On Dec 10, 12:21*pm, wrote:
On Dec 10, 11:18*am, Molly Brown wrote:





On Dec 10, 7:45*am, wrote:

Going through the quote process for my new furnace and AC and came up
with two questions:

1 - Are new refrigerant lines required or recommended? *The existing
system is 26 years old, still working
no burned out compressor, etc. *One company says they have to be
replaced, other I didn't talk with
on that specific subject, but their quote calls out flushing and re-
using the existing ones.

2 - *The new furnace will be direct vent, so it leaves the gas water
heater orphaned on the existing chimney that was shared with the gas
furnace. *Is a chimney liner required or recommended? * Chimney is
clay flue lined, most of chimney is entirely within the house, except
the last 5 ft or so which is in a wood siding chase above the roof
line. *Don't have the exact measurements of the flue without going on
the roof, but guessing it's about 9 X 6 or so. *Again, one company
says must do, the other says not needed.

1. Why are you replacing your HVAC?

It's 26 years old and with the $1500 tax credits and rebates, it's
cost effective
to replace it.

*Is the new A/C going to be bigger?

No, both 5 tons

If it is then the refrigerant lines probably need to be of larger
diameter as well and if not you don’t need to replace them.
2. Does your fireplace share the same chimney?- Hide quoted text -

No. *The chimney has one flue for the existing furnace/water heater
and one flue
for the fireplace.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

There is not a downside to lining the side of the chimney that the hot
water heater will be using except cost. I suspect you're probably
getting some condensation in there already when the hw heater runs
without the fireplace in the winter. Is this a one or two story
house? Is the chimney brick? What's the total height of the
chimney? How exposed to the elements is it?

Another option would be to go with a condensing hw heater as well.
Then nothing is using the chimney any more.