Case Study: Historic Furnace Replacement in Olde Towne Bellevue
This case study documents a furnace replacement project for a 1902 Queen Anne home in Olde Towne Bellevue, the original historic core of Bellevue that predates Nebraska statehood. Bellevue was founded in the 1830s as a fur trading post and is the oldest continuous European settlement in Nebraska, with the Olde Towne district preserving substantial 19th and early-20th century architectural character. The work involved removing a 1991 atmospheric furnace and installing modern condensing equipment while protecting the home’s substantial original interior and exterior architectural features.
Customer Situation
The property is a 1902 Queen Anne home in Olde Towne Bellevue, approximately 2,400 sq ft across two main floors plus partial finished attic, with detached carriage house. The home retains exceptional original character: substantial original interior trim (oak with carved decorative elements), original hardwood floors, leaded and stained glass windows, original wood front porch with turned columns, original brick exterior with limestone accents. The owners (retired couple in their early 70s) had restored the home over 18 years of ownership and prioritized historic preservation in all property work.
Equipment situation:
- 1991 Lennox G14 atmospheric furnace, 80% AFUE, 80,000 Btu/hr (33 years old, substantially beyond useful life)
- 2014 Lennox 14 SEER R-410A AC, 3 ton, 11 years old, operating adequately
- 1991 furnace approaching predictable failure scenarios; customer interested in proactive replacement before forced emergency situation
- Substantial concern about installation impact on original architectural features
- Need for furnace replacement to coordinate with planned interior painting project; owners wanted disruptive work consolidated
Diagnostic Assessment
Initial consultation by Ryan Kowalski (Service Lead, 14 years, with substantial historic home experience). Assessment time approximately 2 hours including extensive discussion of historic preservation considerations.
Furnace Inspection
- 1991 Lennox G14 atmospheric furnace, 33 years old, operating but showing age
- Combustion analysis: 42 ppm CO (elevated, indicating developing issues)
- Heat exchanger inspection: visible scaling but no cracks yet
- Original chimney venting through brick chimney shared with gas water heater
- Estimated 6-18 months remaining useful life before forced replacement scenario
Historic Property Considerations
- Mechanical room located in basement with stone foundation walls and original wood stair access
- Old furnace removal would require navigating original wood stairs (substantial weight, careful handling required)
- Sidewall venting location selection critical — visible to street, must coordinate with brick exterior character
- Chimney liner installation required for orphaned water heater; chimney is original brick with limestone cap visible from street
- Refrigerant work for AC retention required careful coordination to avoid disrupting AC operation during winter
Equipment Selection
Standard tier furnace selected based on appropriate scale for property and customer’s emphasis on traditional reliability over advanced features:
- Lennox ML195 condensing furnace — 95% AFUE, 70,000 Btu/hr (right-sized from 80K based on Manual J)
- Existing 2014 AC retained — 11 years old, operating adequately with adequate remaining useful life
- Chimney liner — appropriately sized for orphaned water heater, installation routed to minimize visible exterior impact
- Sidewall venting — location selection coordinated with brick exterior, minimal aesthetic impact
- Standard programmable thermostat — replacing existing programmable, no smart thermostat requested (customer preferred traditional control)
Project Execution
Coordinated single-day installation with substantial historic preservation care, 9 hours total:
- Morning (4 hours) — Protective coverings extensively deployed: floor coverings on all hardwood floors throughout work path; door frame and wall protection on stairway used for equipment transport; stair protection (original wood stairs with original turned spindles in railing); basement floor protection. Old furnace removal with two-technician team given weight and stairway navigation requirements; equipment moved in sections to protect stairs and trim.
- Midday (3 hours) — Sidewall venting penetration: location selection in collaboration with customer; cut through limestone foundation veneer (preserving original brick visible from street), routing to least-visible exterior location; chimney liner installation through original chimney; refrigerant line work for AC retention preserving the 2014 evaporator coil.
- Afternoon (2 hours) — New furnace installation, gas and electrical connections, condensate management, system startup, combustion analysis verification (6 ppm CO with new condensing equipment), customer walkthrough verifying all original features undamaged, protective coverings removed.
Historic Preservation Outcomes
- All original interior architectural features undamaged: oak trim, hardwood floors, leaded glass, original woodwork
- Stairway used for equipment transport completely intact: no damage to original wood stairs, turned spindles, or railing
- Sidewall venting penetration in inconspicuous location: not visible from street view; minimal exterior aesthetic impact
- Original brick chimney with limestone cap remains visible architectural element; chimney liner is internal modification only
- Customer satisfaction with installation execution: protective measures evident throughout, no clean-up required after work completed
Results
- Proactive replacement — avoided emergency scenario during cold weather; customer maintained control of project timing and equipment selection
- Heating efficiency improvement — 95% AFUE vs prior 80% AFUE produces estimated 16% gas consumption reduction
- Right-sized equipment — 70K Btu/hr matched to actual heating load (Manual J calculated)
- Historic character preserved — all original features intact; substantial customer appreciation
- Combustion safety — CO output dramatically reduced (6 ppm vs 42 ppm prior)
- Equipment warranty — 10-year parts coverage
- Federal Section 25C tax credit — $600 (30% × $600 max furnace)
- Coordination with interior painting — HVAC work completed before painting, minimizing disruption to customer’s overall property project
Pricing
Total project cost: $9,800
- Lennox ML195 condensing furnace (70K Btu): $4,000
- Chimney liner installation (preserving original chimney character): $1,485
- Sidewall venting penetration with limestone-area routing: $385
- Condensate pump and drainage: $215
- Standard programmable thermostat: $125
- Installation labor (9 hours, two technicians for transport phases): $1,485
- Historic preservation protective materials and additional care: $185
- Old furnace removal and disposal: $385
- R-22 recovery (none required, AC retained): $0
- Materials and supplies: $155
- Miscellaneous coordination and documentation: $385
Net cost after federal tax credit:
- Project cost: $9,800
- Federal Section 25C tax credit: -$600
- Net cost: $9,200
Lessons from This Project
- Pre-1910 historic homes benefit substantially from proactive equipment replacement before forced emergency scenarios that limit time for historic preservation care
- Sidewall venting location selection in historic homes requires coordination with original exterior character; substantial inconspicuous routing usually possible with care
- Chimney liner installations preserve original chimney architectural character while accommodating modern equipment venting needs
- Two-technician teams appropriate for equipment transport in historic homes with original stairways and architectural features that require protection
- Coordination with customer’s broader property projects (painting, restoration) helps minimize cumulative disruption
- Standard tier equipment selection appropriate for moderate-scale historic homes with customer preference for traditional reliability
Contact Omaha Heating and Air Conditioning
For Olde Towne Bellevue historic furnace replacement, pre-1910 home HVAC service, careful installation in homes with substantial original architectural character, or proactive replacement planning, call our 24/7 line.
- Emergency Line (24/7): (402) 258-6703
- MUD Gas Emergency: 402-554-7777 (suspected gas leaks)
- 911: for CO detector alarms or fire/smoke situations
- Address: Lake Regency Building, 450 Regency Pkwy #370, Omaha, NE 68114
- Email: info@omahaheatingairconditioning.xyz
- City of Omaha Mechanical Contractor License: #MC-2014-08847
- EPA Section 608 Universal: #608U-2014-227841