Gravity Vented Wall Furnace

[Mark P]

Empire Gravity Vented wall furnace: natural gas, Model# GW-25-6, ANS date 1993... and

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FAW-60-1SPP, ANS date 1985

I never ran into one of these units before today and am not aware of any unusual risk, issues, concerns. I searched the internet and the CPSC and have found no issues. I just wated to see if anyone has experience with these units and any usefull info.

Thanks

mark

[hausdok]

Hi Mark,

Interesting that its brand name is Empire. It looks like almost a perfect copy of a Williams wall furnace.

OT - OF!!!

M.

[John Dirks Jr]

Im in the learning curve here so help me out please. Why do the call it "gravity vented"?

[kurt]

Gravity = hot air rises.

The same company makes the Empire, Williams, and a couple other obscure brands. They're actually fine heaters.

The old ones are problematic. Models previous to this had a heat exchanger that was open on the bottom.

As the forced air passes by the open heat exchanger, it will suck combustion gas out of the exchanger and into the house air. Bad, bad, very bad.

[John Dirks Jr]

Interesting. Normally when you think of things gravity related, you think of them dropping or falling.

So that thing is vented to the outside isnt it?

[hausdok]

Yeah, it's vented to the outside just like any other FHA gas furnace. As for the "gravity" thing; that's probably a term someone started using incorrectly which simply stuck. If anything, they should be called buoyancy vents. Gravity vented furnaces also include those with inducers, so don't assume that just because it's got an inducer fan on it that it's not a gravity-vented furnace.

OT - OF!!!

M.

[kurt]

Maybe it came out of the "gravity heat" terminology(?).....

[Jim Katen]

Originally posted by AHIS

. . . I never ran into one of these units before today and am not aware of any unusual risk, issues, concerns. I searched the internet and the CPSC and have found no issues. I just wated to see if anyone has experience with these units and any usefull info.

Thanks

mark

The one in your picture looks like a more modern design that the one's that I typcially see.

The older ones had a dimpled heat exchanger that tended to develop holes in the dimples.

See the attached pics.

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The thing I like about wall furnaces is that it's generally very easy to get a good view of the heat exchanger. Here's a heat exchanger with another design, but that's just as easy to see. I don't remember the brand.

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- Jim Katen, Oregon

[JerryM]

Warm air rises, cold air falls, which is a good thing especially for those that enjoy balloon rides.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Why-Does-Cold ... &id=302338

Nice photos Jim.

[biff]

I just bought a small old house that has an Empire FAW-60 SPP, ANS date 1980. Do you know if this would be one of the "old ones" that you have described as "problematic"?

Also, the house has been vacant for about a year. Any advice or warnings about trying to start it up again? I am not technically knowledgeable in this area. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Originally posted by kurt

Gravity = hot air rises.

The same company makes the Empire, Williams, and a couple other obscure brands. They're actually fine heaters.

The old ones are problematic. Models previous to this had a heat exchanger that was open on the bottom.

As the forced air passes by the open heat exchanger, it will suck combustion gas out of the exchanger and into the house air. Bad, bad, very bad.