WE HAVE A furnace MYSTERY

[Karis Bernardo]

Hi all!! I am the mom of a daughter who just purchased a townhouse. She is recovering from brain surgery so I have been very involved in this process. The house has needed a LOT of work!! After 3+ inspections of the Consolidated furnace we are still without clear answers as to whether it is recalled and what to do if it is. I'll spare you the ongoing saga. The model # is HBA080ND4R. There is NO other digit at the end. I have pictures of the number and the label is in good shape---there is clearly no other digit on the model #.
*Is it a recalled furnace as one person told me? When I looked it up online it said the number needed to end with an 'x'.
*If it is recalled, what recourse do we have? Is there any way to get it replaced? I have learned that Consolidated went out of business.
Winter is on the way----Please help!!

[Brian Hannigan]

Hello Karis Bernardo,

Welcome aboard. Enjoy your visit here at InspectionNews and if there is anything I can help you with just let me know.

If you are a business owner please accept this gift for making your first post: http://www.inspectionreferral.com

If you are a home buyer, seller or DIYer, this gift is for you: http://www.inspectionnews.net/home-inspection-inspector/referrals/member.php

[mary theresa craig]

Hi all!! I am the mom of a daughter who just purchased a townhouse. She is recovering from brain surgery so I have been very involved in this process. The house has needed a LOT of work!! After 3+ inspections of the Consolidated furnace we are still without clear answers as to whether it is recalled and what to do if it is. I'll spare you the ongoing saga. The model # is HBA080ND4R. There is NO other digit at the end. I have pictures of the number and the label is in good shape---there is clearly no other digit on the model #.
*Is it a recalled furnace as one person told me? When I looked it up online it said the number needed to end with an 'x'.
*If it is recalled, what recourse do we have? Is there any way to get it replaced? I have learned that Consolidated went out of business.
Winter is on the way----Please help!!


Good Morning
The model # (assuming that the last digit is an "X") identifies the vendor to be GOETLL AC Inc or American Best out of Phoenix. They will handle the details of the recall. Keep in mind, if replacement is needed, the recall does NOT cover the installation.

[Jim Luttrall]

Hi all!! I am the mom of a daughter who just purchased a townhouse. She is recovering from brain surgery so I have been very involved in this process. The house has needed a LOT of work!! After 3+ inspections of the Consolidated furnace we are still without clear answers as to whether it is recalled and what to do if it is. I'll spare you the ongoing saga. The model # is HBA080ND4R. There is NO other digit at the end. I have pictures of the number and the label is in good shape---there is clearly no other digit on the model #.
*Is it a recalled furnace as one person told me? When I looked it up online it said the number needed to end with an 'x'.
*If it is recalled, what recourse do we have? Is there any way to get it replaced? I have learned that Consolidated went out of business.
Winter is on the way----Please help!!
A quick google search turns up a litigation web site with the following information snippet "These furnaces were only produced to meet California's nox-requirements. Furnaces produced for other states were not affected."
I would assume only the California furnaces have the "X" and it is doubtful that you have one of the recalled furnaces if it is in NY. http://www.consolidatedfurnaces.com
At this point the furnace is likely close to worn out if made between '83 and '95. Have it serviced annually and replace it when recommended by your HVAC specialist.


This is an article concerning the CPSC recall with a photo of the offending burners with the steel rods. The recall only concerns the units with the steel rods so it is easy to confirm or rule out whether your unit is covered by the recall.
CPSC Announces Recall of Furnaces in California | CPSC.gov (http://www.cpsc.gov/en/Recalls/2001/CPSC-Announces-Recall-of-Furnaces-in-California/)

[Jerry Peck]

Consolidated Furnaces (http://www.consolidatedfurnaces.com/)

"
If you have a house that was built between 1983 and 1995 and the furnace is in the attic, there is a very good chance that Consolidated Industries manufactured this furnace. They were sold through many different brand names but most of the furnaces were manufactured under the Premier and Consolidated labels.


According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, these furnaces present a substantial risk of fire. As of June 2001, there have been about 50 reports of fires and damage to homes associated with these furnaces as well as failures of burners and heat exchangers that can lead to fires.


