downflow furnaces

[mp1181]

I have a downflow furnace installed on the main floor of my home. I would like to move the furnace to the basement. I have been told by a contractor that it is imposible to do this and my furnace would have to be replaced. I was wondering if it is possible to do this without having to replace the furnace.

[t527ed]

only if it is a newer multi position furnace

[RoBoTeq]

Eith enough creativity, anything is possible. If it is not a convertable furnace, can you put a supply plenum beneath it and duct the return into the top as it is now positioned?

[pecmsg]

Mp
You didn’t say how old this furnace is. If more than 7 to 10 years then replace it. If younger then it is possible but not advisable. The only money your saving is the actual furnace, the duct work, Gas line, Electrical etc will still have to be moved. Good Luck.

[t527ed]

Originally posted by RoBoTeq
Eith enough creativity, anything is possible.





every hacks motto

[tim fox]

If you have duct issues with flow rates now{which more than a few houses do},than you will compound them by blowing air straight down and then trying to encorage it to go back up.If you have no duct issues now, you might create some.

[RoBoTeq]

Originally posted by t527ed

Originally posted by RoBoTeq
Eith enough creativity, anything is possible.





every hacks motto

I have to disagree. A hack would turn the furnace in the upflow position to make it easier even if it were not an upflow furnace.

Good techs need to be creative or they are just replacement monkeys.

[targetman]

Originally posted by RoBoTeq

Originally posted by t527ed

Originally posted by RoBoTeq
Eith enough creativity, anything is possible.





every hacks motto

I have to disagree. A hack would turn the furnace in the upflow position to make it easier even if it were not an upflow furnace.

Good techs need to be creative or they are just replacement monkeys.

I'm in this business to make money. I make more money selling a new furnace that is best suited for the application. It's that simple.

[RoBoTeq]

Making money is the bottom line, that is for certain. But...if you cannot make good money by utilizing a customers desire to make use of what they have, you again are not being very creative.

I am currently in a position where selling equipment is the only way I make my living, but as a contractor I made very good money doing what the customer wanted and charging them accordingly for it.

[deejoe]

Originally posted by RoBoTeq
Making money is the bottom line, that is for certain. But...if you cannot make good money by utilizing a customers desire to make use of what they have, you again are not being very creative.

I am currently in a position where selling equipment is the only way I make my living, but as a contractor I made very good money doing what the customer wanted and charging them accordingly for it.

Roboteq;
What your essentially suggesting is to do what ever the customer asks, whether or not it will work properly.

; GEEEZ, I hope there is not anymore out there that think (?)the way you do.

[Edited by deejoe on 09-29-2005 at 12:10 PM]

[trane]

I'm sure he means doing what they want only if it will work. Selling them a new furnace may be the easy way to do it. What he wants will also work if the ducts are designed right with his current counterflow furnace.

[Black Adder]

I've done what robo is suggesting more than a few times, have to make sure you use big enough duct and a large enough radius on your elbow to not restrict airflow. We used upflows and ducted them down into the crawlspace for years in this area and never had any issues with them. Don't see why a downflow ducted up would be any different.

[RoBoTeq]

Originally posted by deejoe
Roboteq;
What your essentially suggesting is to do what ever the customer asks, whether or not it will work properly.

; GEEEZ, I hope there is not anymore out there that think (?)the way you do.

[Edited by deejoe on 09-29-2005 at 12:10 PM] [/B]

Listen up dufus...if you cannot understand what I am stating, don't take it upon yourself to make up what you think I am stating.

No where have I advocated doing anything that will not work properly. I, and most others on this forum, can make the situation that I described work properly. If you cannot, then you are only good enough to sell new equipment. That is your problem, not mine.

[RoBoTeq]

Originally posted by Black Adder
I've done what robo is suggesting more than a few times, have to make sure you use big enough duct and a large enough radius on your elbow to not restrict airflow. We used upflows and ducted them down into the crawlspace for years in this area and never had any issues with them. Don't see why a downflow ducted up would be any different.

Exactly! Why is it that those who don't comprehend things are the ones who want to critisize the most?

I just had a situation that is essentially the opposite scenario. A consumer had a fairly new upflow furnace in a portion of his home that was being enlarged and required a larger furnace. He also had an older downflow furnace elsewhere in the home that was giving him some problems.

The contractor installing the new upflow furnace asked me if there were a way to convert the removed upflow furnace to downflow so it could be used to replace the existing downflow furnace. Since one of the problems with the downflow system was a poor supply ducting that was causing an overlimit issue with the existing downflow unit, I suggested installing the removed furnace in the upflow position and reduct the supply to go down to the existing supply duct system. There was room to do this. It took up very little extra ducting and was installed as black adder described with a sweeping elbow off of the plenum.

Everyone is now happy with the previously downflow system.