Forced air furnace advise

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Does anyone have any experience with  this type of forced air furnace? 

I just found this surprise in a duplex I have under contract in the Minneapolis/Saint Paul area.

It was updated to Gas at some point in time. Last time it was looked at was 2012.

I'm just wondering if its even safe and how costly these can be.  I believe it would have to be updated a some point with a whole new system.

If anyone knows an HAVC person that could help me with that in the next several days please send my way in private message.

Let me know.

Thank you

Jonathan

[Jim K.]

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That is not a forced air furnace. It is a converted coal-fed gravity furnace. Above it is a large arrangement of ducts that looks like a spider. As has been corrected pointed out, the thing was insulated with asbestos (after it was converted).

Any competent residential HVAC guy will have at least read about these.

What you're going to end up doing is removing that and replacing it with a modern updraft forced air furnace set on its lowest blower speed and some additional ducting. The new furnace will of course be much smaller.

This is not a dealbreaker. It's not particularly dangerous. It's inefficient though, and it's going to cost a bit more to remove safely and replace with a more modern unit. You're not going to put another one like it in there.

These are unusual finds nowadays.