Where do I get this part for an oil furnace?

In a way, maybe I should wait and see what happens tomorrow, but I am
hoping to learn something in advance.

I just noticed or just created a hole in a sheet metal part of my oil
furnace, a small box that connects the firebox to the flue. It looks
rectangular from the front, top, and bottom, and trapezoidal from the
side**, shorter at the front than the back. It is open in the back to
connect to the firebox and has a round hole near the front in the top
to connect to the flue. (Is there a name for this part?)

The man is already scheduled and coming to clean the furnace late
tomorrow morning. Even if he leaves his shop without the part, if his
company stocks it, I can go there and get it while he is at his
earlier customers. Do they stock things like this? The Carrier oil
furnace is 20+ years old. If I give the company the furnace model
number, might they have this part in stock? Or do they make one when
they need one? Or will I have to find someone to make me one?

Is he going to insist I need a whole new furnace because this one part
is crumbling? If he said that, would he be right? I ran it for
about 20 minutes last month and it worked fine. The hole appeared
today, probably after I pushed on the metal with the shop vac tube.


**I have more exact measurements but it's roughly 5" high near the
firebox, 2.5 inches at the front, and 18 inches deep, and 14 inches
wide. Plus it has a flange around it that gets screwed to the
furnace.

A heating and AC wholesale parts house might have it. Or,
take a couple digicam photos and take the camera to your big
box hardware store. I know one small town hardware that has
a lot of heating parts and pieces.

--
Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
..


"mm" wrote in message
...
Where do I get this part for an oil furnace?

In a way, maybe I should wait and see what happens tomorrow,
but I am
hoping to learn something in advance.

I just noticed or just created a hole in a sheet metal part
of my oil
furnace, a small box that connects the firebox to the flue.
It looks
rectangular from the front, top, and bottom, and trapezoidal
from the
side**, shorter at the front than the back. It is open in
the back to
connect to the firebox and has a round hole near the front
in the top
to connect to the flue. (Is there a name for this part?)

The man is already scheduled and coming to clean the furnace
late
tomorrow morning. Even if he leaves his shop without the
part, if his
company stocks it, I can go there and get it while he is at
his
earlier customers. Do they stock things like this? The
Carrier oil
furnace is 20+ years old. If I give the company the furnace
model
number, might they have this part in stock? Or do they make
one when
they need one? Or will I have to find someone to make me
one?

Is he going to insist I need a whole new furnace because
this one part
is crumbling? If he said that, would he be right? I ran
it for
about 20 minutes last month and it worked fine. The hole
appeared
today, probably after I pushed on the metal with the shop
vac tube.


**I have more exact measurements but it's roughly 5" high
near the
firebox, 2.5 inches at the front, and 18 inches deep, and 14
inches
wide. Plus it has a flange around it that gets screwed to
the
furnace.

On Mon, 26 Oct 2009 08:25:32 -0400, "Stormin Mormon"
wrote:

A heating and AC wholesale parts house might have it. Or,

I guess I should have thought of that. Thanks.

Do you know if I also need some sort of caulk or gasket to attach this
part to the firebox and to the flue? I can't see what's under the
flange, but there seems to have been nothing between the other, round
flange on this box and the flue.

I think it wore out earlier than it would have because the humidifier
overflowed on a few occasions and the top of this got wet.

I told them the problem, and said I was trying to avoid an added call
by their tech to see what is wrong, and they've postponed the
cleaning.


take a couple digicam photos and take the camera to your big
box hardware store. I know one small town hardware that has
a lot of heating parts and pieces.

On Oct 26, 9:43*am, mm wrote:
On Mon, 26 Oct 2009 08:25:32 -0400, "Stormin Mormon"

wrote:
A heating and AC wholesale parts house might have it. Or,

I guess I should have thought of that. *Thanks.

Do you know if I also need some sort of caulk or gasket to attach this
part to the firebox and to the flue? *I can't see what's under the
flange, but there seems to have been nothing between the other, round
flange on this box and the flue.

I think it wore out earlier than it would have because the humidifier
overflowed on a few occasions and the top of this got wet.

I told them the problem, and said I was trying to avoid an added call
by their tech to see what is wrong, and they've postponed the
cleaning.



take a couple digicam photos and take the camera to your big
box hardware store. I know one small town hardware that has
a lot of heating parts and pieces.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

When there is fire in the chamber, do the exhaust gasses flow thru
this pipe on the way to the chimney? If so, you are risking a fire or
air poisoning if you don't replace this part. But, if this metal is
so thin, what about the entire fire box?????

