Wife sent me a text while I was at work yesterday. "Furnance isn't working." By time I got home any stores that sold any furnance parts I may have needed to make a repair had closed. Luckily all I needed was some fine steel wool to clean a sensor.

 

That incident got me thinking though. Maybe it would be a good idea to have some spare parts on hand in case something breaks dowm at an odd or inconvenient time in the future.

 

So what spare parts (non firearms related) for what systems in your home do you think it would be a good idea to have on hand "just in case".

I guess that would depend on what your skillsets are. It wouldn't be useful, for instance, to stockpile plumbing parts if you're no good doing plumbing work..unless you can rely on friends or family to help with the work as long as you supply the materials

Yep. Parts are useless if you can't install them without jacking it up more

 

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What kind of furnace? Is it standing pilot, hot surface or spark ignition? Some, not many, but some standing pilot furnace have a flame sensor, which is what you cleaned. If it's draft induced the most common parts to have on hand are

 

Pressure switch

Ignitor, spark module (depending on system)

Control board but basically everything because there is no time table on most parts.

 

I do HVAC for a living I have everything on hand

Pressure switch

Draft induce motor

Blower motor

Gas valve

Ignitor

Control board

 

Parts vary in price, I get them at a supply house under my corporate discount, but for a regular home owner who doesn't have such luck with discounts, or not knowing anyone.

Repairclinic.com have good prices than your homedepot etc

Thanks John. I also sucked and blew on the pressure switch hoses in attempt to reset the pressure switch.

 

After cleaning sensor, blowing/sucking on tubes it still wasn't lighting last nignt before I went to bed. This morning heat was on. Maybe it takes some time for system to reset?

 

I was thinking of ordering some of the parts you mentioned just to have on hand.

 

What other system parts or appliance parts would you recommend having on hand for the average home owmer who is willing to attempt common fixes?

 

It's rather incrediible what you can learn from Youtube. I've replaced solenoids on gas dryer as well, those were like $5.

 

I guess purpose of this post is to learn from others what's gone wrong on their heating / appliances, what parts they used to fix that may have been useful having on hand rather than ordering / waiting for them that aren't terribly expsnsive and what sources (Youtube channel, books, magazines, etc) you found helpful in fixing your problem.

Some control boards have a lock out feature, range from 1 hour to a few hours. Normally just turn the power off and back on that'll reset the board.

 

As for spare parts, normally you want spare parts for everything that moves, inducer motor, blower motor and a pressure switch. Control board and gas valve will last year's, but there are cases I have seen them go sooner than later, so having those 2 on hand are good too.

Hadn't thought about that Glen. I could only replace a few things on my gas furnace. Inducer, main blower. Maybe the igniter.

 

But I think maybe a good backup for your furnace is some sort of properly installed wood stove. The assumption....and this is really a SHTF deal...what if there's no natural gas supply, propane or oil? Wood might be easier to stock. The issue though is the expense and logistics of getting one or more wood burning stoves installed.

 

As for other systems.... My biggest concern would be a well pump and possibly a pressure tank. I think for those I'd have to hope for the best. Or have an alternative. Like a 20,000 gallon pool in your yard. I have seen people in remote areas with underground storage tanks. Expensive system but water is pretty important.

 

I think less like a part and more like a repair kit would be anything required to fix a water leak in your plumbing. The issue being water screwing up the "shelter" part of water, food and shelter as your priorities.

 

Maybe some material to fix broken windows if your place is vandalized.

A camper( back up house)

I believe this and similar questions come down to a tradeoff between being prepared to deal with emergencies, and having a house full of crap that you may or may not ever need.  

I believe this and similar questions come down to a tradeoff between being prepared to deal with emergencies, and having a house full of crap that you may or may not ever need.

Very true. So very true.

You can wear clothes. You can eat Food. You can Drink water. You can light candles. Burn wood etc.

 

But this stuff, what am I going to do with all this stuff.

 

I like mxr ,am a fan of redundant systems.

Wood stove is in my garage( waiting for me to install it in the house).

I had a Rheem condensing furnace that was one of the first ones they ever made, I think it was installed around 1991.  What a piece of garbage.  The drum cracked the first winter we had it, they had a crew of five guys working on it in the middle of the night on a freezing February.  Long story short it was the only thing I ever got a service contract for, with the gas company.  Every spring or fall when we switched from AC to heat or the otherway around it would blow out the circuit board.  It would eat ignitors at the rate of three to five a year.  I ended up on a first name basis for the guy who ran the gas companies service department.  He spent a lot of time at my house because he could not believe what was going on.  He finally gave me a spare ignitor, pressure switch and a few other parts as he saw I knew a lot about this stuff.  He told me that rather than be without heat just install these and then take them out just before the service guy finally shows up so you are not without heat.  Finally replaced that beast this Spring.

A camper( back up house)

 

Yup... got one...  Need it for MX races......

 

And a box trailer to carry alternate means of transportation (RMZ450's) ......and extra ammo...   :-)

Toy hauler and Ktm for the win.

Jus sayen

Toy hauler and Ktm for the win.

Jus sayen

 

Touche'

Back to spare parts.

I tend to buy plumbing fittings in bulk. (Need a elbow, buy the bag). Same with electrical,wood,fasteners etc.

A lot of stuff is extras from a job.

I've done a little of that.  If I could keep the stuff I have organized.... now that would help a lot......

 

Probably a good idea to do something similar for at least one vehicle.

 

Water pump.

Serpentine belt

Set of tires or a way to fix them

Alternator

Thermostat

Hoses

Fuses

Oil......

Coolant

 

Just going through stuff I know how to deal with.   Maybe some stuff not really important for low mile vehicles.  But if your ride has 80 to 100K....

 

There's always the issue of fuel.  But that's another thread.