Even if Yuma’s sunny climate keeps your heating needs to a minimum, a furnace is still a major investment in your comfort. Planning ahead helps ensure you get the most out of that investment.
Choose the Right Location
If you’re replacing your furnace with a similar model, the new furnace can usually be placed where the old one was. If you’re having a furnace installed for the first time, give some thought to the location you prefer.
A furnace shouldn’t be installed in a closet, bathroom or bedroom. It can be installed in a garage, but the furnace’s point of ignition must be at least 18 inches above the floor. The attic is another possible location, but the furnace will need at least five feet of vertical space and a sufficiently large opening no more than 20 feet away.
Because each furnace has certain requirements for space and venting, your furnace installation technician can offer guidance on where the model you’ve chosen can and cannot be located.
Prepare Your Home
To correctly size your furnace for optimal performance and energy efficiency, your technician will need to perform a heating load calculation in accordance with the Air Conditioning Contractors of America’s (ACCA) Manual J. This requires an in-person inspection of your home to collect information on your home’s positioning, weatherization, size and number of windows, and many other factors. Be prepared to allow your technician access to your home to gather this information.
When it’s time for the furnace installation, clear furniture and stored items away from the work area. Create a clear path between where the technicians will park and where the furnace will be installed. Your technicians will need to bring in equipment and having a clear path allows more efficient work and prevents damage. Plan to have someone home most of the day in case the technicians run into complications and need more time to ensure the system is installed to run safely and efficiently.
If you’re preparing for a new furnace installation, contact the pros at Hansberger Refrigeration and Electric Company in Yuma.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Yuma, Arizona about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about furnaces and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Guide or call us at 928-723-3183.
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