Those finds are the toughest to tell the customer, especially when it has 'ran great all these years'.

sounds like dirty bearings in that blower, might have been repairable. I'm going to look at my furnace tonight to see if it flows correctly. Thanks

I have a dual fuel setup in my house. Gas furnace only runs when power is out and the house is on generator power. Moisture in the system has caused the bearing on the induced fan motor to fail at least on the original motor. It’s a real pain to find that out during power failure on a winter night. I now run the system on gas a few times during the winter season to verify the induced draft motor runs, and is quite. I am one for those pesky DIYers you love so much Ted. Great videos.

It’s probably cheaper to replace the inducer motor every 8 years rather than paying to have the furnace installed right. My furnace was built in 1992, but it’s upright in a fairly clean basement environment. Probably helps. I recently changed the burnt out control board on it, but it’s still going. I spray dabs of fluid film on the shaft of the inducer to keep it humming. I’ll probably pull out main fan motor in the summer to give it a lube. I’ve never had a service tech out so it’s been at least 8 years.

"turd in a punch bowl" LoL

These are the situations you hate as a tech. Automatically the homeowner is going to be suspicious (and rightly so) that you're trying to scam them. It's a perfectly understandable response to say "yeah guy, but it's worked just fine." That said, I would probably write out a diagnostic report, give it to them and encourage them to get a 2nd opinion to prove that I'm not making this up. I would also take the husband down into the crawlspace and show him exactly the problem is so he can see it leaking with his own eyes. My experience is to show the homeowner slowly, in plain language the problem so they can see/understand it. You've been at this long enough Ted that you quickly build trust with people. Great video

“Like a turd in a punch bowl”. LOVE IT !!

As an apartment owner/operator I really appreciate the videos and have learned so much. Would like to hear you be a little critical of the “Authorized TRANE dealer” who installed that. Thought TRANE was pretty persnickety about only selling their equipment through their dealer network. I know that it’s not available to me, nor should it be. I do have several TRANE units, and from my perspective part of the premium in cost, is the quality of the product and the added value of the dealer know how. Again, not slamming you, but let’s be fair. Great Videos

As a home owner I like honestly. If there is a problem at least I know about it. I watched the HVAC guys do my install. They pointed out some bad things the previous installer did. All I know is my new AC keeps my house cold at less that half the power cost.

I'm still amazed that these furnaces even work laying on there sides. The ones up here in Ohio are always standing upright.

Wow, the furnace is operating upside down basically. How..... in.....the...... heck is that thing still working!? I didn't even notice it until you mentioned it. Then again, I've never worked for a trane dealer, yet the drain hoses are very telling. Amazing!

I went to a warranty call for York a 20 ton multi stage unit. In the middle of the brand new high school unit was installed backwards and blowing out the return lol

I'm amazed the furnace is working, with that fine dust everywhere!

I do HVAC cleaning, I learn so much from you. Keep it up!

Your cutaway was fantastic, cousin It would be proud. Love your videos all around too. Let's me know as a home owner what a professional is like.

Dust is a killer on electronics,allowing current to flow where it shouldn't . The red dust everywhere looks like what we get here in Australia in gear that has been flooded by rain water etc. .But Water and motor bearings don't mix well either...😁 Do they have a mould problem in the home?

What other side effects might be exhibited by the improper installation? Maybe the homeowners have been aware of issues which they have tolerated. They may be glad to know there is an explanation and correction for those issues.

Somebody spent a lot of money on a high efficiency Trane furnace and the dealer didn’t install it correctly.

Hey just wanted to put this out there but behind that plate were the inducer motor sits there a recepticle that's attached to heat exchanger that gets hair line cracks in it all the time that also has to be replaced

Shameful It took 7/8 years to find. Excellent job . Bet secondary heat exchanger is rotten

Where you mentioned that it needs a T. You can add a plumbing 2” Y and hook a P trap and drain it from there. Thanks for sharing

There is ‘appears to work’ such as my car has great acceleration but ... The brakes don’t work. Then there is ‘working properly’ when the brakes also work as expected. I’d say this never worked right based on all the rust in the cabinet. Flip the thing over or walk off the job, exhaust has to go somewhere and in this case, right into the crawl space. That secondary HX probably is in bad shape too since it cannot drain.

I’m glad I have a standard b vent furnace, those high efficiency furnaces are extra problematic if not installed exactly correct.

The only thing that was off to me was that water and the way it was puddling and I was trying to understand the drain system but it didn't click until you pointed out the secondary heat exchanger condenser drain then I could see the whole picture.

