Should I be concerned ...

[chloeourdog]

I bought this house a year ago. Gas furnace had a crack in the secondary combustion chamber that got larger over time. HVAC person looked at it and recommended filling with silicone caulk for now since it does not get very hot and is under suction and not pressurized.

http://i904.photobucket.com/albums/ac245/xemoterp/2011-02-05_14-09-55_339.jpg

http://i904.photobucket.com/albums/ac245/xemoterp/2011-02-05_14-10-03_770.jpg

http://i904.photobucket.com/albums/ac245/xemoterp/2011-02-05_14-10-18_937.jpg

http://i904.photobucket.com/albums/ac245/xemoterp/2011-02-05_14-10-34_825.jpg

I am half-considering replacing this (Goodman 2002 furnace) along with a heat pump (Goodman) in my attic. Both zones would be replaced with gas/hybrid Carrier or Trane systems. Also considering Hyrdronic/boiler/coils in air handlers setup for heat.

Problem is justifying changeout of this furnace if it is still working .... upstairs unit should be replaced due to high energy consumption (HVAC person states it is operating about as good as it can, but the electric backup with MD utility rates will get you in extreme weather ...)

[seatonheating]

I'd replace them both and go high-efficiency with each.

Gives you a fresh warranty and much lower utility bills for the foreseeable future.

[Twilly]

Twilly says yes, be concerned, be very concerned.

[2old2rock]

Some parts can be repaired. That collector box is not one of them.

[seatonheating]

Twilly says yes, be concerned, be very concerned.

But Twilly, I've seen lots of Coleman trailer units with silicone all over the place. Isn't that your handy work?

[George2]

This probably is a stupid question, but what would cause the plastic collector box to crack?

Is this unit in the attic where it might have frozen?

[chloeourdog]

No - the unit is in the basement. I was reading that this vintage of Goodman has seen a large share of cracked secondary combustion boxes - usually where the screws go through the housing indicating possible over-tightening of the bolts during manufacturing or installation.

I do have a CO detector/gas detector next to the unit, so I am not currently getting CO leakage, but that is a huge concern of mine.

When we bought the house, the condensate lines were leaking and the bottom of the furnace is rusted out from that. The basement stays in the upper 60's during the winter (it is insulated and below grade). The lines were repaired by the previous owner's HVAC company - they do not leak anymore and I did have the base of the furnace sheet metal repaired where it had rusted.

[seatonheating]

Consumers will trick themselves into thinking just about anything is safe in order to not spend money!!!

Read this very carefully:

YOUR UNIT IS NOT SAFE THE WAY IT IS!!!!!

Whether or not your store bought CO detector reads anything means nothing, most of them are junk.

What that guy did was HACK 101 and he should be ashamed of himself. Get the thing fixed or replaced ASAP.

[hvacvegas]

It's a 2002...whats the warranty on it? 5 years parts?

[seatonheating]

It's a 2002...whats the warranty on it? 5 years parts?


If it's a Goodman it should be 10 years, but it isn't bumper to bumper. Probably only moving parts so that part probably isn't covered.

[heaterman]

Part should still be available, why not replace it.

[chloeourdog]

I am not trying to be cheap, I want to replace our attic air handler/heat pump and with this additional repair pending, I am just considering replacing this whole system with something decent as well. Before reading people's comments, I was not sure whether this repair/replacement could wait a little bit. Looks like the consensus is act quickly.

Part is available, but I may as well take the repair cost and apply it to replacing the system (it has had other problems as well that I have paid to have fixed ....)

[seatonheating]

I am not trying to be cheap, I want to replace our attic air handler/heat pump and with this additional repair pending, I am just considering replacing this whole system with something decent as well. Before reading people's comments, I was not sure whether this repair/replacement could wait a little bit. Looks like the consensus is act quickly.

Part is available, but I may as well take the repair cost and apply it to replacing the system (it has had other problems as well that I have paid to have fixed ....)

Very good choice. I don't like those GMP units either, it would nickel and dime you more, trust me.

[chloeourdog]

Attic unit is a Goodman as well ... it has a slow leak in the indoor unit and is a heat pump with electric backup. I believe it is mostly responsible for my recent 3700KW of usage this past month.

I am thinking of replacing it with a non-condensing gas/hybrid furnace heat pump system since it is in the attic and only has to heat 1400 Sq. Feet.

Both would be matched Carrier or Trane systems.

[seatonheating]

Attic unit is a Goodman as well ... it has a slow leak in the indoor unit and is a heat pump with electric backup. I believe it is mostly responsible for my recent 3700KW of usage this past month.

I am thinking of replacing it with a non-condensing gas/hybrid furnace heat pump system since it is in the attic and only has to heat 1400 Sq. Feet.

Both would be matched Carrier or Trane systems.

Don't restrict yourself to a couple of brands just because they plaster their names on everything. Find a good contractor and install whatever brand he supplies you with. A good contractor will be hard to find, this is what he should do at a minimum:

1. Blower door test.
2. Manual J heat loss.
3. Ductwork assessment, static pressure test.
4. Not sell you equipment, listen to your comfort needs.
5. Give you performance guarantees.

[chloeourdog]

Don't restrict yourself to a couple of brands just because they plaster their names on everything. Find a good contractor and install whatever brand he supplies you with. A good contractor will be hard to find, this is what he should do at a minimum:

1. Blower door test.
2. Manual J heat loss.
3. Ductwork assessment, static pressure test.
4. Not sell you equipment, listen to your comfort needs.
5. Give you performance guarantees.

Thanks very much for this list. The two local contractors install a lot of Carrier and Trane units around here. I agree with you that the install (after the preliminary work above is completed) is much more important than the brand.

[polar ice]

[I do have a CO detector/gas detector next to the unit, so I am not currently getting CO leakage, but that is a huge concern of mine.

:beat: Wow....I never get over the people that put there faith in a made in china piece of crap CO detector. They are meant to alert you, yes. But, used as a primary life line to survival to monitor a known issue....nope. Just because you don't hear it going off doesn't mean you don't have CO in the house at some level. These things typically sound off at a high level, to tell you to get out. They are not meant to be used as you are doing, which is crazy in my mind. Get the collector box fixed, its easy to repair by a certified tech. :tussor:

[Freezeking2000]

The reason your electric bills are high is the heat pump has no gas and is running on backup heat. A heat pump is probably the best option for the second floor since you have a very small heat loss up there. It should never use auxillary heat upstairs.

[chloeourdog]

Part of the problem is that we like to sleep in 65 degree temps but like 69 degrees when we get out of bed .... asking a heat pump to do this every day is costly with electric backup even with a good Honeywell Vision 8000 Thermostat and adaptive recovery.

Also, working we let the upstairs return to 65 degrees during the day and then ask it to heat back up to 69 degrees when we are home. Same cycle. Eliminating this one may help, maybe not.

That is why I am replacing the upstairs unit with a hybrid gas/heat pump system. I will take a conservative approach and have been advised by our HVAC company to install a non-condensing unit in the attic ....

Downstairs unit (one with crack) gets replaced this week as well. BTW - it was the previous owner's HVAC person with the silicone recommendation, not ours ....

I was never intending to let this go on now that I know it is a true danger.