Gravity Furnace Replacement – Minneapolis St. Paul, MN
The Minneapolis St. Paul metro area is full of fascinating older homes, and many home buyers seek these homes out for their charm, architecture and other features. In many homes built before 1950, though, heating is provided by a gravity-fed furnace system. Also called “octopus” furnaces, these space-eating, inefficient heating systems are a real drawback for older homes. Incompatible with central air conditioning, their ductwork systems take up a large amount of space and the systems are very inefficient, usually using less than 50% of the fuel they consume to heat the home. Worst of all, almost all of these gravity furnace systems have asbestos insulation, posing a health threat.
The slide show above shows the steps required for the job. Replacing an old gravity furnace system with a modern, high-efficiency furnace and ductwork and adding modern central air conditioning is almost essential in these homes. It’s a challenging job, and many HVAC contractors don’t want anything to do with replacing such systems. Residential Heating & Air Conditioning welcomes such conversions, and has replaced 1,000+ of gravity furnaces for Twin Cities homeowners. We take pride in our ability to provide older homes with efficient, safe, reliable heating and air conditioning systems, giving owners year round comfort, along with more room.
Six Steps to Replace a Gravity Furnace with a Modern HVAC System – Minneapolis St. Paul, MN
A typical gravity furnace system replacement takes about a week, but you only lose heat for a few hours. Since homes lose only about 1 degree per hour in the coldest weather, you won’t have to worry. Each stage of the replacement is carefully planned to make the job go smoothly and without problems.
- Permit Requirements – After contracting with you to replace your inefficient gravity furnace system and planning the job, we obtain all necessary permits and schedule all needed inspections.
- Asbestos Removal – A licensed asbestos abatement contractor will remove all asbestos following environmentally safe procedures. Areas being worked on will be sealed and testing after the process will make certain all harmful asbestos is gone.
- Gravity Furnace Removal – Everything connected with your old gravity furnace will be dismantled and removed, from the furnace itself to the space-wasting old ductwork.
- Ductwork Installation – We install all new ductwork for your new system, routing it carefully and neatly. Most of the fabrication of the new ductwork will be done in advance, so everything is ready to go after the gravity furnace is removed. In most cases, the new ductwork will connect to your existing registers, minimizing changes in your living spaces. Where needed, we’ll add new floor registers.
- Furnace Installation – We’ll install your new high-efficiency furnace quickly. Typically, you’ll only be without heat for a few hours. Careful planning makes the job go smoothly and without problems. If you’ve chosen to add central air conditioning, that installation takes place at the same time.
- Finish Work – Once all installation is complete, Residential Heating & Air Conditioning will completely remove all debris and clean up the work area so not a speck of the mess created is left.
Residential Heating & Air Conditioning – Gravity Furnace Replacement for Minnesota Homes
As one of the few Minneapolis St. Paul HVAC Contractors that actively seeks gravity furnace replacement jobs, we’ve replaced over 1,000 of these inefficient systems in our two decades of serving the area. Our experience, planning, and expertise in this complex job mean that your life will be disrupted as little as possible during the replacement. You’ll begin enjoying the comfort of your new system before you know it. Contact us today for a free, no-obligation evaluation of your gravity furnace replacement project. Let us show you how we can turn the job into a money-saving opportunity for you.