My furnace sounds real scary!

[many a good man]

It's a 35 year old Borg-Warner. Lately whenever it cycles on it goes "FVOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!!!!". The last one shook the wall that lies between me on my computer and it. My wife wants to turn it off and get it replaced. Unfortunately it's really cold outside right now and I'd rather take a risk.

Does anybody have and suggestions for something I can do to keep the heat until we can get a repair guy to come by? Should I try to lower the gas feed some how?

[NMDemDist2]

1. I'm with your wife

it's really hard to replace your house, easy to put on socks and a sweater

[Wash. state Desk Jet]

2. When is the last time

you had those ducts and the furnace cleaned ? Are any of those return air vents covered ? And have you made a emergency service call yet. No doubt the advice you seek can be obtained over the phone. Better to act than it is to sit back.

[Warpy]

3. Get somebody from the gas company out to check it

because it sounds like there is a leak and the combustion chamber is filling with gas between firings. The risk is that it warms up a little and the firings last less often and the "foom" turns into "BOOM!" You're almost there if it's shaking a wall.

The fix might be a simple one, but you won't know until you get it checked. The gas company will do this and so will a heating contractor.

In the meantime, shut if off and get yourself a couple of electric space heaters and an electric blanket. Stay in bed if you have to. It beats getting blown up.

[many a good man]

4. Thanks. Seems to be behaving now.

I never got the callback with advice and no one can come by until Monday. I took off the cover and cleaned it out a bit inside based on some tips I saw online. It sounds normal again. Hopefully it will stay that way for the next 36 hours. I'll turn it off the next time I hear a loud noise.

Any advice on a new gas furnace to look for? This old one has put in 35 years of solid service but it might be time to put it to pasture.

[Warpy]

5. Nope, your heating guy will give you the best advice

on how large a unit you need and what sort of efficiency ratings are out there.

Good luck!

(my floor furnace is a 1946 model but I'm not fixing it until it breaks. I do have a CO detector, though)

[eleny]

7. We had a 1948 floor furnace up until about 10 years ago

There are still times when I miss it. On a snowy day when you come inside from shoveling and could stand over it, the heat it put out was glorious. Ours was central in the house but also in a bad spot, the middle of a small hallway. We always had to do a little hop around it. But I'll never forget the lovely heat it put out. Ours didn't even have a thermostat. We'd just set it on a low flame and that was that. Toasty house.

[Wash. state Desk Jet]

6. You should talk to the service repair person

about that first. Somebody that knows that furnace and it's values. Your electric/ gas company should do a free estimate on that. In such a estimate if replacing your furnace is cost effective and reduces energy consumption/resources, and the replacement would pay for itself in savings. That has to be demonstrated. On the other hand, they may advise you to keep what you got. What you need is a honest evaluation.

Most likely your furnace needs a good service cleaning. Did you check the return air vents? By the way, you got filters on that ?