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Those old Honeywell Thermostats are quality units... I don't expect any on the new stuff to be around 40 or 50 years later.
That being said, you may be able to realize energy savings by going with a programmable unit with adjustable set points for different days of the week and time of day.
My best guess and this is only a guess... Your furnace is probably original, especially judging from the thermostat. With a new furnace, you have the option of increasing efficiency from about 70% to a minimum of 80% all the way up to around 95% on some of the high end models.
I think your neighbors probably have upgraded their furnaces. Also, don't overlook leaking air ducts, especially if they run in the under house of attic crawl spaces. Many utilities offered insulation rebates in the 80's... it would be worth taking a look at if you don't have it. Double pane windows are nice, but the energy savings payback can take many years and the windows cost a lot more to repair.
My Grandmother was almost never cold... always had a window at least slightly open. Her furnace was very inefficient... installed in 1922... but 100% reliable for the times she used it. Some of her neighbors have changed out furnaces every 15 years... and that costs money too.
I don't think the furnace is original. The house is around 40+ yrs old.
....here's another pic...this is of the entire set-up...there is an air cleaner/Aprilaire unit attached as well. And I did check the taping around the air duct joints and some do need to be taped better.
Oh, and it's a Bryant furnace, if that matters.
*Thanks for the info!*
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mikey_NC
Why not hang a thermometer on the wall next to the thermostat and then compare readings?
We had one of those older Honeywells and after making the comparison to a thermometer we replaced it with a digital thermostat.
Most digital thermostats can be adjusted up/down 3 degrees and we have ours right on the money now.
I'm going out later to get a thermometer and do this test to compare.
Quote:
Originally Posted by zonababe
Check to see if your utility company will do a free energy audit for you. They can tell you where you are loosing heat and offer remedies. We use a wood pellet stove and reverse the ceiling fans to keep the house warm most of the winter. Rarely do we use the central heating which is propane gas.
That's a really good idea having the utility company come out. Thanks!
That is definitely not a 40 year old furnace. It would be a lot bigger. Is there a date on it? If the basement is unheated, you could wrap the ducts with insulation. You could also have a lot of cold air coming in around your windows and doors if they aren't insulated. A good heat audit will find all those places with a cool infrared sensor gun. Your utility company might do it for free. Worth checking into. Also, is the air cleaner clean?
That furnace looks similar to mine and it's about 5 years old. check your air filters. You've gotten some good advice. What about your attic insulation? Heat could be lost through the attic too.
That is definitely not a 40 year old furnace. It would be a lot bigger. Is there a date on it? If the basement is unheated, you could wrap the ducts with insulation. You could also have a lot of cold air coming in around your windows and doors if they aren't insulated. A good heat audit will find all those places with a cool infrared sensor gun. Your utility company might do it for free. Worth checking into. Also, is the air cleaner clean?
I looked for the date...but couldn't find it...I've been on a hunt today checking windows and doors for drafts ...the front door is "newer" but definitely feel a draft coming in at the bottom and there is also a coat closet off the front entrance....and it's freezing in there!....I never use that closet....I usually hang coats at the back entrance....in that closet was the "old" mail slot...it felt like a window open in there...I shoved a towel in it for now...brrrr! http://carolann63.smugmug.com/photos/213110526-XL.gif (broken link) ....this is my first winter in this house, so this is all a learning experience.
Quote:
Originally Posted by brookdaleresident
That furnace looks similar to mine and it's about 5 years old. check your air filters. You've gotten some good advice. What about your attic insulation? Heat could be lost through the attic too.
Ok, this is another problem....the filters...I cannot for the life of me figure out where the heck the filter to the furnace goes??? I checked the manual for the model (#383KAV/Bryant upflow furnace) I have and determined where the filter goes...I think ....but here is the tricky part...where that air cleaner system is would be where the furnace filter should go??? But there is no way to get in between the two........and I am not going to be Jackie-of-all-trades and try to figure this out....lol
Attic---oh boy!...yeah, I went up there....I guess you could call it a partially finished attic?...there are 4 HUGE closets...3 of them are insulated pretty good but the 4th one has a vent which should open and close and of course it should be closed in the colder months...but...the chain on it is broken....it's as cold in that closet as it is outside which is a balmy 25° at the moment...
