The Bryant Gas furnace in our Comstock built home was obviously not built to last seeing how in the first 5 years or so the igniter and then the electric draft-inducer motor both already failed.

Twice now already in a fairly new "higher-end" home we have had the unpleasant surprise of waking up to no heat over parts failures in this Bryant (part Carrier) brand furnace! NOT a pleasant surprise and something we would have never expected so early on! We have kept filters changed often and any vents open, lint free, etc.

SO of course next we "PAY THROUGH THE NOSE" for any proprietary new parts to repair these, so that led me to take a harder look at just exactly what we get for the $400 or 500 dollars or more to replace that inducer-motor. As most could easily understand any spinning mechanical parts (like axles and wheel bearings) need protected from dust, moisture, and grime to last. The same is true in electric motors.

Well after my thorough inspection of the motor that failed it was easy to see the bearings and shaft were not well sealed against dust and moisture at least on this model. (310AAV066110AAJA) - (Inducer motor - HC21ZE123A). Fortunately I was able with several hours hard work to flush out and re-oil this motor and get it spinning freely and smoothly again, I was able to put it back in use until a new motor arrives. If the multiple sets of bearings had been dust sealed right however, this would not have been failing by now. Hey, there's dust out there! I hope the new motor will have better seals (the motor was about $150 without help and no surrounding metal frame parts). This had been very noisy briefly before it failed since it was chewing on dust!

Based on the way dust and moisture can just get in units are bound to fail not in 25 years, not in 10 years, but 5 or less. And don't use one of these furnaces in a dusty desert! Back when our igniter failed in 2008 it was more understandable since it sits directly in the gas flame, but that igniter stick really just crumbled. I suspect that not all gas furnaces fail that soon, so there must be better quality parts out there. I asked a local furnace expert if these gas igniters decay like this and should have to be replaced every couple of years and she said no!

Note: I have the paperwork and references to show for it.