[Who is dude]

Hello everyone, I am getting my gravity furnace replaced with a 80% AFUE Lennox furnace. He gives me 2 options make a whole new return vent (18x14) on the dinning room floor between the joist.
( Instead of using the 4 return vents in my basement, because he says that I wouldn't have head from or space to open the door ).
Or leave the return open with the a filter, open side away from gas water boiler. He claims as long as I don't block the return vents it will pull air from there just not as strong because it suck in the air from the basement first.

My fear is that it will suck the exhaust from the furnace or the boiler. Even though the basement isn't fully closed. I do feel air coming down from the vent when we used the gravity furnace but this time it will pull in air. So what option should I go it?

 

[t527ed]

Pulling return air from furnace area violates code. Return duct must be installed.

 

[Who is dude]

Ok. Thanks. Appreciate it.I knew something was off.

 

[rider77]

How is this guy sizing the new furnace, and ductwork?

 

[kdean1]

You should find another contractor who won't endanger your family's safety with dangerous advice.

 

[STEVEusaPA]

It technically only violates code if it affects combustion/combustion air...which it almost always does. And I wouldn't trust that guy to know how to check for that.

 

[pecmsg]

Your using a gravity duct system on a 80% forced air?

Get a different contractor!

 

[Who is dude]

The warranty is replacing it. They choose a lennox ml180
I have a 1,100 feet home and he wants to do a single return 18x14. We have a return on every room and 2 on the living room just no ductwork for them.

 

[rider77]

A home warranty?
That’s not the greatest thing to do.
How big is this proposed furnace?

 

[Who is dude]

Your using a gravity duct system on a 80% forced air?

Get a different contractor!

We are getting our gravity furnace replaced with an 80% forced air. Unfortunately the warranty choose this company. I can't change it.
What I'm going to do is have him install my new furnace and have someone put in my my ductwork on my returns.

 

[Who is dude]

It technically only violates code if it affects combustion/combustion air...which it almost always does. And I wouldn't trust that guy to know how to check for that.

That was his response to me when I asked him that. He claims it wouldn't pull in combustion air because the basement isn't sealed closed we have return vents leading to the basement. We feel the air dropping from those vents.
He also said that we should feel it pull in air but just lightly because we don't have actual return ductwork

 

[Who is dude]

A home warranty?
That’s not the greatest thing to do.
How big is this proposed furnace?

Yep a home warranty. Got a year worth with the left over home grant money I received. I believe it's a 2.5 ton furnace

 

[rider77]

Furnaces aren’t rated in tonnage.
They are rated in BTU.
What size is the proposed furnace and how was that size decided upon?
This work is already sketchy, borderline illegal.
Allowing such work to be done, what else will be done wrong that you don’t know about?
I say this with personal experience that a lot of the home warranty companies do things just for the sake of spending as little money as possible.

 

[Who is dude]

https://m.lennoxpros.com/ml180uh070p24a-80%25-afue-merit-series-high-efficiency-upflowhorizontal-gas-furnace66000-btuh-2-2-5-tons/p/62W71


This is the furnace that the warranty provided according to the hvac technician who came to my home on their behalf.

 

[STEVEusaPA]

That was his response to me when I asked him that. He claims it wouldn't pull in combustion air because the basement isn't sealed closed we have return vents leading to the basement. We feel the air dropping from those vents.
He also said that we should feel it pull in air but just lightly because we don't have actual return ductwork

He has to prove it with a manometer, can't just say it. I guarantee there's not enough return air and it will compete with the combustion air. I wouldn't want to risk it, not with gas...CO, death
If you have holes for floor vents, probably not too hard to hook up return. I'd also switch that basement door to a full louver door, or remove it.

 

[martyinlincoln]

Have your duct installed first then the furnace. Don't know if there any psc motor furnaces left in inventory,they stopped making them to comply with DOE standards that went into effect 6/1/2019

 

[kdean1]

What is there is dangerous. Many of us have seen the equally dangerous work performed by low price home warranty contractors. We are giving you our advice because if you survive the new furnace, you’ll be stuck with the poor performance for 10 years or until it implodes.
Ignore our counsel at your peril.

I will not argue with someone who is determined to get a cheap resolution.

 

[Who is dude]

https://m.lennoxpros.com/ml180uh070p24a-80%25-afue-merit-series-high-efficiency-upflowhorizontal-gas-furnace66000-btuh-2-2-5-tons/p/62W71

Sorry ignore this post.

 

[Who is dude]

What is there is dangerous. Many of us have seen the equally dangerous work performed by low price home warranty contractors. We are giving you our advice because if you survive the new furnace, you’ll be stuck with the poor performance for 10 years or until it implodes.
Ignore our counsel at your peril.

I will not argue with someone who is determined to get a cheap resolution.

Believe me, I'm taking your advices. I'm gonna go with the warranty HVAC technician for the furnace replacement, but I have someone coming in after the warranty's HVAC guy finishes to do the duct work. It's not about getting cheap results. I don't have that kind of money for a whole new furnace, new wiring and new gas lines. I will let the warranty take care of that and have someone do the duct work right. I just don't understand why the warranty wants me to make a new huge return when I've had multiple other companies come out and said it was possible to use my return vents.