Well folks, I think I've determined where I've been throwing my money.....right out that attic vent........I rigged it temporarily with a piece of cardboard and a towel...
*Thanks for giving me so much good information, everyone!!*
Last edited by citybythebay; 12-28-2007 at 06:27 PM..
Reason: Added my thanks...:)
Attic leaks are the biggest problem so that one should be corrected first. Heat rises so any uninsulated hole in the attic is like a chimney. If that closet is so cold, it might not have been insulated. Drafts around windows and doors is either leaky weather stripping or uninsulated cavities behind the trim - a common problem I've seen in brand new houses, let alone old ones that never had it at all.
My guess is the air cleaner functions as the filter, and then some. That air cleaner might contain a filter inside it. The filters are installed in the ducting installed by the installer, not usually as part of the furnace. The furnace manual will probably say it needs to be installed but that won't help you. If you can find a manual for the air cleaner, it might give you a clue. Some of them might have a filter that needs to be replaced and some might have fins or a filter that is washable.
The suggestion to check filters and airflow is a very good one. Looks like you have one of the more expensive pleated filters in the beige box to the right. The cover should either slide out like a drawer or have 4 snap clips holding it in place. You also have AC.
I doubt this could be the problem, but once I came across a 2 year old furnace that was not putting out hot air. The owners had pets and never changed the filter... you can imagine how it was plugged.
Most places will need to order the larger pleated filters if that is what you have.
The suggestion to check filters and airflow is a very good one. Looks like you have one of the more expensive pleated filters in the beige box to the right. The cover should either slide out like a drawer or have 4 snap clips holding it in place. You also have AC.
I doubt this could be the problem, but once I came across a 2 year old furnace that was not putting out hot air. The owners had pets and never changed the filter... you can imagine how it was plugged.
Most places will need to order the larger pleated filters if that is what you have.
Wow....I'd have to say today was a very good learning experience....I learned so much from you all...this means so much to me...my Dad was an HVAC engineer... was always the one that helped me out with stuff like this...he's since passed...but I feel like I've learned quite a bit from everyone that's given me advice today...thank you...
Here is what I've discovered now thanks to Ultrarunner....I found out where the filter is...it is in that beige box....and it is a huge pleated filter...that box did open up and inside was the filter which did slide out...I can't tell if it's dirty or needs changing?
It's not like the other kind of filters where you can see dust, hair or whatever else....here's the pic I took of it....now in this pic and from what I can tell it does appear to look "dirty"? If that is suppose to be white.......yikes!
It feels like a heavy cardboard type of material not like the typical filters. (?)
I'm not in the HVAC business, although part of my responsibility includes ensuring HVAC maintenance and repair for a Hospital...
The filter pictured was quite popular about 15 years ago. If I remember... the filters cost somewhere between $40 and $60 and the general recommendation for homes without pets is for bi-annual replacement.
It is not a difficult job... BUT aligning the rows of black plastic separators can be a little tedious. The separators act like a giant comb to separate and hold the pleats in place.
I know it is heresy... but, you could do a little test and run your furnace without the filter and see if there is a noticeable increase in warm air flow.
Prior to the 1950's, most central furnaces did not have filters and many still use the inexpensive $1.99 ones found at every hardware store.
My guess is your furnace is around 80% efficient. You can run the rough numbers by finding the data spec plate to determine the Btu input vs. the Btu output and get the percentage...
I admire your determination... and great pictures ;-)
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...the front door is "newer" but definitely feel a draft coming in at the bottom and there is also a coat closet off the front entrance....and it's freezing in there!....I never use that closet....I usually hang coats at the back entrance....in that closet was the "old" mail slot...it felt like a window open in there...I shoved a towel in it for now...brrrr! http://carolann63.smugmug.com/photos/213110526-XL.gif (broken link) ....this is my first winter in this house, so this is all a learning experience. 
....I rigged it temporarily with a piece of cardboard and a towel...
