RobC Posted February 13, 2004 Report Share Posted February 13, 2004 I ran into this somewhat unfamilliar item a while back. Has anybody seen this type of furnace in their travels? Ooops, I'll put the photos on a diet next time, sorry. first time [:-banghead] The furnace is called Mortemp Chimney Furnace Serial Number: 511 ââ¬â Natural Gas-BTU rating 95K TD = 55F This furnace appears to have been built at the same time the brick chimney was built, hence the name. The black control on top right is a fan limit switch and interlocked with the blue box in the second photo. The fan is in a cabinet, located in the attic and unsulated with SM blue board. The return ductwork was buried in the rockwool/vermiculite combo insulation. Download Attachment: MortempChimneyFurn1_S.jpg 250.8 KB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hausdok Posted February 13, 2004 Report Share Posted February 13, 2004 Hi Robert, I had one about three years ago in a Seattle home. I don't remember whether it was the same brand, but the concept was the same - the chimney was the furnace and the rest of the controls were fitted to the chimney like they'd been on a furnace. The one I saw had been taken out of service and the house converted to electric heat. As I recall, the chimney had been built with an inner and outer jacket so that air could circulate around the outside of the firebox and rise and fall up through octopus-style ducts and grates throughout the house. I hope you were wearing a good respirator poking around that vermiculite insulation. We don't want you to come down sick 25 to 30 years from now with mesothelioma. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
a46geo Posted February 13, 2004 Report Share Posted February 13, 2004 NOPE, I NEVER saw anything like that. I sure would like to see how it works. Where are the baffles? What keeps all of the "heat" from going straight up the chimney? What vermiculite? I don't see it. George Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobC Posted February 16, 2004 Author Report Share Posted February 16, 2004 I call this the missing link because the way I understand it we had gravity (octopus) furnaces then we moved into the central concept with a fan etc. This furnace is 1954 so it kind of falls in between and with a serial no. of 511 I'd suspect there is a very limited number of them. This is the first for me and I'll tell you I was just like a kid at the zoo. The home was built by a gentleman who died recently at the age of 95 and was in the construction industry. The home was 'pristine' 54 condition. I looked at the woodwork for marks and found very few. The door and windows operated as if they were new, the furniture retro and even the doorbell was original. A memorable inspection indeed. Anyways, I originally pegged it as a gravity and from the basement it would appear that way but more surprise was to follow. The caregiver for the gentleman (an electrical engineer) mentioned that it had a fan in the attic. Sure enough, when I opened the hatch access this is what I found....the fan cabinet wraped in blue SM Board. Download Attachment: FurnaceFan1_S.jpg 58.02 KB This photo is what I found around the corner. Download Attachment: ChimneyDamper_S.jpg 53.81 KB There's one more unusual find that has me equally puzzled. Later RC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chad Fabry Posted February 16, 2004 Report Share Posted February 16, 2004 I like the idea. This thing is heating the entire mass of the chimney and with todays controls like anticipators, I bet it'd be a very efficient unit. I'd like to look down the chimney and view the exhaust path, but my guess is it's an indirect path guiding the hot exhaust into a lot of contact with the masonry. There's probably a liner and an outer shell to blow the house air through and the energy stored in all that mass would radiate into the home after the burn is complete. It probably works like a heatilator fireplace. I'm guessing at all this so I reserve the right to be referred to as "full of shite". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobC Posted February 16, 2004 Author Report Share Posted February 16, 2004 At this point in time, it's anybody's guess as I have not heard ANYONE knowing about this animal. Truly a missing link Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigdogbonz Posted February 17, 2004 Report Share Posted February 17, 2004 How did you ultimately write up this in your report if you didnt know what you were looking at? Have further evaluation by HVAC tech? Bigdog Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobC Posted February 17, 2004 Author Report Share Posted February 17, 2004 I reported the data plate information and called it a gravity gas furnace with fan assist located in attic. What I'm researching is the history, and the design aspect of this animal. I wonder how long they were on the market and why are there so few of them. Did the company go out of business? Incidently, I opened the 'awning' inspection hatch at the burners and the inside looked new..honest. It's a puzzle. I thank everyone for your help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisprickett Posted February 17, 2004 Report Share Posted February 17, 2004 Rob, I googled Mortemp, and here's what i got: Mortemp Incorporated - Woodinville, WA Contact Information Phone: 425-482-0800 Hope it helps, Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobC Posted February 17, 2004 Author Report Share Posted February 17, 2004 Your googling skills are better than mine. Tried that got 0 Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hausdok Posted February 17, 2004 Report Share Posted February 17, 2004 Huh, I should have done that. Woodinville is about 4 miles as the crow flies from where I'm sitting. Used to be a little hole-in-the-wall town when I first moved here. The town put together a development plan and put it into action around 1998. The whole downtown area has been transformed really nicely. Big new shopping centers with a sort of small village feel and houses going up everywhere. I bet the population over there has more than quadrupled. Whoops, I'm rambling about non-HVAC stuff. Sorry, I just find the transformation of that place fascinating(Wish they'd do it here.). I'll see what I can find out. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobC Posted February 18, 2004 Author Report Share Posted February 18, 2004 Mike, That's really good information, cause I phoned the number given and it appears to belong to a woman. I've done a yellow page search and no luck. I couldn't find an HAVC contractor in the town. It leads me to believe that it could have been an industrial center at one time. Still searching Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hausdok Posted February 18, 2004 Report Share Posted February 18, 2004 Hi, Well, I talked to their downtown Seattle number this morning. They guy that talked to me said that he's worked for them for over 20 years (closer to 30) and had no idea what the hell I was talking about. My guess, they dallied in it for a very short period of time and perhaps sold their interest to the present company, which primarily sells HVAC components. I'll keep digging though. Maybe there is an old fellow around here that knows more than the guy downtown did. OT - OF!!! M. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobC Posted February 18, 2004 Author Report Share Posted February 18, 2004 AH! The OLD fellers, they kind of come in handy the odd time..don't they, not that I would know anthing about it mind ya. That's great Thanks Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chad Fabry Posted April 7, 2004 Report Share Posted April 7, 2004 I have a post-it on my computer to keep this topic fresh until someone finds out some info. Funny how you can look at a post it every day and never read it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.