On Mon, 26 Oct 2009 08:38:52 -0700 (PDT), "hr(bob) "
wrote:

On Oct 26, 9:43*am, mm wrote:
On Mon, 26 Oct 2009 08:25:32 -0400, "Stormin Mormon"

wrote:
A heating and AC wholesale parts house might have it. Or,

I guess I should have thought of that. *Thanks.

Do you know if I also need some sort of caulk or gasket to attach this
part to the firebox and to the flue? *I can't see what's under the
flange, but there seems to have been nothing between the other, round
flange on this box and the flue.

I think it wore out earlier than it would have because the humidifier
overflowed on a few occasions and the top of this got wet.

I told them the problem, and said I was trying to avoid an added call
by their tech to see what is wrong, and they've postponed the
cleaning.



take a couple digicam photos and take the camera to your big
box hardware store. I know one small town hardware that has
a lot of heating parts and pieces.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

When there is fire in the chamber, do the exhaust gasses flow thru
this pipe on the way to the chimney? If so, you are risking a fire or
air poisoning if you don't replace this part.

You're right. I absolutely have to replace the part. The oil company
guy said that Carrier doesn't have it anymore, so I'm going to call
local heating supply stores.

Any other ideas where to look?

It's called the Flue Collector, and connects the firebox to the flue.


It's not sheet metal. It's steel. If I can't buy one, I was thinking
that I could get a welder to weld a new layer of steel over the part
that is thin. It's open at one end, and I think the other 4 sides
are good.

They've removed identical furnaces from here when my townhouse
neighbors replace them, but I guess they are crushed and recycled, and
don't sit in junk yards.

But, if this metal is
so thin, what about the entire fire box?????

Good question. I think, and the repair manager at my oil company
agreed, that the rust here was accelerated a lot because the
humidifier overflowed and dripped water on the top of this part.

Doesn't the furnace cleaning guy warn the customer when the firebox is
leaking? I asked last time and he said it was good.

And I've been using a CO detector and it hasn't gone off, and last
winter I put cloves in the firebox but didnt' smell anything where the
heat came out of the vents.

Thanks.

On Oct 26, 1:46*pm, mm wrote:
On Mon, 26 Oct 2009 08:38:52 -0700 (PDT), "hr(bob) "





wrote:
On Oct 26, 9:43*am, mm wrote:
On Mon, 26 Oct 2009 08:25:32 -0400, "Stormin Mormon"

wrote:
A heating and AC wholesale parts house might have it. Or,

I guess I should have thought of that. *Thanks.

Do you know if I also need some sort of caulk or gasket to attach this
part to the firebox and to the flue? *I can't see what's under the
flange, but there seems to have been nothing between the other, round
flange on this box and the flue.

I think it wore out earlier than it would have because the humidifier
overflowed on a few occasions and the top of this got wet.

I told them the problem, and said I was trying to avoid an added call
by their tech to see what is wrong, and they've postponed the
cleaning.

take a couple digicam photos and take the camera to your big
box hardware store. I know one small town hardware that has
a lot of heating parts and pieces.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

When there is fire in the chamber, do the exhaust gasses flow thru
this pipe on the way to the chimney? *If so, you are risking a fire or
air poisoning if you don't replace this part.

You're right. *I absolutely have to replace the part. *The oil company
guy said that Carrier doesn't have it anymore, so I'm going to call
local heating supply stores.

Any other ideas where to look?

It's called the Flue Collector, and connects the firebox to the flue.

It's not sheet metal. *It's steel. *If I can't buy one, I was thinking
that I could get a welder to weld a new layer of steel over the part
that is thin. * *It's open at one end, and I think the other 4 sides
are good. *

They've removed identical furnaces from here when my townhouse
neighbors replace them, but I guess they are crushed and recycled, and
don't sit in junk yards.

*But, if this metal is
so thin, what about the entire fire box?????

Good question. *I think, and the repair manager at my oil company
agreed, that the rust here was accelerated a lot because the
humidifier overflowed and dripped water on the top of this part.

Doesn't the furnace cleaning guy warn the customer when the firebox is
leaking? *I asked last time and he said it was good.

