Rheem Furnace Model RGEB 07EC FS - Need a new furnace??

[dEsTiNy728]

Hello all, hoping that you can help.  I have a Rheem Furnace Model RGEB 07EC FS, about 20 years old.

I believed that my furnace only needed a new burner.  The first burner lights, the other two do not, but will if I manually light them.

Furnace guy came over, took the burner unit out, and he found a crack on the inside wall of where the middle burner sits.  He says that I need a new furnace because this crack will cause the gasses to enter the house, not fixable.  So what I thought would be a $300 fix is now $1900.

Does anyone agree or disagree with this?  Or is there a simpler fix to the problem without replacing the entire furnace?

Much thanks in advance to any help in my situation.

[RegUS_PatOff]

another thread from 4 years ago...

http://www.hvac-talk.com/vbb/archive/index.php?t-64384.html

 

[dkpd1581]

If you have a crack in the exchanger you will have to replace the exchanger at a minimum (an individual burner cell at the least or the entire section if its a one piece assembly style exchanger) or the complete furnace at the ideal.

Replacing the exchanger will most likely only give you a one year warranty on the replaced part.  Replacing the furnace as a whole will give you 10-20 years warranty on the exchanger, one year on all associated parts (blower motor, wheel, board, ignitor, etc).  Furthermore, you can take advantage of higher efficiencies that were unheard of 20 years ago at reasonable prices.

Either way, a cracked cell is a monoxide hazard that can cost someone their life.  Also, a crack in the exchanger can allow air forced through the unit by the indoor blower into the burner section through the crack, a back draft, which will cause the flame to roll out of the unit into the cabinet - a serious fire hazzard.

It really stinks that you have that issue; however, anyone in the industry will tell you the exact same thing I just told you.  Your furnace has met and is exceeding its service life expectation by any industry standard.

 

Just a thought.