Non-standard sized gas furnace

[driftinj]

Hi -

I am having the furnace in my home replaced as a condition of sale. However, the crawlspace access is only ~27" so will not accommodate a standard 28.5" unit.

The furnace that's down there is a 91 Lennox that is longer and thinner than standard (around 54" x 14 x 17 or so). Unfortunately the HVAC guys I'm working with have been unable to find anyone who still makes a non-standard dimensioned furnace like that.

I was hoping someone here might know of a manufacturer who makes something like that.

The alternatives are excavating out the crawl space access or cutting into the floor inside the house. Obviously, both are less desirable than finding a furnace with similar dimensions to the current unit.

The current unit is being replaced because it has a cracked heat exchange that is out of warranty and has been discontinued so just replacing the exchange is not an option.

Thanks

[wahoo]

Make sure and check with the manufacturer to confirm your unit is out of warranty! I think nearly all of our brands are 28" deep, however you could disassemble the furnace and re-assemble it inside the crawlspace. This will not be cheap and you'll have to find a brand that will come completely apart as any welded sections would void warranty if broken. I'd probably recommend just making a larger access door, as this will be someone else's problem forever if not taken care of!

[driftinj]

Thanks. Yes, it only had a crappy 10 yr warranty on the heat exchange.

It looks like they might have found something that will fit. I haven't gotten the details on who the manufacturer is yet but that's a load off my mind.

I hear you on fixing the problem for the future, but I've done enough for this house and its future. I'll let someone else deal with the problem 25 years down the road - maybe, we'll all have in house fusion plants by then ;)

[DanW13]

If by chance the crawl space is above a room that has carpeting you could pull the carpet cut a hole in the floor, drop the furnace in and have the carpet re-installed.

[high plains]

In the past I have had to "gut" a furnace, fold the shell up to get it through, then reassemble the mess in the hole. Not my favorite thing nor do I do it now with my own company, but it did work and you couldn't tell the furnace had ever been apart once done.