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Sunday, September 27, 2026Est. 2026. Most of what's in here is older.

Don't fix it if it ain't broke

Still Running / Around the house

No. 0117Around the house

1975

Bryant furnace

Bryant

Running 51 years

A home inspector rarely sees one past 20 years

A 1960s McClary-Easy natural gas furnace in a Winnipeg basement. Not a Bryant, and not the one in the story. — A 1960s McClary-Easy natural gas furnace in a Winnipeg basement. Not a Bryant, and not the one in the story. Photo: Camzmac, CC BY 3.0. The real one is in the original post.

A home inspector found this 1975 Bryant on the job, and it works completely. Units over 20 years old rarely turn up on inspections. The inspector doesn't dig into the internals, but figures this one has had regular, thorough maintenance. The standard note for any old unit that still runs: it's at or past its expected life, it works, and the buyer should have an HVAC tech look it over.

Retold from a post on r/HVAC. Read the original

More from Around the house

No. 0030Around the house

Carpet sweeper

Played with it as a kid, so Grandma handed it over A Leifheit carpet sweeper, newer than the one in the story but built on the same idea: push it and the brushes turn.

A Leifheit carpet sweeper, newer than the one in the story but built on the same idea: push it and the brushes turn.

Running about 66 years

No. 0097Around the house

Electric sewing machine with knee control

A knee lever, and a cord you wired your own plug to An old Singer Model 128 sewing machine fitted with an electric motor, on its bentwood case base. Not the one in the story.

An old Singer Model 128 sewing machine fitted with an electric motor, on its bentwood case base. Not the one in the story.

Running 101 years

No. 0094Around the house

Door handle

Wobbly knobs, 150 years old, original to the house An old turned brass doorknob on a wooden door in Quebec City, the paint worn away around the grip. Not the one in the story.

An old turned brass doorknob on a wooden door in Quebec City, the paint worn away around the grip. Not the one in the story.

Running about 157 years

No. 0029Around the house

Rheem water heater

Only checked its age when the hot water stopped A Rheem electric water heater, much newer than the one in the story.

A Rheem electric water heater, much newer than the one in the story.

Running 46 years