And I've been using a CO detector and it hasn't gone off, and last
winter I put cloves in the firebox but didnt' smell anything where the
heat came out of the vents.

Thanks.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

if its a small hole, like the size of a big nail, do not worry, often
there is a hole like this where a technician will place a thermometer
probe to measure the exhaust temperature.

If the hole is that small and worries you, get some metal tape to
place over the hole or muffler patch etc and seal it.

Mark

Don't know. I do very little oil work. Might be an asbestos
gasket, but most likely no gasket.

--
Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
..


"mm" wrote in message
news On Mon, 26 Oct 2009 08:25:32 -0400, "Stormin Mormon"
wrote:

A heating and AC wholesale parts house might have it. Or,

I guess I should have thought of that. Thanks.

Do you know if I also need some sort of caulk or gasket to
attach this
part to the firebox and to the flue? I can't see what's
under the
flange, but there seems to have been nothing between the
other, round
flange on this box and the flue.

I think it wore out earlier than it would have because the
humidifier
overflowed on a few occasions and the top of this got wet.

I told them the problem, and said I was trying to avoid an
added call
by their tech to see what is wrong, and they've postponed
the
cleaning.

On Mon, 26 Oct 2009 10:57:55 -0700 (PDT), Mark
wrote:

On Oct 26, 1:46*pm, mm wrote:
On Mon, 26 Oct 2009 08:38:52 -0700 (PDT), "hr(bob) "





wrote:
On Oct 26, 9:43*am, mm m wrote:
On Mon, 26 Oct 2009 08:25:32 -0400, "Stormin Mormon"

wrote:
A heating and AC wholesale parts house might have it. Or,

I guess I should have thought of that. *Thanks.

Do you know if I also need some sort of caulk or gasket to attach this
part to the firebox and to the flue? *I can't see what's under the
flange, but there seems to have been nothing between the other, round
flange on this box and the flue.

I think it wore out earlier than it would have because the humidifier
overflowed on a few occasions and the top of this got wet.

I told them the problem, and said I was trying to avoid an added call
by their tech to see what is wrong, and they've postponed the
cleaning.

take a couple digicam photos and take the camera to your big
box hardware store. I know one small town hardware that has
a lot of heating parts and pieces.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

When there is fire in the chamber, do the exhaust gasses flow thru
this pipe on the way to the chimney? *If so, you are risking a fire or
air poisoning if you don't replace this part.

You're right. *I absolutely have to replace the part. *The oil company
guy said that Carrier doesn't have it anymore, so I'm going to call
local heating supply stores.

Any other ideas where to look?

It's called the Flue Collector, and connects the firebox to the flue.

It's not sheet metal. *It's steel. *If I can't buy one, I was thinking
that I could get a welder to weld a new layer of steel over the part
that is thin. * *It's open at one end, and I think the other 4 sides
are good. *

They've removed identical furnaces from here when my townhouse
neighbors replace them, but I guess they are crushed and recycled, and
don't sit in junk yards.

*But, if this metal is
so thin, what about the entire fire box?????

Good question. *I think, and the repair manager at my oil company
agreed, that the rust here was accelerated a lot because the
humidifier overflowed and dripped water on the top of this part.

Doesn't the furnace cleaning guy warn the customer when the firebox is
leaking? *I asked last time and he said it was good.

And I've been using a CO detector and it hasn't gone off, and last
winter I put cloves in the firebox but didnt' smell anything where the
heat came out of the vents.

Thanks.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

if its a small hole, like the size of a big nail, do not worry, often
there is a hole like this where a technician will place a thermometer
probe to measure the exhaust temperature.

I had a hole like that when I bought the house, and someone had
screwed a screw into it.

If the hole is that small and worries you, get some metal tape to
place over the hole or muffler patch etc and seal it.

Then after a furnace cleaning, I found a second hole and it did worry
me. Thanks for the info. Next time it won't worry me, I had some
metal tape and I covered it.

This hole is much bigger, 4 inches. It probably didn't exist until I
tried to shopvac the area. I'm going to try some more to get an
original replacement somewhere, and then I think I'll get a welding
guy to cover it with another layer. Sort of like on the A-team when
they take a car and cover it with scraps of metal. Except a much
better fit.

For the same momey, maybe I could buy an arc welder and do it myself.
Should I?

