Replace a 27 yr old Rheem furnace with a 16 yr old Rheem 90+?

**tightwad** · 02-24-2005, 11:55 PM

I have an opportuniy to pick up a 16 yr old Rheem 90+ gas furnace for free. My current furnace is a Rheem gas that was installed when my house was built in 1978. It is working fine at this time and my annual gas bill including using a gas hot water heater was $630 last year. Trying to decide if it would be a good thing to change out the systems. I probably will have to get a new central air conditioning unit this year and I can also get a 6 yr old Rudd outside compressor unit and the a-coil with the 90+ furnace for free.
The Rheem 90+ furnace is 16 yrs old but was only truly used for 8 of those 16 yrs. The folks had wood heat and preferred to use that until it became a health issue. They had problems with the furnace in Jan when it was in the 20's and couldn't find any one that would work on a Rheem in their area because the Rheem dealer they bought the unit from was out of business and now there are no Rheem dealers within driving distance. They managed to find someone who had a left over computer board and that fixed the unit but they immediately had a new system installed.
I have little doubt that the Rheem 90+ unit would do a good job for me but am having reservations about the availability of parts for a system that age. There are several Rheem dealers in our area and I am only 200 mi from Fort Smith where they are made. And would it be worth spending the money to have them changed out?
I'd appreiate the help of anyone on this board to help me with this decision?

**billg** · 02-25-2005, 12:12 AM

Don't do it you can't get all the parts anymore. In the long run it will just cost you more money.

**framehvac** · 02-25-2005, 12:27 AM

Replace a 27 yr old Rheem furnace with a 16 yr old Rheem

WOW I would reassess that.

**condenseddave** · 02-25-2005, 03:06 AM

That's a bad idea. Please don't do that.

**Jultzya** · 02-25-2005, 03:13 AM

Well, lets see....average life of *new* equipment....18-20 years.

So, are you telling us you'd like to replace it again in a couple years?

**fat eddy** · 02-25-2005, 06:43 AM

That explains the cliche, of stepping over a dollar to save a penny.

**James 3528** · 02-25-2005, 06:47 AM

This must be a joke.

**fat eddy** · 02-25-2005, 06:50 AM

Would you eat out of their garbage can also, it is not much different than breathing everything that accumalated in that thing over the sixteen years.

**BaldLoonie** · 02-25-2005, 08:42 AM

That would be a RGEB and probably split open. Rheem, like many, had some heat exchanger trouble on the early 90s. Splurge, get a new Rheem!

**icssales** · 02-25-2005, 08:48 AM

This cant be a serious question..........

**tinner73** · 02-25-2005, 08:50 AM

i also get 16 year old equipment for free, my stuff goes in the garbage though. who would be dumb enough to install 16 year old equipment for you? boy..you really are tight.

**tightwad** · 02-25-2005, 12:35 PM

Appears the score is 10 to nothing. I think maybe this wasn't such a good idea. You guys have a lot of imagination, keep it going.
I really hadn't considered eating their garbage or drinking their bathwater, but I suppose they would let me.

**tightwad** · 02-25-2005, 12:49 PM

Condenseddave, I checked the SITE RULES again. I copied the last paragraph of section #1 and have included it below.

HVAC Pros, please note; home owners are welcome to ask questions here, if you do not wish to be helpful that is fine but do not intimidate, obstruct or criticize those that wish to be more helpful than you. If you do not like a particular thread or topic, do not reply.

But thanks for your time to respond anyway.

Thread: Replace a 27 yr old Rheem furnace with a 16 yr old Rheem 90+?

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