"NWM" wrote in message
news
Well the service guy said the burner had too much rust and showed me
that the burner wasn't burning all the gas. Consequently, he turned
off the gas to the furnace and told me the furnace could blow up if I
tried to light it up. He could replace the burner, but this company
stopped making furnaces 20 years ago, so parts would be difficult to
get and the total cost to replace the burner with labor would amount
to 500-1000.

Well the estimate for a new furnace(80percent) with new digital
thermostat, and the surrounding ductwork and 2 man all day labor
amounts to $4750, 10 percent off for cash. He said the price of steel
had gone up dramatically the last 2 years. Now I will get a couple of
other estimates.

Is this a typical price? Archived messages range from under 2000 to
above 4000. Never saw a price as high as my estimate in the archives
even for a 90 percent model. A 96 percent model will cost over 2000
more.

Anyone have experience with Home Depot's referral service? I normally
check out the Better Business Bureau for companies that are
(preferably)members and don't have any outstanding complaints. Better
yet, members who don't have any complaints at all in the past 36
months. I wonder if Home Depot screens their referrals. I ask, because
maybe Home Depot gives deals to the companies that they refer.

This is Turtle.

First : You need a service man that will clean all that rust out of there and
see how it burns afterwards. I can clean one in about 45 minutes and put it back
together and this is not a major job. I think the service man wanted to sell a
new furnace and too lazy to clean it. I would call another service compant and
tell them to give it a good cleaning and you might be surprised to see what
happens. Rusted up burners is a common problem and i see them rusted up all the
time. I clean them out and they run fine. The only reason I may say change the
burners or a new furnace would be the burners have big holes rusted through them
and letting the gas not come out of the louvers of the burners. If they are not
rusted through. Clean them out and be happy.

Now to a new furnace and the price. I could not say on price for i've not seen
the job and know what area of the country you live in. Now i will say this by
seeing the prices you got. I would get a second opinion or bid on this job.

Well as i said here , Get a service company to come and be Real about fixing it
and Clean the burners and fire it back up. Now if you want a new furnce get you
one but if you don't mine have a old one that works good. Get a respectiable
service company to come really Clean it.

TURTLE