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revjeanne · Oct 18, 2007, 06:25 PM

I purchased a mobile home 18 months ago and replaced the water heater in April ($1,600) and now I need a furnace. It is an Intertherm MGHA 075 A8FC-01 and 16 years old. According to the first two repairpersons there is a hole in the heat exchanger and they said it is more cost effective to replace the whole furnace at this point--about $2,000.00. The man today said the hole was due to a defect in the design. My question is--if I'm going to come up with all this money where to I find the research on quality ratings for these products? Does anyone have recommendations? I have two other companies coming tomorrow to give estimates. It's a single wide 14x76.
Thanks, Jeanne

T-Top · Oct 18, 2007, 06:37 PM

Get three our for bids from your local hvac companies. A lot of the equipment out now will offer 10,20,40 and even lifetime warranty on heat exchangers. That's the first thing you need to ask. What type of warranty will I get with this equipment. You may have to go to a packaged unit to get the better warranty.

ballengerb1 · Oct 18, 2007, 07:36 PM

If you had followed T-Tops rule of thumb when you replaced your water heater you would not have paid $1600 for it. I think you are in the ballpark of having paid double the correct cost. Back to your furnace, you can go cheap with an 85 unit but if you move up to the 90+ you will pay more but save quite a bit on fuel. Same for the SEER rating on the AC, higher the SEER the more efficient and costly. Do you have any idea how long you might stay in this home?

revjeanne · Oct 18, 2007, 08:38 PM

Originally Posted by ballengerb1

If you had followed T-Tops rule of thumb when you replaced your water heater you would not have paid $1600 for it. I think you are in the ballpark of having paid double the correct cost. Back to your furnace, you can go cheap with an 85 unit but if you move up to the 90+ you will pay more but save quite a bit on fuel. Same for the SEER rating on the AC, higher the SEER the more efficient and costly. Do you have any idea how long you might stay in this home??

5-10 yrs... The A/C is the orig. as well so I'm wondering if I should look at that too. Yes, I think they took advantage of me on the water heater although part of the floor had to be rebuilt. They told me the heat tape needed to be replaced and they would do it for $300. I did it myself for less than $50.

tsa7man · Oct 19, 2007, 05:26 AM

NOTE!! NOTE!! FIRST call Nordyne ( they handle the Intertherm line of furnaces ) at 1-800-222-4328 ask for customer service and or warranty information department. You need to FIRST see if you still have a warranty for the existing heat exchanger, where it may be covered due to a defect, and you then will only have to pay for the labor to change it!! Don't be to quick to buy a new furnace if you don't have to. ( have your full model number and serial number handy, they will ask for it )

I just contacted a distributor of Intertherm products, and the heat exchanger has a 10 year warranty, ( not a lifetime like some of the products that I handle ) and the cost of just the heat exchanger is around $900.00... and due to the age of the original furnace, and future part availability, it would be best to up grade to a newer unit and efficiency rating...

revjeanne · Oct 19, 2007, 12:18 PM

Thanks, I will contact Nordyne-- Intertherm, but the warranty was 5 years then 50% at 6 years and declined to nothing at ten years.
One of the contractor's (Father and Son's) called this afternoon because he's running late and he asked what the problem was with the furnace and I told him. He seemed to be pretty good. At first he quoted $2200.00 and asked what his competition was asking. When I told him $1,964 and that I was a minister and the church was helping me pay for it he lowered the price to $1,800.00.
As far as the furnace he said Intertherm or Coleman were about my only choices with a downflow setup and that I would need a new roof jack and 3 to 4 hours installation which is in line with what I've been told. He added that if the roof jack was in good condition it might not need to be replaced but he thought it would be worth it. Also he said the same thing as others,about just replacing the heat exchanger for $900. He told me that because mobile homes are so drafty, even with the 90,000 BTU, I might not see the gas savings I was hoping for. I might get some since the old furnace has a pilot and new one would have a hot surface.
So that's about it until I talk to the other person later on today.