The pieces are 14"x18", 14x2,14x19, and two trapezoidal pieces about
5x18. Since appearance doesn't mattter, maybe it would be a great
beginners project.

I won't need a jig since I can just put on a little glue to hold the
pieces to the original.

.....although how will an arc welder work if the two pieces to be
welded are resting on the same iron or steel box.?



Mark

You may be able to cut a piece to shape, and atach it with
sheet metal screws. Pop rivets (steel) would be good, too.
Welding is good, but it may burn up some of the rusty metal,
and turn into more work.

--
Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
..


"mm" wrote in message
...

This hole is much bigger, 4 inches. It probably didn't
exist until I
tried to shopvac the area. I'm going to try some more to get
an
original replacement somewhere, and then I think I'll get a
welding
guy to cover it with another layer. Sort of like on the
A-team when
they take a car and cover it with scraps of metal. Except
a much
better fit.

For the same momey, maybe I could buy an arc welder and do
it myself.
Should I?

The pieces are 14"x18", 14x2,14x19, and two trapezoidal
pieces about
5x18. Since appearance doesn't mattter, maybe it would be
a great
beginners project.

I won't need a jig since I can just put on a little glue to
hold the
pieces to the original.

.....although how will an arc welder work if the two pieces
to be
welded are resting on the same iron or steel box.?



Mark

On Oct 26, 4:13*pm, "Stormin Mormon"
wrote:
Don't know. I do very little oil work. Might be an asbestos
gasket, but most likely no gasket.

--
Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
*www.lds.org
.

"mm" wrote in message

news On Mon, 26 Oct 2009 08:25:32 -0400, "Stormin Mormon"

wrote:
A heating and AC wholesale parts house might have it. Or,

I guess I should have thought of that. *Thanks.

Do you know if I also need some sort of caulk or gasket to
attach this
part to the firebox and to the flue? *I can't see what's
under the
flange, but there seems to have been nothing between the
other, round
flange on this box and the flue.

I think it wore out earlier than it would have because the
humidifier
overflowed on a few occasions and the top of this got wet.

I told them the problem, and said I was trying to avoid an
added call
by their tech to see what is wrong, and they've postponed
the
cleaning.

Keep in mind that there are substantial tax credits this year that
could apply to a new furnace. With a 20+ year old unit, you could
get a new higher efficiency one and now might be the time.

On Tue, 27 Oct 2009 07:32:13 -0700 (PDT), wrote:

On Oct 26, 4:13*pm, "Stormin Mormon"
wrote:
Don't know. I do very little oil work. Might be an asbestos
gasket, but most likely no gasket.

--
Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
*www.lds.org
.

"mm" wrote in message

news On Mon, 26 Oct 2009 08:25:32 -0400, "Stormin Mormon"

wrote:
A heating and AC wholesale parts house might have it. Or,

I guess I should have thought of that. *Thanks.

Do you know if I also need some sort of caulk or gasket to
attach this
part to the firebox and to the flue? *I can't see what's
under the
flange, but there seems to have been nothing between the
other, round
flange on this box and the flue.

I think it wore out earlier than it would have because the
humidifier
overflowed on a few occasions and the top of this got wet.

I told them the problem, and said I was trying to avoid an
added call
by their tech to see what is wrong, and they've postponed
the
cleaning.

Keep in mind that there are substantial tax credits this year that
could apply to a new furnace. With a 20+ year old unit, you could
get a new higher efficiency one and now might be the time.

Thanks for pointing that out. Yes, assuming one pays that much in
taxes, one can get back up to 1500 dollar for furnaces, 30% of what
one actually spends. So at the price he quoted 4500, I could get a
tax credit of 1350 dollars.

This opportunity is good until the end of 2010, and the total can only
be 1500.

For someone who doesn't make enough money to pay 1350 in taxes, it
seems that this credit can't be carried forward, but there are some
credits that are unlimited and the unused amount can be carried
forward, but I'm not sure if it is one year or until it is used up.

But I don't want to be rushed when I pick out the furnace, and winter
is coming. One place told me two weeks from ordering it to finishing
it and of course they might be delayed. I should be able to get this
welded in a day, and finished an hour or two later. So I'm going out
to some welding shops now to see what they can do.

Chris, the problem with screws and poprivets is that the box has to be
gas-tight. Or the gases that the draft doesn't suck up will enter my
house I'm going to look for hi-temp silicone and see if that would
be enough to seal something like that.