Oldest Furnace Contest

Clif Heeney_2

Here is one of the oldest furnace's that I have read about and seen a picture of.

How old is the oldest furnace that you have seen?

Hope that you all are having a GREAT day!

Clif

link:  <a href="http://www.skyhidailynews.com/article/20110523/NEWS/110529990">http://www.skyhidailynews.com/article/20110523/NEWS/110529990</a>

lchmb

I think

I think this was the oldest warm air furnace I've replaced...not sure about much but the upstair grates were all beautiful brass...

Jean-David Beyer

My dad had one that looked like that.

In Buffalo, N.Y. It was coal fired all the time I lived there. Later (before 1960, I believe), the city stopped picking up ashes, and by then natural gas came available. Previously, it was manufactured gas. So he had a gas burner put in to blow fire into the former ash pit. And put some bricks in the smoke pipe to reduce draft.



He used to have a thermostat that, on a call for heat, opened the draft door under the fire and closed the vent on the side of the smoke pipe. WHen the thermostat was satisfied, it closed the door under the fire and opened the vent on the smoke pipe to reduce the draft through the fire. Crude, but effective. That was when coal was between $4 and $7 a ton. It is a lot more now, but I do not know if you can even buy the stuff in retail quantiites anymore.



The former owner had a blower put in, so it had been converted to forced hot air. But even with the blower off, it heated by convection as originally designed. It was a two story house with only one return register (fairly large) in the dining room downstairs.

MikeyB

Warm Air Furnace

We used to see these in Queens NY, we called them Octopuses, this one looks like its in pretty good shape

billtwocase

replaced a many of those

known as spider webs around here. I always enjoy finding all the coins that fell down the grates that no one could get out. These would be come unsealed between the sections and soot the house. It was good heat in it's day for sure. I have one possibly older than that. The old folks just won't part with it. Still has the original Sunbeam burner when it was converted.

Mark Eatherton

McElroy Air Field...

AND Middle Park Meats, I believe are or were owned by this family. I think I know exactly where the Gazebo that is referenced is located.



Good find Clif. Are we going to see you this summer?



Beautiful scenery, cold beers and burgers are awaiting.



ME

lchmb

young lady

Removing this furnace was even more enjoyable due to the young lady who lived there. She was into her 90's and at the time was unable to stay in the home in the winter. She explained that her Father had actually installed the furnace and she had lived in the home her entire life. This system was replaced 5 years ago and I serviced it in March (yes it is serviced every year). She's extremely happy with the system and spends most of the winter there now. And she loves to chat over a good cup of coffee..:)

Clif Heeney_2

Trip to Heeney

Mark!

I hope to make it up to Heeney this summer, but don't know if that will be possible.  But I am certainly trying to make the trip this year.

Are you there about every weekend?

It will probably be towards the end of June, but I will let you know as soon as we have a date(s) picked out.

Hope you are doing well, my friend!

Clif

Mark Eatherton

Say when...

And I GUARANTEE you that I WILL be there :-)



Hope you and yours are doing well.



ME