Jim Redelfs wrote:

Imagine all the added elbow room if the adjoining water heater was GONE
during
a furnace retrofit. Well, that's what I'm going to be doing (See Downsize
Water Heater ) in
a little less than two weeks.

My contractor wants to DOWNSIZE to 75k from the 100k size of my
14-year-old,
conventional (spec) gas furnace. Of course, this will be done with a "90"
(or
better) model. He claims that the improved efficiency of the new furnace
will
compensate for the difference. Do you agree?

He also mentioned, after taking measurements TWICE, that I need an
18-inch-frame unit and that a bigger unit would require a reducing "boot",
which he represents as a compromise. What's with that?

Then there's the PVC vent(s) outside. He claims that it is legit to use
only
ONE - an exhaust line - that the furnace uses INTERIOR air for combustion.
He represents this as a DESIRABLE way to EXCHANGE interior air with
fresh.

I am old enough that this furnace may well be part a big part of the
resale
value of our home. He wants to install a "Weathermaker" furnace and a
Rheem
ac condensing unit outside. He says that the Weathermaker FURNACE is
virtually the same unit as a Rheem so this would be an up-front
cost-saving
issue ONLY, assuming he's right. What about resale then?

He further says that the condensing units are different and therefore,
recommends a Rheem unit outside.
He could be correct. I'm looking at replacing the 1979 furnace in my house
which is a 125000 BTU and current size estimates say I should have a 75,000
BTU so it appears mine was was oversized. How often does yours run now and
for how long, too large will short cycle.