BACKGROUND: In 1983, the Southern California Air Quality Board put into effect a regulation on nitrous oxide emissions. Premier/Consolidated Industries produced the least expensive horizontal furnaces that met these requirements. Approximately 190,000 of these furnaces were sold between 1983 and 1994. What Consolidated did to meet the nitrous oxide requirements was equip their furnaces with steel control rods installed above the burners. In some cases these steel rods cause the burners to overheat and crack the burner box, igniting flames outside the furnace and igniting combustible materials outside the furnace.


These furnaces were only produced to meet California's nox-requirements. Furnaces produced for other states were not affected.
"

You are in NY ... it is unlikely that a furnace made for a specific CA standard was produced in another state or shipped to NY - not out of the realm of possibilities, just low in probability.

Being made for that CA standards for nitrous oxide emissions was the reason for the "X" at the end of the serial number, no "X" and it would have been made to other standards and is apparently not affected by the recall.

[Karis Bernardo]

Hello Karis Bernardo,

Welcome aboard. Enjoy your visit here at InspectionNews and if there is anything I can help you with just let me know.

If you are a business owner please accept this gift for making your first post: http://www.inspectionreferral.com

If you are a home buyer, seller or DIYer, this gift is for you: Thank You! (http://www.inspectionnews.net/home-inspection-inspector/referrals/member.php)


Thank you Brian!

- - - Updated - - -


Good Morning
The model # (assuming that the last digit is an "X") identifies the vendor to be GOETLL AC Inc or American Best out of Phoenix. They will handle the details of the recall. Keep in mind, if replacement is needed, the recall does NOT cover the installation.


Thank you for the information!! The furnace definitely does not have an X...someone else just confirmed that for us. I appreciate you making the effort to assist us.

[Karis Bernardo]

A quick google search turns up a litigation web site with the following information snippet "These furnaces were only produced to meet California's nox-requirements. Furnaces produced for other states were not affected."
I would assume only the California furnaces have the "X" and it is doubtful that you have one of the recalled furnaces if it is in NY. http://www.consolidatedfurnaces.com
At this point the furnace is likely close to worn out if made between '83 and '95. Have it serviced annually and replace it when recommended by your HVAC specialist.


This is an article concerning the CPSC recall with a photo of the offending burners with the steel rods. The recall only concerns the units with the steel rods so it is easy to confirm or rule out whether your unit is covered by the recall.
CPSC Announces Recall of Furnaces in California | CPSC.gov (http://www.cpsc.gov/en/Recalls/2001/CPSC-Announces-Recall-of-Furnaces-in-California/)


Thank you!! This is very helpful!! This is what the last inspector just told us yesterday--the first of 4 to tell us that it is not recalled! It was good to have this information...it helped me to know who to trust to help us w this!!

[Karis Bernardo]

Consolidated Furnaces (http://www.consolidatedfurnaces.com/)

"
If you have a house that was built between 1983 and 1995 and the furnace is in the attic, there is a very good chance that Consolidated Industries manufactured this furnace. They were sold through many different brand names but most of the furnaces were manufactured under the Premier and Consolidated labels.


According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, these furnaces present a substantial risk of fire. As of June 2001, there have been about 50 reports of fires and damage to homes associated with these furnaces as well as failures of burners and heat exchangers that can lead to fires.


BACKGROUND: In 1983, the Southern California Air Quality Board put into effect a regulation on nitrous oxide emissions. Premier/Consolidated Industries produced the least expensive horizontal furnaces that met these requirements. Approximately 190,000 of these furnaces were sold between 1983 and 1994. What Consolidated did to meet the nitrous oxide requirements was equip their furnaces with steel control rods installed above the burners. In some cases these steel rods cause the burners to overheat and crack the burner box, igniting flames outside the furnace and igniting combustible materials outside the furnace.


These furnaces were only produced to meet California's nox-requirements. Furnaces produced for other states were not affected.
"

You are in NY ... it is unlikely that a furnace made for a specific CA standard was produced in another state or shipped to NY - not out of the realm of possibilities, just low in probability.

Being made for that CA standards for nitrous oxide emissions was the reason for the "X" at the end of the serial number, no "X" and it would have been made to other standards and is apparently not affected by the recall.


Thank you for all of the good information!!