Like a trip back in time. We found this in the basement of a Minneapolis home. Fairly unusual, I encounter a few of these each year, usually in the older neighborhoods near downtown St. Paul.
Some people call them octopus furnaces because of the way the heat ducts take up the whole basement. They are called gravity furnaces. The unit in the first picture particular burns heating oil.
The gravity furnace is like a forced air furnace except with out the force. The air is heated, the hot air rises up through the duct work. These furnaces last forever but are often replaced because they are not energy efficient. The large asbestos wrapped duct work makes home owners a bit nervous. Handling and removing the asbestos is best left to a professional and cost a couple thousand dollars.
The pictures were taken with my phone and I have quite a collection but these are my favorites. The furnace in the middle was particularly frightening.
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You have been hanging out in some really old places. I have never seen such a monstrocity!
Old houses are my specialty. I know my furnaces too.
It looks like it could be converted to a giant snow blower.
why would anyone want to blow giant snow?
I grew up with a furnace that looked something like the one in the first photo.
It was actually some sort of coal burning unit that was converted to natural gas. My dad installed a shower in the room that had served as a coal bin.
We don’t have many basements in my area. If my clients found a house with a basement and saw that thing, they’d probably run away scared. It is a neat device though. Thanks for sharing.
yeap,I remember the one we had when I was a kid back in the 60′s.It burned coal,but we used only wood. On Saturday mornings,I can still remember my brothers and me opening the heavy door and sticking apples on sticks in there to roast and eat.That all changed when my mom had my dad change it over to gas.But we still kept the old duct work etc..
We rarely ever get to use a heater other then the hot water heater. They tend to rust out here since most are put in the attic. The humidity and lack of use makes for a short life if its gas. Looks like these never die.
I have never really seen a furnace like that. I can see why its referred to as an octopus.Down in the South we have furnaces which run on gas in the attic. Thanks for the information.
I have one and need to git rid of it. Can eneyone help does the goverment pay to remove them or somthing need it out HELP????????????
The City of St Paul has a program for if you stay at your home for 10 years no cost furnace. I have octupus furnace with asbestos lining xcel energy will not touch it had to call one that will do the job. Good luck.
I have a furnace like that in the house I am renting now in the Sunset/Parkside area of San Francisco. I think it may be wrapped in asbestos as well!
Any tips how to start one of these? It went off last night and since the landlord is now Fannie Mae…well, none of us living in the place know how to start this!
wow! I don’t have a clue, mine is forced air. You might need to call a furnace company.
I still have and use one of these. They are super quiet but No, they are not energy efficient.Looking to replace before the winter. They are kind of a pain to light, I call the ex!
Any contractor will tell you to replace this thing right away. Why? It’s in their best interest to get the business — much like an insurance agent extolling the virtues of extra (read unnecessary) insurance coverage or extended warranties. In my opinion, These heating systems are the most dependable and maintenance-free… think power outages, etc., where aforced-air system will be rendered useless. A gravity system can usually work without electricity and keep your house warm while the power is out. They also are totally quiet! No rushing air or whistling ducts. You will sleep better. The abestos wrapping is generally harmless unless it’s disturbed, i.e. being removed. That said, if you are planning on staying in the home a long time, want central air, and have the money, etc., you may want to replace the system. Forced air is more efficient. I’m just saying that they are not nearly as bad as people make them out to be.
IT LOOKS LIKE MINE
You are not alone. I am surprised by how many I find in homes. They heat the place but they use a lot more energy than modern furnaces do.
I have one of these in my cellar.It was built in 1911, exactly when the house was being built…I think they built the house around it. A few yrs. ago a Contractor told us it would still be working when we were dead and gone. Not heat efficient but
like the man said…during a power outage we can turn it on and off manually. I had a couple of pipes fall off and managed to get replacements through salvage but was wondering where I can get a pix or schematic to see how the pipes go back into the registers. Anyone know if they are available online?