Need some more advice....

[spacebluesonoma]

Well finally found a legit heating contractor to line my chimney. Problem is that I need a 5" liner and they can not get the 5" liner in my 6" clay tiles because they have apparenntly shifted and have some ridges on them. I have 140,000 BTU and he said a 4" is no good. So with that being said, what is by best option?

[BILLG]

They can bust up the clay tiles but this will cost more. You may have to have a company that specializes in chimney work do this, most heating contractors don't get this involved with chimneys.

[spacebluesonoma]

We are thinking that we should just get a 92% efficent furnace instead. I have a janitrol that was installed back in 1994 that has had a lot of condensation in it. It works but the gas valves are rusty, it wouldn't always light last year, etc. For the money it is going to cost me to get the chimney fixed, for a few dollars more, we can go with a 92% efficent furnace. The contractor I am dealing with has a Gibson 92% efficent 80K BTU which he backs for 6 years parts and labor for 2100 installed

[BILLG]

Now your thinking, a new 90% furnace will quickly pay for itself.

[spacebluesonoma]

I am also being told there is something called a chimney adapter that is just for this problem?

[BILLG]

Don't waste your money, you will need a new furnace soon anyway. Change it before it brakes down and you have to spend money that could go have gone towards a new furnace.

SBS,

Maybe I've missed something, but how is a 92% (or 90%) furnace going to change the need for a chimney liner? Just a layman's guess, but it seem logical (to me anyway) that the higher the efficiency, the hotter the flue gases will be, hence the need for the liner.

Certainly, out there in Chicago land, you must have some good chimney specialists who can offer you a remedy for your problem, Any chance of venting to an outside wall to a new secondary chimney? How would that price compare with trying to fix the old one which probably goes up through the interior of the house?

Just a suggestion,

CWS

[plumber]

CW,

The extra high efficiency models have a pvc vent that goes through the wall. The gases are not hot at all. The extra heat from the combustion is used to make heat for the home, thus the higher efficiency. They cost more but the savings is substantial enough to make it worth the investment for those who can afford one.

If heating costs increase as much as projected I may well upgrade myself.

Plumber,

Thanks for the info. I guess I didn't have it explained that way, when they installed my new furnace this past winter. I think our new unit was rated at about 87* and the guy who spec'd it out for us, didn't think that we'd make up for the extra cost of going to the higher efficiency unit. He also said the higher efficiency unit was a bit noisier... and that proved to be the deciding factor, as the wife's hearing is exceptionally sensitive. She can't stand the new furnace that we got, because it is so much noisier than the old one! Of course, the explaination that the new one doesn't have two tons of cast iron in it, and that the old squirrel cage fan turned slower and was less efficient, doesn't help. Noise is noise!

But this house will be on the market this coming spring, so this will be the last winter for us here.

Thanks,

CWS

[spacebluesonoma]

Well I contacted another contractor, and he, in not so many words, said the first guy I had try to do it, was an imbecile. He is coming out tomorrow to line the chimney. He said it can be done. Also he said the same thing, that a 90 + furnace for me is a waste of money, while it will save me a few bucks a year on gas, i won't recoup any monies on it unless I am here at least 5-7 years after purchase, and that is not likely going to happen.

So for <500 I will be getting my chimney lined properly