You must be talking about Curious HVAC Guy . I have been around the broadcasting industry for 40 years and his voice sounds like he could be a professional broadcaster, but he does look like ZZ Top singer.

You could modify the flue pipe to add a T and drain just outside the cabinet.

Looks like they need a new Multi position furnace

Watching the video, furnace is upside down. Been installing Trane for a while. The drain on the inducer motor gave it away. They weren’t multi position back then, only upflow and left discharge. Can’t possibly be draining properly.

🤯 it's amazing how things get installed and still work! Where's the condensate go wtf. 🤣 great work

Hello from the great state of Michigan

Speaking as an electrical inspector... We do indeed enforce the 20ft rule on the crawl space HVAC units.

*Starting at **24:55* *Water dripping out from the bottom right of the blower motor. No wonder why the motor went bad with all that moisture rusting bearing/sleeve and other metal parts inside the blower.*

I remember a crappy house I lived in once. The inducer motor would stick just enough where it wouldn't start when you needed heat after the summer. There was no central A/C so the furnace would sit idle for at least 2 seasons. I'd head down to the cellar, Turn the inducer and it was fine for the rest of the winter. Then I figured I would send a call for heat at least once a month to keep the motor from freezing up. And that worked. I'm guessing the damp cellar didn't do the motor any favors during the warmer months.

The condensate all over the furnace shelf shoulda been the tip-off. BTW, gas condensate isn’t “water”, it’s corrosive acid.

Good info. Don't think I would have spotted it.

Thank god I work in the NE where they have basements!

There you Go ! Another "licensed" but unfamiliar HAVC installation job. As soon as you took off the side panel to the condensate fan location and I saw the water pooled up below, I thought something wasn't right. And as usual, Ted notices the problem. Man...this is totally unbelievable that any HVAC installer who is selling Trane didn't know or failed to identify the correct unit to install. Maybe its time for a few customers to file complaints against these HVAC companies as few do which hurts the rest of us. Lots of dust floating around down below the house in there too...

This is why I am an Anti HVAC Tech bc that clearly wasn't a DIY install and prolly a Trane dealer to boot.

i have found sticky gum type material stuck between the wheel and the wall before, was able to remove gunk and get heat for client. tranes are notorious for the silicone on inducer leaking. i always redo the silicone with hi temp, and apply clamps to the drain hoses. barb fittings arent enough half the time. the water in the cabinet would have caused me to check heat exchanger also.

What did the husband have to save after you pointed out the install?

LoL "There is no squirrel in it..." Hahahaha!!

The inside of that thing was a mess I don’t think they keep up with the filters either

It looks like the condensate trap is installed in a factory knockout which supports a horizontal right application. There may have been an additional measure that was not taken on day one. "Working fine" and leaking in the crawl space for 7 years aren't the same thing!

Good eye on unit placement cook

You can see that there's rust in the blower housing and there was water under the inducer initially. Also, there are stand offs on top of the furnace which indicates that the circuit board has been replaced, probably due to excessive moisture. Too young of a good furnace to have those repairs.

Like hear this conversation with customer

Later today, I'll be going under a house, to get the model# off a Goodman furnace unit, so to order a new draft motor that's making a noisy racket. BUT! Here's the kicker. It's laying on it's LEFT side, BUT, just two years ago, it was moved from an indoor closet, (where it used to be STANDING UP), to it's new current location, UNDER the house, laying on it side. Five will get you TEN, it's suffering the EXACT SAME issue. Film at 11!

Its nice how most things are multi directional now.

I'm so glad we have basements here in NH and not so many crawl spaces. "Stuck out Luke a turd in a punch bowl" .... I'm still laughing that was great.

Crazy! I was wondering why it was wet inside. Looked like the crawl space regularly floods.

Yea had some Goodman Induce motors scream i.e bearings ? still kept on running for some time .

You need to call Busta Rhymes and tell him to send the flip mode Squad. It reminds me of an air handler I had a very long time ago. The customer had a drain problem, water all over the place. I go look at it, somebody installed the air handler upside down and didn't flip the coil, so the evaporator drain pan was on the top of the unit on its horizontal installation. Well I told him to go call the installer and have them come fix it. Damn rookies.

The unit is already halfway through it's expected life cycle. I wouldn't spend a lot of money reinstalling it. Use what's there for as long as possible. Make sure the next new one gets installed correctly.

Good job Ted 👍 see you on the next one

The only way a condensing furnace can run/work without it draining water, would be to have it run above design temperature rise. If the furnace is over heating, then it will not condense the vapor h2o into a liquid state. I have seen this many times on oversized furnaces, and when I adjust the gas pressure within the temperature rise of the data plate, it flows like Niagara Falls. What was the temperature rise after you fixed it with a clean air filter? What was the exhaust temperature of the flue gases when you checked combustion?

