacing the oil pump and installing a de-aerator into the fuel lines should gain me another 5 to 7 years of life from my furnace. Eventually, I'll HAVE to replace it, but not yet. I am taking a risk that I'll get those 5 to 7 years of life and that the furnace won't go out on me in February.

I would not have this choice if we hadn't insulated to a fare-thee-well and if we didn't use it so little.

So there you are: insulation doesn't just save you heating dollars now. Insulation means your furnace doesn't have to work as hard so it lasts longer.

Teresa from Hershey

ClareBroommaker's picture

I've only seen one oil burning furnace and it was a huge, ancient thing, but I did not realize they even had moving parts. Good for you on the insulation and weather stripping! Good point that using the furnace less extends the years it can be used.

We have a natural gas furnace and it is old -- 1970's? I understand newer would be more efficient, but should we replace a still working appliance? If I have to spend big money, I think I'd rather spend it on an alternative heat source such as a wood stove, but we have never done anything about it in all these years.

The best I can say in your situation is get a thorough inspection. Some furnaces will last for decades. It depends entirely on how well built it was to begin with and how it has been treated over the years. After the inspection, get estimates for replacements.

The various furnace reps I've spoken with all say the new furnaces don't last nearly as long as the old monsters.
Eventually though, the old monsters die, usually in the middle of the night on a holiday weekend.

If you have the option of a wood stove (which is work, unlike spinning a dial like a furnace), I'd go with that. You know it will run when the electricity is out. You may also want to look into fuel oil instead of natural gas. Fuel oil means having a big tank of home heating oil in your house but that means you don't run out unexpectedly. If the gas stops flowing, you're out of luck.

Do not go with propane. Propane companies use proprietary hardware so if you purchase a furnace (or anything else) with Company A, you can't buy a propane cylinder from Company B.

Heat pumps can work great, if you're in an area that doesn't get that cold. Central Pa, based on the experiences of my best friend, is too cold for a heat pump to work well.

Insulate, insulate, insulate. It saved us and cut down on the drafts.

Teresa from Hershey

Blueberry's picture

Most stuff made in the last 30-40 years has one also a step down transformer something like 120 volts to 24 volts and a power relay. If the board goes out the repair guy will try and sell you a new furnace by saying it will take 2 weeks to get spare parts. Might not be a bad idea to keep some spares in the house. My own HVAC system needs a new relay every 5-6 years. Try searching your furnace model for a PDF and see if service manuals are on line.