question about 1972 era forced air furnace

[Rmay635703]

Would a 1972 era forced air NG furnace be full of asbestos in the intake?

The ancient furnace that never dies has a suspicious white powder coming in and around the air uptake.

I like to imagine its soot but it’s also on the wrong side which makes me worry there is deteriorating asbestos panels inside.

It’s a completely generic upright natural gas furnace, you would hope they wouldn’t pack it chock full but they sure loved that crap back then.

 

[dadto2]

I get the same white powder in my circa 2000 natural gas furnace, so probably not.

 

[JavierH19]

With the age it's possible. Are you able to reach inside to take a sample? Could try removing the blower or something else. if you can get something out you can get a test done. If not then remove the vents and clean them and let them accumulate that stuff without the dust contaminating as much.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/PRO-LAB-Asbestos-Test-Kit/1000084131?user=shopping&feed=yes

 

[Thermo1223]

Odds are it probably is considering it wasn't completely eliminated until the 90's.

 

[KJSmith]

It's just dust.
You can vacuum it out if it bothers you.

 

[Wrenchturner44]

When you say "air uptake" are you referring to the duct work that feeds the blower motor, or are you talking about the air intake updraft for the flue? If it is the flue then it is probably dried condensate from the flue gases running down the stove pipe. Some furnances are subject to a condition known as cold flue symptom that causes flue gases to condensate before they completely exit the flue top. White powder can form as this condensate dries.

 

[wpod]

Those were built with quality.

 

[bugeye]

Our 1971 oil fired furnace does not have any asbestos. Any insulation is fiberglass panels on the inside of the air side panels. Only possible asbestos is the flue pipe connections

 

[Fitter30]

52year old furnace even if there isn't a crack in it there's baffles in the top of heat exchanger that are probably gone. They are behind draft hood that the flue pipe is connected to. Also with a inspection mirror. Might need to pull the burners with a good flashlight look over the pilot and between the sections for hairline cracks. 1/3 hp 75k btu?

 

[Rmay635703]

It's just dust.
You can vacuum it out if it bothers you.

Yes this is the flue and fresh air uptake for the burner

So I went and did start vacuuming in the combustion area as I do every year before lighting
but the new shop vac was apparently left in reverse and got a hundred tons of this “powder” blown in my face like an avalanche. (Not quite but held my breath and left door is staying shut for a while, clothes are outside and I showered)

My father used to attach the leaf blower to the combustion area of the pellet stove every year to blow out its separate chimney.

If this isn’t asbestos, I would do the same with the gas furnace considering the vast amount that came out resembles a wood stove.

It’s possible that the annual vacuum to the combustion area allowed 52 years of accumulated “dust” but this was more like ash.
We haven’t run the pellet stove in several years (whole other saga)
but it’s on its own chimney anyway.

The gas chimney was likely cleaned out circa 2017 so likely overdue.

52year old furnace even if there isn't a crack in it there's baffles in the top of heat exchanger that are probably gone. They are behind draft hood that the flue pipe is connected to. Also with a inspection mirror. Might need to pull the burners with a good flashlight look over the pilot and between the sections for hairline cracks. 1/3 hp 75k btu?

120,000 Btu, oversized, builder/contractor was cheap and got a ton of these units on clearance for a strip of homes in a 1975 subdivision, I was always told the furnace was older than the house

A pro did a quick once over last year and replaced the blower and said it was safe to use at least a few more years.

My father used to maintain all this crap and never went over it with me.

 

[Rmay635703]

Reading up on condensation it was egregiously humid in my mothers basement last winter and she would never empty the dehumidifier so that likely explains the mass of white powder in the back of the burner and air pickup

 

[RhondaHonda]

A new furnace might pay for itself rather quickly in Wisconsin. What’s your gas bill run in the cold months?

 

[Dinoburner]

Depending on the amount of dust in the air there will be white dust in the combustion chamber area. Pilots will have white dust even in cleaner atmospheres. High efficiency systems with outside air sealed intakes would not have this dust ash.

 

[tbm5690]

A new furnace might pay for itself rather quickly in Wisconsin. What’s your gas bill run in the cold months?

Same thought. No way that thing is better than 70% AFUE or so.

 

[Rmay635703]

Same thought. No way that thing is better than 70% AFUE or so.

New it was 65%
Gas bill peaks around $250-$350 for a month or 2 depending on the current rate and temperatures. (Once I think she hit close to $600 for all utilities combined when natural gas was squeezed and a month and a half of -20/25F)

Last year the bill was moderately low all year but electric was terrible due to the state utilities making stupid decisions that juiced the electric rate from 9.8 cents to 13.2 cents over a very short period of time following decades of stable prices (rates up despite its supply costs being lower to the utility)

Fixed costs to be hooked up to utilities has also been juiced up by dumb decisions making what was a $9.99 all in fixed cost around $50

All this said makes me extremely disappointed I can’t figure out how to get parts for her 1994 era corn burner, it’s more efficient (over 90%) and if I prebuy or get clearance it’s a good hedge against high prices during the coldest months, it’s also very handy if something breaks or there is an outage.

Being made by French Canadians that now seem to only make bbq equipment I’m finding it impossible to identify sources of parts to rebuild both augers and stepping motors.

The gas furnace at my apartment (aka I don’t own it) is from the 50’s/60’s (haven’t figured it out exactly.

My fathers logic in never replacing it was that he had a pellet stove and it was easy to shut off and Hotwire to simulate central air (large window directly in front of the furnace blower uptake for an ac unit)

 

[alarmguy]

Built before 1980 asbestos use in furnaces was common. Whether any particular model used it seems hard to find out without a test.
Honestly most likely pay for itself if you replace it.

I dont know if it will help other than a test but you may be able to find out from the company.
Information below
https://techdoc.bardhvac.com:8443/d...d_Parts_List/Bard_Parts_List.pdf#search=h120s

https://www.bardhvac.com/#search

 

[Rmay635703]

Built before 1980 asbestos use in furnaces was common. Whether any particular model used it seems hard to find out without a test.
Honestly most likely pay for itself if you replace it.

I dont know if it will help other than a test but you may be able to find out from the company.
Information below
https://techdoc.bardhvac.com:8443/d...d_Parts_List/Bard_Parts_List.pdf#search=h120s

https://www.bardhvac.com/#search

The hybrid pellet stove if I remember was 98% efficient when run on proper moisture wood pellets (not corn)

I will have to wedge myself is the small space behind the rear of the unit and the firewall to see if I can get any data tags off the bad components to see if a 3rd party makes the parts.

I feel the same way about the gas furnace as my father, I already have a better furnace, I should get that one functional so the gas unit can go back to being a backup