You'd think the secondary HX would fill up with water and keep the pressure switch from closing.

Good one, Ted. I really got a kick out of your parts delivery. As far as the furnace install, if your guys didn't do it, it's not on you. Best thing to do is advise Mr of the situation, maybe you get a sale in the future. You caught something that others didn't Be safe out there.

First thing i found that portable thermostat change color from green to white

Couple drops of oil will go a long way.

As a home owner, I would rather be informed of the truth or issue if it's clearly explain like the way you did in this video. Additionally, I wouldn't feel any resentment towards someone telling me the truth but rather be thankful instead.

You stole my thunder, found one in wrong orientation last week... bad motor too

wonder if a self threading barb could be added for a drain? "great share!"

Break it to them gently., just let them know and Wright it on your invoice, that way you are covered.

Lol reminds me of a time my dad was working by himself in downtown Atlanta doing a doctors office he hired some random kid with a car to drive to the department store and get him parts he needed to finish the job kid ended up getting a real position in the company as a laborer

What about the gas line coming in from the top, no catch pipe for the rust and sediment that forms inside the steel pipes.

I like how you didn't use the drill to remove and reattach the screws. Some guys just use that for everything. I cringe when I hear the screws strip.

Just because it has worked fine for 7 years doesn't mean it has been running correctly. Your video is all the proof you need.

dripping out right now

The things you encounter are always interesting. Would like to know what homeowner decided after breaking the bad news to him. Dislike to video must be the homeowner ??

always best telling the truth, it is not your fault. Mayby you could check if trane can help them out. Help them, it will give you a lot of goodwill

That’s why the blower motor bearing went. Moisture in the motor, see the way the water drip was blowing!

I think water getting in the induced draft blower is what killed it. The water probably rusted the bearings enough to make it eventually stop. It may have been replaced before. If it hasn't been replaced before then she's good for another seven years. Well out of your responsibility.

That explains the combustion fan being blown,not designed to have moisture in it,thats enough to justify flipping the unit!no warranty on repair because unit installed improperly!

"like a turd in a punch bowl." lol

Someone at the parts house brought it to his attention

Stood out like a turd in a punch bowl. I'm using that one. Lol

Well you flip it over and then rotate it 180 degrees and redo the duct work if wanted to go that way

Know codes are involved but couldnt you drill a 1/2 whole in the bottom & install a narrow pan for it to drain into & empty into a catch pump below to be pumped outside?

What letter in the model number tells you whether the unit is green or gray??? 😎👍

Do you think it’s possible that the heat from the burners have been vaporizing the moisture and turning it into steam and repeating the cycle? It would collect and condense back down into the heat exchanger, but keeping it out long enough to run the cycle. That heat exchanger won’t last to much longer like it is. At the beginning of the video you mentioned water had been on the plastic making it all muddy, it’s probably from this issue.

Make you a small service bag lol

Don't blame the messenger.

interesting the original induced draft motor had no cap and the replacement does..

Thats just crazy there hasn't been any issues.

So the heat exchanger was draining into the inducer motor, causing it to rust and seize?

hi ted, my mother board went out , i had issues with mine turing on and staying on, my brother is a certified hvac tech- spotted the issue - replaced the board and heat give gives out. works great.

Regarding the motor...likely that had sleeve bearings which tend to fail often vs. ball bearings !! I just don't get it apparently, most motors are replace way before they are worn out because of crap quality sleeve bearings. Manufacturers should use ball bearings as a basic rule.

Ive got a york unit and on the tag it says 1 of 10. Does that mean only 10 units were manufactured?

My inducer motor went out, sounded like my house was on the beginning stages of a rocket lift off...

Very minimal usage, dripping at the connector , I'm amazed that it still works.

It is now a whole home hudmifier.

Awesome! Great observation on that furnace Love those ones when you have no good options Thanks

you could change the elbow out with a tee and a drain

All you can do is inform them and leave the decision to them. I’d replace the furnace if it required a flip. The heat exchanger is likely toast . The water would have to boil to get out I would think.

put a tee on the vent pipe with a drain there?

Is there not a 10 year warranty - home owner can probably still go after original installer.

The heat exchange pipes will wind up rusting out more quickly than normal if it's not draining properly.

Probably drains through the fan when it gets high enough. Could be why the fan went.

It looks like a sand storm hit that unit, you need a N 95 mask, good luck

those blowers are sucking up all the dust