Weber
USMC
Post your model and serial number of your furnace or pm me, I'll tell you if it is still covered under a manufactures warranty or not.
...He said there was no replacement of the heater exchange, just the whole unit.
He said the cause is me not maintaining it properly.
Very possible, but he should be able to tell you exactly how is was NOT maintained properly. (a clogged evaporator or secondary heat exchanger would do it)
He did not verify with a camera.
No need, from your description you have a heat exchanger problem (and maybe a dirty A/C evaporator also)
And yes, it lit then the blower came on then the flame shot out towards us.
He was here 10 minutes and charged me $75--I am choose the wrong career.
From your description it's a very straight forward diagnosis. We charge $100 bucks.
The 2-300 to fix is if the whole unit is still under warranty. I'll get a new one that way. He said 2 hours of labor + 100 or so in parts.
That raises some concerns for me.
I asked him if the heat exchange can be replaced he said no. Seems kinda wrong to me if the rest of the machine, electronics and all, is in good working order. But again, if it only costs me $300 to get a new furnace I am in.
Also raised some concerns, with the age of your unit, I would suspect the parts to still be available. It may be that the manufacture allows for a new unit and thus his response. Unless the unit is a high end unit, most heat exchanger jobs are simply not worth the labor to complete them.
Many times the labor for replacing the entire furnace is less then replacing the heat exchanger.
There is a large black panel behind the vent fan and the water was coming from the seal where this panel attached to the rest of the furnace. I remember him showing me the seal before putting it back on. He said it needed to be replaced but could use silicon and it would work just as good. Apparently it doesn't.
Does anyone know what that piece is called so I can sound half-way intelligent when I call the service department again?
Thanks in advance.
Collector box, if using a sealant it should be high temp water resistant, not clear silicon.