Furnace sizes

[Mel Underwood]

My Daughter bought a used 1999 fairmont 48x56 mobile home from a local dealer and We are in the process of setting it up. The dealer changed the electric furnace over to gas and I tried it a few nights ago when there was a chill in the air ,(60) outside. It took this furnace 1/2 hour to 40 minutes to raise the inside temp 1 degree. It seemed a bit long to Me so I looked closer at the furnace and it is only a 44k BTU furnace. I asked a Friend who is in the Heat contracting business told Me that it needs at least an 80k BTU. He also stated that this furnace will never be enough to heat this house when it gets cold. The dealer has been shall I say less than coperative on the other problems that We have encountered so I know They will do nothing unless I make a scene with customers in Their business, which I am prepared to do but I would like to find some more documentation to use for proof. What do You think? Thanks

[rmurray]

Sounds way too small to me...I am a bit confused with the size of home you listed...Is this a full quad wide or a smaller double section....

You did not mention which state you are in...but most states have laws that require the dealer to make sure the used home meets the HUD code that it was built to...You should have a data plate on the wall inside the home...8"x11" paper that shows the wind zone, thermo zone and it does have the size of heater required for the home to preform....Most states would "REQUIRE" the dealer to retro fit the home with the size listed here...

I would suggest you call your states dealer monitoring agency and ask the rules..then file a complaint..Often there are 2 different agencies...the SSA (HUD inspection agency) and the licence agency....Either one should be able to help..

[Roy Bonney]

My first call would be to Fairmont, to find out what size gas unit would have been supplied, had the home originally been built with gas. Second, the size of the return air required on an electric furnace is only generally in the range of 50 square inches of free area, as opposed to approximately 250 on the gas. If the return has not be correctly sized, if the furnace is in a closet, it will not function properly.

[Skip Underwood]

Thank You both for the info. When I put the size in I meant to say 28 x 56 not 48. The return air has not been modified. It is in a cabinet in the laundry room and the return air is just the medal door it has covering it. I had written to Fairmont about the size of the furnace and it originally came out with a 77k BTU electric furnace. I now have the written info I need to go back to the dealer and argue. I believe this furnace May have been taken out of a 14 foot wide home and put in this one. I do now wish We wouldnt have listened when They told Us they would be happy to change it over. Well its not over yet. Thanks again